Locked On Broncos - Daily Podcast On The Denver Broncos - ELITE: Denver Broncos LOADED Secondary Headlines Biggest Roster Strength

Starting point is 00:00:00 The Denver Broncos have a reigning defensive player of the year and an all-pro safety that headline a loaded secondary going into 2026. You are Locked-on Broncos, your daily Denver Broncos podcast. Part of the Locked-on podcast network, your team every day. What's up, Broncos country? Cody Rourke, Sarah Benninger here for another episode. Locked-on Broncos today's episode is brought to you by Fandu. College football Saturdays are already packed with reasons to get excited. And this season, Fandul is giving fans more ways to get in on every matchup.

Starting point is 00:00:35 Join all the action at Fanduil.com as we discussed the Broncos secondary being loaded with good depth, both players who are established, but also players who are still developing and growing inside of this defensive system. I'll also tell you why six wide receivers for the Broncos presents a really good problem come game day. And we'll also go deeper into the Broncos defensive line where they went with heavier bodies this upcoming season. And that could be by design here. Let's take a look at all that here. Sarah, let's start off with Denver secondaries. We've kind of recap the Broncos.

Starting point is 00:01:05 53-man roster. We expressed our concerns, maybe with some of the depth that inside linebacker yesterday, but I feel like we should highlight definitely the strengths of this roster. I feel like when you look at it, I want to start off with the secondary, led by Patrick Sertan, the second, Talanoa Hufanga, Brandon Jones, Riley Moss, Jayquan Macmillan, the Broncos secondary does in fact seem like the biggest strength for this current Denver Broncos roster. And I think it's also an area where you could have the top breakout player on the roster in Riley Moss, Cody. I feel like he's obviously had two good seasons as a starter,

Starting point is 00:01:37 you know, up and downs last year, I think with the penalties and being grabby and whatnot. So the perception of him is not necessarily that he's had two good years in a row. But I think he has. And I think he's primed for probably the best year of his career entering a contract year with the Broncos. And I'll be surprised if he doesn't maybe contend for the team lead in interceptions this year. I'm expecting big things out of Riley.

Starting point is 00:01:59 Who's, by the way, practiced the first couple of days this week as well. So he's back from that injury. that he sustained trying to jump on a forced fumble in the preseason there. But look, I think you're absolutely right, Cody. The secondary is loaded with depth. It's loaded with top end talent. It's loaded with guys that present the best types of problems

Starting point is 00:02:16 like we're talking about here with the receivers and the defensive line. These are good problems to have. Can you find a way to pay everybody? Can you find a way to keep everybody around? How much longer can you reasonably expect to keep all these guys around? Of course, Jayquan Macmillan really establishing himself

Starting point is 00:02:33 in the slot created a bit of a logjam for former first round pick, Jaday Barron. You have Chris Abrams-Drain, who maybe in the right circumstances, could have been a starter by now for the Denver Broncos. So I think obviously at the cornerback position, you are the most enviable group in the entire NFL. Safety doesn't necessarily have the same level of depth, but you have some weapons that do different things behind Tala, Nola Hufanga and Brandon Jones. Yeah, and I'm excited to see how Huff in his second year inside of this system, just what he picks up. And of course, he made the emphasis this offseason to work on the jugs machine and going back saying,

Starting point is 00:03:08 I needed to get more interceptions. I dropped too many money balls last year. Brandon Jones coming back fully healthy from the torn pectoral, just watching how these guys have communicated and just picked up right where they left off last year, playing on the field together where they can look at each other. And they don't necessarily have to say anything. Of course, you want your DBs to communicate verbally. But these guys can almost pass off.

