Locked On Broncos - Daily Podcast On The Denver Broncos - FREE AGENCY: Denver Broncos DILEMMA at LB With Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad

Starting point is 00:00:00 The Denver Broncos defense was one of their best units last year, and they have four players who are set to become unrestricted free agents. How would it impact the team? We'll break it down here on today's episode, Locked on Broncos. You are Locked on Broncos, your daily Denver Broncos podcast. Part of the Locked on Podcast Network, your team every day. Free agency is just about five weeks away, Broncos country. And guess what?

Starting point is 00:00:30 It is going to be madness. Here's the Broncos plan to be aggressive here. but we're going to break down free agency and an outlook on the defensive side of the ball in terms of some of the unrestricted free agents that the Broncos have. Welcome to a brand new episode, Lockdown Broncos, your daily. Deborah Brockos podcast, part of the Lockdown Podcast Network, the number one sports podcast network in the country. Thanks to you every dayers out there in Broncos country.

Starting point is 00:00:52 Thanks for making us your first listen, however you choose to do so. Today, Sarah and I, we're going to discuss the Broncos defensive unrestrictive free agents of why they are likely set to let John Franklin Myers walk away during free agency. Plus a dilemma at the linebacker position between two players who are UFAs. one wants to be a starter. One wants to stay in Denver. How will that work out? Plus the Broncos safety position found a boost with the rise of PJ Locke stepping in in the NFL playoffs in big time fashion after an injury to Brandon Jones. He wants to return to Denver and is willing to take a team-friendly deal in order to do so. Will the Broncos look into that? We'll discuss on today's episode of the show

Starting point is 00:01:31 brought to you by our friends over there at Fandu's last call for football on Fandau. If your new customer bet just $5 and get $200 in bonus bets if you win. I'm Cody Rourke, credential Broncos reporter for Mile High Sports. Join, as always by Sarah Bettinger, site expert there predominantly orange.com. Sarah, my friend, let's talk unrestricted free agency. We know the Broncos have 21 total free agents. We highlighted in yesterday show the offensive unrestricted guys, four unrestricted players here for Denver on the defensive side of the ball.

Starting point is 00:02:00 and arguably one of their best players is set to walk away in free agency because it doesn't seem like the Broncos are going to bring him back. Yeah, John Franklin Myers is obviously going to be one of, I think the premier overall free agents on the defensive line in this year's market. And the Broncos do have a difficult decision before them. Do they make him an offer to stay or do they let him test the waters because we know that when it comes to NFL free agency, I mean, these guys are going to get big time offers left and right.

Starting point is 00:02:32 If you let the market dictate a player's value, oftentimes I think you'll find that you probably could have paid less to keep them around before you let them do so, right? Let their agents sort of go out and test the waters. And I think there's going to be a lot of teams that want JFM. I wrote an article on predominantly orange over the weekend, Cody, about, I mean, the Buffalo Bills obviously make a lot of sense. Their defensive line was not good last year. And now they've got Jim Leonard as the defensive coordinator. and free agency is a lot about the ties that bind, isn't it? So there's connections galore all over the NFL for John Franklin Myers,

Starting point is 00:03:03 who was a outstanding pickup for the Broncos. I mean, the trade in 2024 during the draft was awesome. He's been such a steady presence as an NFL player, not just in Denver, but at both of his other previous stops as well with the Jets and the Rams. So he's going to be a steady presence wherever he goes. But it seems like that plan to move on from him has already been set in motion for some time. Yeah, it does seem like that because in the season, the Broncos had not had any conversations with he or his agent.

Starting point is 00:03:32 We even caught up with JFM at the end of the year, locker room scrum where the players are cleaning out their lockers. And JFM said, I would love to be here. These are my brothers. If it were up to me, I would stay. And then he was asked bluntly, have they had conversations with you? He said, no, they have it. And usually, I mean, Sarah, I think that's a pretty good sign.

Starting point is 00:03:49 Like, if you have conversations with players in the season, it probably makes sense, hey, they're trying to figure out how to keep those guys in the mix, whereas you're not having that conversation with JFM, who was one of four players who had seven plus sacks here in 2025 on a Broncos unit that once again set a franchise record in Sacks. And think about it this way too. I love the fact that one of those four players, right, you look at Jonathan Cooper, Nick Benito, Zach Allen, JFM. Your four starters really on your defensive line got seven plus sacks. That is huge. And it speaks to the value that I think JFM certainly. has. And look, Zach Allen made the saying by, you know, in his end of the year conference saying, when I get a beach house one day, I'm going to name it the JFM house because he's the one who helped me get it because JFM is eating up double team. Zach Allen's getting one-on-ones and is winning those and vice versa. When Zach's getting double teamed, JFM's winning his one-on-ones, like that's what makes this dynamic work to me, Sarah. And I talk into a handful of players at the

Starting point is 00:04:48 end of the oppressor, a lot of them said, why break this team up? Why not keep them together? Malcolm Roche even said the Broncos need to pay JFM his money. And look, I mean, I think that they need to find a way to do it. If it were up to me, sir, I'm all on board. Where do you stand on this too? Because look, you do have some young guys on your roster. In Yoma Uazerike took a noticeable step forward. Is he ready to step in as a starter opposite of Zach Allen at that position?

Starting point is 00:05:14 Is he ready to step in and replace JFM? Savion Jones, who the Broncos think has eye upside? Is he ready to step into a rotational role now or start? opposite of Zach Allen. I don't know the answer to that question, but man, JFM wants to be here. Why not find a way to do it? I'm sure if you could find a team friendly deal to be able to do it. I think JFM would be on board with it. I think the Broncos would be foolish not to at least make him an offer to stay. And I think that when you look at Spottrack, they do the kind of market value projections for these players.

Starting point is 00:05:47 And JFM's market value projection, and in terms of average annual value is under 8. million and I was surprised to see that Cody I just don't I don't think that's crazy to be the case I think yeah I agree I think if that were the case he would have been resigned months ago because I think that more realistically you're talking about like a 16 to 17 million dollars per year sort of investment here and that's where I think you could say okay I mean do you go with the younger guys do you roll you know do you try to maybe supplement via cheaper free agents I mean that's where I would get into that discussion but if it is closer to the 7 to 8 million average annual value range, boy, I'd be, I'd be saying, hey, JFM, let's run it back, let's get you a three-year deal. We can kick the cap hits down the road. We'll give you a couple of years fully guarantee. I mean, that's DJ Jones was in a similar situation last year, wasn't he? It was almost the exact same conversations.

Starting point is 00:06:42 I mean, we had started to plan for, all right, how are the Broncos going to replace DJ Jones on the defensive line? He was gone. He was gone. Like before they read, I mean, when they read, I mean, when they re-signed him. I think you and I were both shocked to see that because it just felt like, man, it's a foregone conclusion. There were no conversations. He's going to be out of their price range. No conversations. He's got coaching connections everywhere else. So it feels like we're having

Starting point is 00:07:06 like a deja vu situation here with JFM, which to me, it's like, okay, you didn't have any conversations during the year. That doesn't mean you can't have conversations now. And when do we know that NFL agents are talking to executives around the league and getting that price gauge for their players at the NFL scouting combine, right? That's where those things go down. So if that's the target date right now, I would say at the scouting combine, let's see if any of the rumors change regarding John Franklin Myers and the Broncos, because that to me is where you're going to find out if you're JFM's agent, you're going to

Starting point is 00:07:43 find out as market value, you're going to find out what other teams are willing to pay, and bring that to the Broncos and say, hey, it's what we're hearing. What do you guys want to do? do you want to do anything because he could get that deal done before free agency and be sitting pretty before all that activity goes on. So if it was me, I think it's foolish that they don't make him an offer. It's funny. The NFL change it from the legal tampering period to the legal negotiating period.