Starting point is 00:03:27 Like, we know Denver runs a lot of match concepts defensively. They'll have a zone call, but then they'll match certain things. It's to the point where Brandon and Hufanga, they can look at each other as routes are developing or when there's a specific receiver threat or a couple guys going to their vicinity. They know which ones to pass off and which ones to, you know, take off to the other guy. They do a really good job of that. And then you mention PS2. You already know, you erase one side of the field essentially when you have Pat Sertan,

Starting point is 00:03:52 whether it's on your field side or your boundary side. And then J-Quan has emerged as one of the better young nickel corners in all of football, which has been very, very exciting to see. see that for him. And then you mentioned Riley Moss. I mean, Sarah, the one thing I think the Broncos have here, they have a group of guys that collectively allow the Broncos to unleash those zero blitz looks after opposing offenses to where all these guys can play man-to-man coverage. Now, they're going to balance certain things out of zone and man, because if you run man, 99% of the time, like teams pick up on that and they create different route concepts and formations to where

Starting point is 00:04:25 they can try to have man-beaters. They're going to run more pick routes and things like that. So I just think that the mentality of this defense, they have everything that they need in terms of leadership. I think of tenacity, especially in the secondary when he talk about it. J-Quan is not a guy who jaws, but he's a fireman. He's scrappy. PS2 leads by example. Raleimau-Moss has a chip on a shoulder. Talanoho Fong is going to let you know if you're coming across the middle.

Starting point is 00:04:48 Like this is the perfect supporting cash right now. I think for the Broncos to maximize their ambitions, if this is a Super Bowl caliber defense, which I think you and I both believe it is, the secondary is a big reason why they will. do that this upcoming season. And the depth extends on to the practice squad, as we found out just yesterday, right? I mean, you obviously saw Brent Austin, the undrafted rookie, get added to the practice squad, Sean Fresh Jr., who adds return specialist capabilities as well. And then you bring back seventh round pick Miles Scott.

Starting point is 00:05:16 So there's developmental future there for the Broncos in the secondary as well. And Cody, I think that maybe the most pressing discussion now that we're sort of at the doorstep of the regular season is, will either rally. Mawes or Jayquan Macmillan get themselves a contract extension. Maybe you even include Brandon Jones in that conversation as well. Will the Broncos look to extend any of those guys? Do you get that sense whatsoever right now? I know that in previous years, in recent years even,

Starting point is 00:05:44 it's been kind of the case where somebody seems to be getting extended around this time a year. I know Pat Sertan was one of them. I think Zach Allen was roughly around this or close to this time, something like that. But, you know, you get what I'm saying. It's really this time. of year where there's the week before the regular season begins. You've kind of got your ducks all in a row and your agent has an opportunity to talk to the team before the season begins.

Starting point is 00:06:08 Do you see the Broncos being to the finish line with either of those three or any of those three guys? I think there's a real possibility of that. Now, obviously, things inside the building are quiet. They don't let a lot of stuff get out. But I mean, it does make sense, right? The Broncos have at times, you mentioned with guys like Zach Allen, Nick Benito, even in that regard. They've tried to get ahead of certain deals where the market they knew was probably going to change based on how certain players around the league played. Now, here's the benefit I'd say with Jayquant. Is there a better nickel right now that's playing at the level that Jayquan is certainly

Starting point is 00:06:35 out? I know some people say Cooper DeGine. Cooper DeGine is a great player. I don't know, once again, I think Cooper DeGine has the, I don't even know what it says. Like he's got the Super Bowl win, right? He's got the pick six against Patrick Mahomes in the Super Bowl. Whereas Jayquan, I mean, Jayquan is the Patrick Mahomes' kryptonite. He's got two sacks on Mahomes.

Starting point is 00:06:53 He's got an interception of Mahomes. So I think the value that JMA has there. where would you have to go in this situation, right? If you were weighing between J. Mack and Riley, like, I think the market will probably grow a little bit more expensive for a guy who's playing outside corner like Riley than it would be J-Quann and the nickel. So if you could get J-Quan done early, it might give you flexibility to get an in-season deal done with Riley. But Sarah, each day I go out there at practice and I watch these guys and I understand there's timelines. I understand you have to look a year, two years down the line, what contracts are coming up, things like that. I understand that.

Starting point is 00:07:27 But the more I look at it, the strength of this defense within the secondary is having arguably the best cornerback trio in the NFL. And I think you have to find a way to keep this group together or else you're saying you're taking a chance on letting J. Mack walk. Jadae half in a step in, which I understand he's your first round rookie from last year. But that's kind of unproven at this point, right? And maybe that's the gamble. But that's where practices, that's where these guys get extended looks. To me, if I were George Payton, which I'm not, but I'm going to pretend that I am, I'm finding a way to get a deal done. with Riley Moss before the season, then Jayquan Macmillan, at least during the season.

Starting point is 00:08:02 It's kind of seeing how things fall. Here's what I would say to, Cody, as well. I think the 2021 class, George Payton's first class with the team, he's able to give Pat certain a long-term contract extension, as well as a couple of other guys from that group. 2022, he was able to re-sign his top pick, Nick Benito, to a long-term contract. Riley Moss wasn't the top pick in 2023, but he stands to be the one. one guy from that class. I think you really hang your hat on and say,

Starting point is 00:08:30 hey, we found a stud from this draft. And they traded up to get him that year. I don't know what the future holds for Marvin Mims. We know Drew Sanders was, you know, place on waivers, injury list or whatever that is. And so the 2023 class is really up to Riley Moss right now. So I think if George Peyton wants to keep it three for three before he eventually gives a big time deal to Bo Nicks to extend the streak to four straight years of

Starting point is 00:08:54 his draft classes having at least one big contract. big second contract player. I think Riley Moss is that guy from 2023. And I think that stuff really does matter to the front office. I know George said it when he was introduced to the team. They want to draft, develop, and get to second contracts. Well, Riley Moss is the guy who they drafted. They've developed.

Starting point is 00:09:15 They've stuck with him through some ups and downs. And now you give him that second contract, not just sight unseen, but you have to at some point take a risk that a guy is going to keep ascending as a player. and you don't want to be, like you said, behind when it comes to the market value. So I'd sign Moss as the outside corner now where his market might be somewhere in the top 20, top 15 range of overall average annual salary, versus at the end of the season, let's say he does lead the team in picks, that he's going to be getting top 10 cornerback money and it's going to skyrocket and percentage of the salary cap. So 100% get Riley Moss done before the season begins.

Starting point is 00:09:53 That is our question of the day here. Brockos Country, if you had to sign one or the other, J-Quan, Macmillan or Riley Moss before the season begins, which one are you going with and why? But coming up next, Sarah and I are going to dive into the wide receiver room. The Broncos carried six on the 53 this year, and we'll tell you why that is a good problem that it presents when the Broncos have to get ready for their game day roster. Support from today's episode, a show comes from our friends over there at five-hour energy. There are certain flavors that instantly feel like summer.

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Starting point is 00:11:32 about the wide receiver position for the Denver Broncos. I don't know if I've said that in a long time on this show, Cody, but man, the Broncos, they finally addressed this position group. They've developed guys well. And over the last two years, it has been ugly. I mean, let's just be honest, right? They've been the league leader in drops over a two year span. That's not good. That's not what you want for a young developing quarterback. However, I will say, I will say, I think what we saw this offseason was some, I mean, obviously Jalen Waddle is going to be a game changer for this offense. Pat Bryant, maybe the star of training camp on the offensive side of the ball. Troy Franklin really came on late.

Starting point is 00:12:10 Little Jordan Humphrey's got the single digit number confidence. My only problem right now is figuring out which five receivers if the Broncos take five into game days are they going to take. That could create some interesting storylines even starting in week one. Yes. And that's exactly what we're going to talk about here because I think with the collective group of guys that you have, I think with Cortland and Jalen as your top two guys, you know what you're going to get from them. Pat Bryant has had a tremendous training camp and was one of those guys that Sean Peyton mentioned. I think some other players mentioned as well. Pat was one of those guys who probably stood out the most. Talanoa who Fonga mentioned that specifically when we met with him just the other day. And then Troy Franklin, I think is just kind of flying under the radar. Not a lot of people are talking about him. But as I'm out there every day at Bronco, practice and I got my notebook. I'm seeing Troy Franklin making plays left and right. I'm seeing catch passes in traffic. I'm seeing him catch toughly contested ones down the field. Those are

Starting point is 00:13:05 things that we've wanted to see Troy make the jump from. And so right now with nobody really talking about him, that I think kind of plays into his advantage because if teams focus on Cortland and Jalen, well, guess what? There is Pat. There is Troy. However, little Jordan Humphrey, guy who will play a lot of special teams here for the Broncos. So now that gets us to our good problem that is on our hands that you made the mention of here just a minute ago. And that is how many wide receivers do you carry onto your game day roster, right? Like you have six on your active roster, but are you going to have six guys active on game day? I think the same kind of problem exists here with running back.