Starting point is 00:08:06 Just a funny little change over time that we have seen. And look, now we also found out too, and we haven't had a chance to talk about this. The NFL salary cap this year is going to be funny money. It's going to be crazy. anywhere between $301.3 million to $305.7 million, which gives the Broncos extra cap space to be, as what CEO Greg Penner said, aggressive in a sense, where strategically aggressive. I'm in favor of that. And look, if you talk so much about the culture, what guys mean in the locker room,

Starting point is 00:08:38 JFM, I will say this, while other guys were getting extended all year long, he never once piled and said, where's my money? He publicly congratulated and supported those guys. Like JFM said, this is the closest locker room I've ever been in. And look, for him, this can be the first time he's actually going to test free agency. I am on the board of saying the Broncos absolutely need to find a way to bring him back. I think that D-line for the long term, I think is proven to be successful with JFM, Zach Allen, Benito and Cooper, and then the guys behind them are perfect for depth options,

Starting point is 00:09:09 role player rotations at this point. I just don't right now. I don't see Enjoma as a starter. I don't see Savion Jones as a starter just yet. Can Savian change that course? Yes, but we got to see him in regular season action first. I think if you try to make that change now without resigning a guy like JFM, like if you're going to move on from him and you're just going to bank on these two guys,

Starting point is 00:09:30 I don't know how I feel about that, Sarah. I just don't feel like the confidence level is where it needs to be just yet. But then again, that could certainly change here. In Broncos country, make sure you let us know here today. Your thoughts on JFM, do you want him to stay in Denver or should the Brock Let him test the waters elsewhere. Make sure you let's know on here on today's episode of the show. But coming up next, Sarah and I are going to dive into the Broncos linebacker dilemma,

Starting point is 00:09:53 arguably the most questionable position going into the offseason for this team. And they have two of their key guys set to become unrestricted free agents. Who will be back? We'll share our thoughts on that here on today's episode, Locked on Broncos. Today's episode, the show, is brought to our friends over there at Gusto. And let's be real, no one starts a business for the joy of calculating tax withholdings or managing payroll spreadsheets. That's where Gusto comes in.

Starting point is 00:10:14 to take the stress out of payroll, benefits, and HR so you can focus on running your business and supporting your team. Gusto is the all-in-one remote-friendly payroll on HR platform that makes managing your team simple, transparent, and fast. Whether you're hiring, onboarding, or paying employees, Gusto helps you all do it from one place without the hassle or the hidden fees. You have unlimited payroll runs for one monthly price, which means no surprise charges at the end of the month. And knowing you can reach certified HR experts anytime gives you real peace of mind. Try Gusto today at gusto.com slash locked on NFL and get three months free when you run your first payroll. That's right. Three months of free payroll at gusto.com slash locked on NFL. One more time, that's gusto.com slash locked on NFL.

Starting point is 00:10:58 Today's show is also brought to you by friends over there at Fandu. And it is the last call for football on Fanduel. One final Sunday, one last kickoff, the final chance to get in on the action for the NFL season officially comes to a close. And this is Super Bowl 60. and Fandu, they're making sure that you're right in the middle of it with a special offer just in time for the biggest game of the year. Whether you're backing the favorite, you're riding with the underdog or you're building

Starting point is 00:11:21 one last same game parlay featuring anytime touchdown scores, first touchdown scores of the big game. This is the game that everyone's been waiting for. This is where predictions turn into play, stats turn into storylines, and every snap feels bigger. It's the perfect way to cap off this season and make the Super Bowl even more exciting from kickoff to the final whistle. And if you're a new customer, bet just $5 and get it. $200 in bonus bets if you win.

Starting point is 00:11:44 Make it count because after the Super Bowl, the season is over. Last call for football on Fandual, an official sportsbook partner of Super Bowl 60. Visit Fanduel.com to get started. The Denver Broncos have quite a dilemma on their hands at the linebacker position. Justin Sernod wants to be a starter in 2026. What the problem is that the Broncos have a team captain who's been a starter for a handful of years. And Dre Greenlaw, a big money free agent who's still under contract for this coming season. So what is going to give at the linebacker position?