Starting point is 00:13:40 You have four running backs on your 53. Do you carry four on your active game day roster because Tyler Biday is really good at special teams? So the same thing applies here against Kansas City. Now, obviously, Marvin Mims, as a time that we've sat down here, Monday, Tuesday. now obviously today's Wednesday. We'll see if he's back out there today. We have not seen Marvin on the practice field all week after he got rolled up on. He actually had a defensive back when he was going up for that ball on that sideline.

Starting point is 00:14:06 He landed and then the defensive back landed on top of his foot with the cleat. And if you've ever been stepped on by another person's cleat right at the top of your foot, you know how painful it is. So bone bruise probably the most problematic thing that Marvin is dealing with. But let's say that lingers. Well, then that makes the Broncos week one decision easier. if this is something that lingers for a couple of weeks for Marvin. Now, hopefully he's ready to go for Monday night football.

Starting point is 00:14:28 But if he's not, the Broncos do have their ideal five. But if Marvin is good to go, Sarah, I don't know who you make inactive. Because right now I think the main debate would be, do you make Troy Franklin inactive? Do you make little Jordan Humphrey inactive? And that right there, this is what we talk about. It's a good problem, but it also showcases how roster rules I feel like stink. I feel like if you make the 53, you should be able to dress on game day. You shouldn't have any guys inactive.

Starting point is 00:14:53 It's one of the dumbest things that the NFL does. Honestly, I mean, even the fact that the rosters are still limited to 53 guys is kind of ridiculous. I mean, you see the Broncos, they've put their long snapper on the practice squad essentially, right? And it's like, hey, we're going to, we need to have good players on our 53 men roster. So we've got to put the long snapper on the practice squad and manipulate the rules as best we can. But, yeah, I mean, that's what I was thinking exactly. I mean, little Jordan Humphrey versus Troy Franklin for that final active roster. her spot because we know, I mean, shoot, Pat Bryant, Jaylen Waddle, Cortland Sutton,

Starting point is 00:15:28 those guys are playing. They're playing big time roles. So it is really just a question of if Marvin is healthy, which one of those guys is down. And that could create, like I said, some intriguing storylines over the course of the season because Troy Franklin was second on the team in targets last season. And it wasn't like he was a distant second behind Cortland Sutton. Like he was pretty close.

Starting point is 00:15:49 And in fact, he was targeted more than Sutton on certain occasions. So to me, last year was an audition for Troy. I don't know that the Broncos were necessarily, like, overly impressed with the audition because Pat Bryant has clearly overtaken. I know Sean doesn't like the labels of wide receiver one, wide receiver two, wide receiver three. Pat Brian is number three. I mean, let's just be real about it. Yeah, that's the top three.

Starting point is 00:16:13 So Troy has been taken over his spot. And I would say when Marvin was healthy during camp, it sounded to me. And you can maybe speak to this better than I can, being that I wasn't. out there. It sounded, though, to me, like Marvin was the fourth guy in line. I don't know. I mean, that's just sounded like he was getting a lot of opportunities out there. So I'm not trying to bury Troy Franklin by any means, but I think we got to acknowledge that, hey, he might not be out there week one against Kansas City. And we don't know 100% because we know how much this coaching staff loves Lil Jordan. And I think it speaks volumes as well

Starting point is 00:16:48 that Lil Jordan was on the field when Bo Nix was getting his first reps of the preseason. he caught that pass, you know, really one of the better plays that Bo Nix made, one of the better throws that he made against the Packers. Little Jordan Humphrey was on the receiving end. So I don't know. I mean, I'm just saying I'm not trying to create something or stir something up,

Starting point is 00:17:06 but I think it's, you know, it is good problems to have. You got depth, you've got talent, you've got guys who will step up. But I don't know. I don't like the idea of Troy being down for games. No, I don't either.