Starting point is 00:12:14 Cody and I are going to try to sort that all out on today's episode, Locked on Broncos in Broncos Country. Thanks so much for making us your first listen of the day. Every single day, we appreciate you so much. If you're not already a member of the Everyday or All Access Club, what you're going to get with that is an everyday episode of the show like you already love, but add free. So you can go ad free if you hit subscribe on that today.

Starting point is 00:12:37 Check out the link in the show notes for more on that. And Cody, the linebacker position has been something I feel like we've discussed for three or four straight off seasons for the Broncos. And maybe that's understandable given the fact that they haven't really drafted well at that position, right? The last guy that they drafted at the offball linebacker spot was Drew Sanders. He's barely played in the NFL. And I think before that it might have been Justin Sirnaut was the last guy that they drafted. So not a lot of draft picks being thrown at this position, quite frankly, certainly not any high picks being thrown at this position. and that's sort of understandable, right?

Starting point is 00:13:11 It's not necessarily a premium position. Also, the Broncos haven't had a lot of high draft pecks because of the Russell Wilson trade. So it's all kind of coming to ahead this offseason once again with two pending unrestricted free agents, Alex Singleton and Justin Sernad. I mean, this is a no-brainer decision to me, Cody, if it's me, I would pick Justinat out of these two guys. I think he's been the most consistent linebacker of the Broncos I've had. the past two seasons. And that's with all due respect to Alex Singleton, incredible story this past year,

Starting point is 00:13:45 playing through a testicular cancer diagnosis and really being a force in terms of racking up tackles. That's what he does best. Also being a good force in the locker room as well. What's your take on this position group? Do you think the Broncos are going to try to keep both of these guys and they'll be the starters or do you think it's one or the other? Yeah, this is a great question, man. And I don't know where Denver's going to go with this because I think so much is contingent upon what does this team do with Drey Greenlaw, right? He's still under contract for them.

Starting point is 00:14:15 But the Broncos wanted, they have an easy out based on how Drey Greenlaw's contract was structured. If they wanted to move on and he ended up being a cap casualty, so to speak, the Broncos could easily bring both of these guys back. If you had to choose between Sternat and Singleton, Sarah, this is tough because Sigleton, as you mentioned, brings that morale factor, that energy, the hair on fire, wherever the football is, he is. is whereas Sternad, I felt like was the Broncos best linebacker this season, plain and simple. And you and I, we did countless shows throughout the season when one guy was injured, whether I was Drake Greenlaw or when Alex had to miss time, it was like, what are the Broncos going to do with inside linebacker?

Starting point is 00:14:55 Sternad proved to be the best, most consistent linebacker in terms of being a run stopper coming up with big plays. He's also, I think, their best effective blitzing inside linebacker in terms of getting after the quarterback. And on top of that, he is their best guy in. coverage, so to speak, when the Broncos run this complex defense that Vance Joseph does, I think from a scheme standpoint, from an impact standpoint, if you had to choose between one or the other, I feel like Sternata is the one that you would have to choose here.

Starting point is 00:15:23 He's younger than Singleton. We know the Singleton's getting up there in age, not to say that that means his play is going to drop off, but historically we know how the NFL views players like, oh, the older, younger, we just want to go with younger, more upside here. And on top of that, the outlook, too, of how linebackers have played. or like have been coming out of the NFL draft as of late. It's been harder to project. Though I know this year's linebacker class,

Starting point is 00:15:45 there's a couple of really good players that were on display at the senior bull this past week. But for me, Sarah, I would choose Sternad. I feel like if he had to choose between one or the other, he brings the most value to the table, I think short and long term compared to Singleton. And he is going to be 30 in August as well.

Starting point is 00:16:02 So he's going to be 30. Singleton is currently 32 and will be 33 on December. seventh this year. So we are getting into, hey, hey, look at that. Look at all of us. I mean, my goodness, these guys are all, I'm like welcoming all these people into my realm at this point. I love it. You and I both, Cody. So I think you don't, yeah, unc status is right. I've been called that many times. But it is one of those conversations where I feel like, you know, you get into that realm, if you're the Broncos, of saying, all right, you know, it's not past the point of no return, right? Obviously, Singleton's played well into his 30s.

Starting point is 00:16:41 And now Sernaad is he's not even 30 yet. He will be 30 this coming season. So I think with either of these two guys, you're looking at a short-term investment. And the fact that you mentioned about Dre Greenlaw, he has no guaranteed money on his contract left, right? That was that that was part of the thing with signing him was that we are going to totally limit the risk with this by we'll give you a fair deal for year one in terms of guaranteed money. But beyond that, it's going to be a, we're going to have to have conversations about,

Starting point is 00:17:12 was it a scheme fit? Is it a culture fit? Did we like the, you know, because we've already gotten into discussions about practice schedules, right? That was something that he brought up at the media scrum. So I think you're right on about that. I think that there's a chance that, like, and I don't think Broncos country's going to like that. I don't. I don't think that they're going to like seeing that news potentially hit the, you know, their Twitter pages or things like that. that like, hey, the Broncos are releasing Dre Greenlaw. I don't think that's going to sit well. But I do think the team needs to take a bit of a longer term approach here to this position

Starting point is 00:17:45 group where, okay, there's some linebackers in this draft that could help you out. Can you find and identify somebody who can play right away? And do you just take the one year risk on Drew Sanders being a role player, special teams guy, all those sorts of things, as opposed to paying Dre Greenlaw a bunch of money and hoping that it works out again. So I'm very interested by what happens here again this year because of how important it is to not just maintain continuity defensively, but to maintain your level of dominant play that got you to the AFC championship game.

Starting point is 00:18:21 And part of me is also wondering, too. I mean, this year's free agency crop of linebackers, there are a lot of dudes set to become unrestricted free agents. I think some key guys, Nkobie Dean would be an interesting name to keep an eye on here when you talk about athletic linebacker play there. I know Matt Milano, Buffalo's been banged up. I'm sure he'll probably find a way to end up staying here.

Starting point is 00:18:41 But Sternat obviously joins that conversation. You look at other players as well. Alex Anzolone, who obviously Sean Payton has familiarity with. And then you get to other guys like Quay Walker, who's a young guy out of Green Bay. Does he return to the mix for them? Caden Ellis, do you maybe bring Jonah's brother over potentially from the Atlanta Falcons? I mean, I'm looking at all these things here, Sarah.

Starting point is 00:19:01 and I'm just not thinking, I don't know how it's going to go out. Quincy Williams is also another guy. I think you and I even talked about at one point is, hey, could this be a guy the Broncos maybe potentially target? Do you feel like any of those players that are named would be upgrades over Singleton or Sternite at that point? I think you do whatever you possibly can, Cody, to reunite all the Ellis brothers in Denver this off season.

Starting point is 00:19:25 I don't know if the Patriots guy is a free agent, but I definitely know that, like you mentioned, his brother for the Falcons is a free agent. And that is somebody that, hey, they're changing up everything there. They changed up general managers. They changed up head coach. That doesn't mean that they're not going to want him back because I think they will. But if you have a chance to recruit a player like that and say, hey, you want to come play

Starting point is 00:19:48 with your brother here in Denver and be a starter in the best defense in the NFL, in my opinion, you know, I think that that's a huge recruiting pitch. So he's been one of our, we talked about him at the trade deadline. We talked about him last year during the offseason as, hey, should the Broncos try to trade for him? So I love that idea right there. I think that's the guy that I would pinpoint right there. He's just a baller, man. These guys, the Ellis brothers, they're just ballers.