Starting point is 00:17:18 And look, this is where I remember the years, every year, I'd say since you and I started doing this, podcast together. I think it was like 2019, 2020, even 2021, where, you know, Cortland Sutton was the main guy here for this office. Okay. Then they go out and they draft Jerry Judy. But still, I remember you're like, man, the Broncos just need to add more talent to this room. I feel like this is the most on paper, the most talented wide receiver

Starting point is 00:17:40 room the Broncos have had in years. And you're starting to see, I think, from other guys, even guys like Troy, I see that confidence carrying over where now he's doing it, going into year three. He's more comfortable, more confident. Bowes in year three. Like these guys are all. on the same page. That is a tough decision. I think you just have to factor in if you're Sean Peyton when you're trying to make this decision, do we need Troy's impact more on offense or do we need low Jordan Humphrey's impact more on special teams? And look, even by the time that Kansas City rolls around, right, that Monday night game, there could even still be some roster shuffling where, hey, low Jordan Humphrey made the 53 initially, but the Broncos need to create flexibility maybe

Starting point is 00:18:17 for another position. And maybe he goes to the practice squad and they can still elevate him. I just don't know what that's going to look like right now. And thankfully, like Sean Payton, George Payton, they have time to figure all this stuff out before the Broncos ultimately land on playing Kansas City who has a rookie cornerback. And so it's like when you're looking at Kansas City's group of guys, you're trying to figure out like, okay, who's covering Cortland? Who's covering Jalen?

Starting point is 00:18:38 Well, who's covering this guy? That right there, we haven't had that in a while here when we've talked about this wide receiver room. So I'm excited to see the step that this group can ultimately take this upcoming season. But Broncos Country, let us know your thoughts here. Six wide receivers. If you had to choose between one, or the other who's up, who's down, and it has to be between Troy Franklin and Lil Jordan Humphrey

Starting point is 00:18:56 on game day. Where are you leaning when Monday night football rolls around here? The Broncos went deep at wide receiver, but they also went deeper this year on the defensive line after they lost John Franklin Myers and their defensive line depth might be better than we thought previously. Broncos country, today's episode of Lockdown Broncos is brought to you by our friends over there at Fandu. And college football fans, it's time to put your knowledge to the test with college football pick them from Fandu. Each week, you can make 10, against the spread picks. You can finish with one of the week's top pick totals,

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Starting point is 00:20:14 The Denver Brock, who's defensive line is loaded with talent and they stacked up in terms of the numbers department when they built their 53-man roster this past week. I'm excited to break it all down. Thank you so much. Broncos Country for tuning in, making us your first listen here on the Lock Gun Podcast Network, your team every day. Also the number one sports podcast network in the country. All you every dayers make the show exactly what is.

Starting point is 00:20:35 We're so grateful for you. Let's talk defensive line here. Sarah, obviously, when we go all the way back to after the AFC championship game, the biggest question looming with this team was, are the Broncos going to resign John Franklin Myers? Now, obviously, they didn't. They had no plans of doing that. And so much of the focus was, all right,

Starting point is 00:20:51 what is the Broncos approach going to be in, free agency. Are they going to pay big money in free agency? Are they going to go out there and pay a premium draft pick for going out there and getting a guy? And then they trade for Jaylon. They lose a first round pick. They're like, all right, defensive linemen is off the board here in round number one. They land Tyler Oengetam in the NFL draft. And right now, as we've seen, the Broncos have really banked on their player development. And they're very impressed with what they've seen from Inyoma Uwazerike, who was kind of the defensive rising star of training camp, so to speak, behind guys like Malcolm Roach, Zach Allen, DJ Jones. But

Starting point is 00:21:22 But then it gets even better, Sarah. Rookie Tyler O'Nettam stepped up and had some flashes early on. Veteran Jordan Jackson earned himself a spot on the 53-man roster after kind of being a practice squad guy for the last handful of years. And then you have second year player Savion Jones who's still developing. Right now the Broncos are going with that numbers approach to try to replace what JFM brought to the table. And I love the strategy, Cody. I really do. It starts with just the fact that, okay, you look at the overarching sort of theme with every single one of those guys. What is it?

Starting point is 00:21:52 they're pretty much all late boomers, right? With Zach Allen even, took him until year three before he really established himself as even a full-time starter in the NFL. He played 17 games over his first two NFL seasons, wasn't even a full-time starter in his second year. So we've seen the elongated development process. I know Inoma Uazerike,

Starting point is 00:22:11 obviously was suspended for a year, but remember he was part of the 2022 NFL draft class for the Broncos and ultimately didn't get really his significant chunk of playing time until last season. So that was year four for him in the NFL. Jordan Jackson, also a 22 draft pick of the New Orleans Saints, a sixth round pick. He signed with the Broncos in January of 2023. He's been developing in this defense behind the scenes for the better part of four seasons now at this point of four, three, three, four years.

Starting point is 00:22:41 So what we're talking about here is guys who have grown, developed. It's taken them time. It's taken them a lot of seasoning to become pros. to be strong at the point of attack, to have a multifaceted role. I think that's kind of the thing that I be preaching with Savion Jones because to me, you sent him a lifeline out there.

Starting point is 00:23:02 I wrote about this on predominantly orange.com. I felt like the Broncos threw out a lifeline to him by keeping him on the roster because I know you had thrown his name out as potential cut candidate at the end of all things. And I was like, wow, that would really stink to see a third rounder get cut just one year in. But I like that the.

Starting point is 00:23:21 Broncos are taking the approach of saying we can have our cake and eat it too on the defensive line. We believe in our development process. So we're going to keep the guys who have been developing, but also we're going to keep the guys who we believe can develop down the line, Oneedda and Savian Jones, namely among those. So I like the combination that you have here of guys who have sort of earned their stripes as well as the guys who are still a little raw, but have that talent to be starters down the line. Well, I go back to the ESPN article that came out this offseason from Seth Wickersham. It really kind of started off where everybody was primarily talking about Jordan Jackson,

Starting point is 00:23:57 right? And all of a sudden, you know, you have Sean Payton who's just yelling at Joe Vitt and Vance Joseph about this kid does all this stuff. He helps us out. You know, he's one of our better run defenders. And yet this guy, he's just standing on the sidelines not going in. He's an inactive guy, right? And Sean Payton likes Jordan Jackson. George Payton has publicly stated on the record how much he likes Jordan Jackson and now Jordan's

Starting point is 00:24:18 getting his opportunity here. But here's also the other thing that factors into the lineup at defensive line. It's not just about saying, okay, well, who's going to come in and play where JFM played last year? It's also about keeping Zach Allen, one of your best and your more recent investments fresh. One thing that Sean Payne always says is we always got to be mindful of guys like he, Nick Benito, their pitch counts because it's a long season. And if you're playing these 99% snaps, which these guys would, like Zach Allen would play all 80 snaps if Denver's defense was out there. He would not want to come off the field. It says a lot.

Starting point is 00:24:49 but you've got to protect a guy like that. You got to protect your investment. And the best way to do that, you can protect your investment while still getting young developing guys who have some upside to you to be able to get more time on task, which will help them. And I think the Broncos defensive system, how Vance Joseph likes to attack opposing offenses, Sarah, so much of it isn't just about guys being physically dominant in one-on-ones. It's about how they loop and they attack and they do these different stunts that create openings and create opportunities to where then that player, they get the one-on-one.

Starting point is 00:25:18 it's transitioning either that speed or that power into your rush at the quarterback. And they got that collectively amongst the group of guys. And here's the thing about it. They have diverse skill sets to where one guy, DJ Jones, right, primarily might play one technique or even a two eye or even a three at times. But DJ at times has slid out to the five technique. You don't see it very often. But with Inyoma, let's say DJ comes off the field, but you want Malcolm Roach on the field.

Starting point is 00:25:42 That's a certain situation. You have Malcolm Roach, Zach Allen, and then you have Inyoma, Owaser. or Malcolm Roach, DJ Jones, Zach Allen. And then you can have Inyoamo Owasarike come in and spell one of those guys, Jordan Jackson. This is also another good problem to have. We talked about a wide receiver who's up, who's down on game day.

Starting point is 00:26:00 Well, in this situation, Sarah, it would not shock me if the Broncos, because they have seven on their active roster. I imagine two guys will be inactive from that group when you talk about certain games, unless they're playing a team that is heavy run, right? We've seen that situation kind of play out. it would not surprise me if early on that guys like Savian Jones Tyler O'Nettum are game day inactives in favor of Inyoma, Malcolm Roach, DJ Jones, Zach Allen, and Jordan Jackson specifically.

Starting point is 00:26:28 I was just going to say, I think that the two guys are going to be the two younger guys who are still developing, still kind of earning their way into snaps. And I like that. I mean, I like that the Broncos have these sort of underdogs on the defensive line, or I guess overdogs, if you will, right? I mean, DJ Jones, I don't remember where he was drafted, but it wasn't high. Malcolm Roach undrafted free agent. I mean, In Yomo Owasareke, day three pick.

Starting point is 00:26:53 Jordan Jackson, six-ron pick. So these guys have really worked their way into playing time by way of, hey, we've come from the bottom and worked our way up to the top. And that mentality just bleeds through everything that they do because they give maximum effort on every single play. They are absolutely, I mean, just all of them, like you said, diverse. skill sets. These guys, some of them will be able to drop into coverage every now and again. Some of them can get their hands up into passing lanes. Some of them are, you know, just big and strong and some of them are quick and fast. I mean, I think they present such a problem, especially going up against a Kansas

Starting point is 00:27:30 City offensive line that has some moving parts in week one. I know we will get into the full game previews and matchups and all those sorts of things next week, which is exciting to think about. But I love the problems they do present. And I wonder, too, does the fact that Jonathan Cooper is on the exempt list to open the year. Did that maybe sort of open a door for the seventh defensive line? I know it's not a one-for-one sort of trade or anything like that, but interesting to think about nonetheless and how the Broncos approach that the rest of the year will be fascinated to see.

Starting point is 00:28:02 But I love the combination of skills, of guys who have experience, of guys who are young and developing, all of it for the defensive line makes it one of the more exciting position groups to me on the team. And even if Oneedem is inactive, Sabian's inactive, I think you're going to see some reaction from people saying, oh, they're bust.

Starting point is 00:28:20 They can't even get active on game day. I don't think it's that. I just think it's where other guys are at that have been, as you said, Sarah, have been in the system developing a little bit longer. Those guys are going to get their opportunities. Naturally,

Starting point is 00:28:31 that'll take place throughout the course of the season. But that's just because you have an NFL rule problem where you can't have all 53 guys suit up and be active on game day, which, once again, I'll pound the table. Dumbest thing in pro football. And if they're going to eventually add a second, only just two preseason games and an additional regular season game. Let's make that a rule now here going for.

Starting point is 00:28:49 Let's change everything and say, you know what? If you make the active roster, you can be out there on game day. Why not at this point? I think it probably has something more so to do with money and like game checks. Like if a guy's up and he's active on game day, it's a different type of check that you get. You get a game day check if you're active. But I don't know. I think this is a good problem to have.

Starting point is 00:29:08 And I like this Broncos defensive line group that's looking to not only just continue to generate one of the league's best pass rushes, but also they're trying to break that sack record this upcoming season. And they're also looking to plug well against the run. I think a lot of people, and I understand some games can skew things. The Broncos had a top five run defense last season, and there were some games. And of course, I think the Buffalo Bills always present the biggest challenge to Denver when trying to stop the run. But they have been considerably much better in that department. They held Saquan Barkley last year against Philadelphia, pretty limited in terms of the run game. The only big play he really had was in the past game coming out of a half

Starting point is 00:29:42 time. So the Broncos, they believe the trenches defensively are where the tone is set for them this upcoming season. And I'm excited to see how it all plays out here. Broncos country, let us know your thoughts on today's episode of show what you think the biggest roster strengths are. Did we miss a position that you felt like was a bigger strength than the ones that we talked about? And in the meantime, folks, the everyday club has relaunched. It's brand new. It's only just $5 a month where you get all access. There's no longer two tiers where one's $5, one's $15. Everything is $5 and you get access to add free episodes of the show. All 22 film breakdowns when the regular season comes to fruition.

Starting point is 00:30:17 You'll get it really the day or two days after the game. You get exclusive film breakdowns over there on Supercast. Lockdownbroncos. Dot supercast.com. So sign up today. You're already in every day or here. Make yourself an every day or over there as well. With that said, Sarah and I will catch you tomorrow for a brand new episode,

Starting point is 00:30:32 Locked on Broncos.

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