Starting point is 00:20:13 Like they are so high football IQ, you know, do all the little things well, detail-oriented. I think he'd be a perfect fit for this defense. Yeah, I feel like he would to Nicobie Dean intrigues me. I know he's had some injuries. Quay Walker is interesting. I know the Broncos have seen them up close and personal and joint training gap practices. Very curious to see what the Broncos approach is now.

Starting point is 00:20:36 It appears that Vance Joseph is more than likely staying here in the mile high city. Broncos country, let us know your thoughts here on the linebacker position between Alex Singleton and Justin Sternad. Do you keep both of them? Do you keep one of them or do you let both of them go in free agency and revant that entire room? Make sure you let us know here on today's episode, locked on Broncos.

Starting point is 00:20:54 But coming up next, we're going to talk about one of the key pieces of the safety position, Locke, who proved to be very valuable down the stretch here for Denver after Brandon Jones went down with an injury. He's a core player of this team and a guy who's got longstanding tenure. Will he be back? Let's discuss here on today's episode of the show. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. In February can be a lot.

Starting point is 00:21:15 Flowers, candy, stuffed animals, and so much talk about relationships. And it can honestly feel like everyone else has it all together in their love life. But here's the truth. Whether you're married, dating, single, or just focusing on you, most people, they're still. still figuring it out. And no matter where you are in your romantic journey, therapy can help you find your way. It can help you get clear on what you want, what feels heavy, and how to take some pressure off of yourself. It's easy to assume everyone has their perfect relationship, but most people, they're all working through something. Therapy can help you recognize patterns that might

Starting point is 00:21:45 be weighing relationships down and can help you communicate better, set healthier boundaries, and stop carrying everything alone. BetterHelp has licensed therapists in the U.S., and they do the initial matching work for you. So you can focus on your goals. And if If you want to switch therapists, you could do that at any time. Sign up and get 10% off at BetterHelp.com slash locked on. That's B-E-T-T-E-R-H-E-L-P dot com slash locked on. Today's show is also brought to you by friends over there at TurboTax. And tax season doesn't have to take over your life.

Starting point is 00:22:16 This year, TurboTaxe that are making it easier than ever to just hand things off and move on with your day the way taxes could be done. With TurboTax full service, you can have your taxes done for you by a trusted local expert. start to finish without the stress or the guesswork. Instead of spending hours trying to figure out forms, you can meet with a local TurboTax expert in person or you could connect with them online. They handle everything from W-2s to self-employed forms and work to get you every deduction possible.

Starting point is 00:22:43 And you can upload your documents, go about your day, and get updates right inside the TurboTax app. For a limited time, you can have your taxes done by a local TurboTax expert for just $150 all in. If a TurboTax expert didn't file for you last year, just file by February 28th. Take taxes off your plate and get back to your life. Visit turbotax.com slash local to book your appointment today.

Starting point is 00:23:05 PJ Lock has been a very important piece for this Denver Broncos team dating back to 2019 when he signed on as an undrafted rookie free agent here as the Broncos navigated the ups and downs of coaching changes. PJ Lock, he's found himself sticking around despite various coaching changes throughout his career in the mile high city. Should the Broncos bring him back? Sarah, I think this is. a very important conversation because PJ, I think last year, really showcased why it's important

Starting point is 00:23:32 to have veteran safety depth. He got his first chance to start there in 2024. And then Talo, Hufanga came in and Free Agency kind of upended him as the starter. Despite that, PJ never dropped his head, never had a bad attitude about it. I've had chances to talk to PJ. I've grown close with him over the years. And the one thing he told me is, why break this team up? Like let's run it back. Like let's, why change all this personnel? And I think at the time, too, I think those guys knew that VJ was probably staying around at the time when those conversations were had. But he said, look what we were able to do this year.

Starting point is 00:24:07 And we have a selfless locker room. We have guys who are bought in. And whether PJ's starting or not starting, he wants to be part of this. He thinks that Denver has something special. Do you think that PJ returns this season? Where do you stand on that? Be personally, I'd love to have him back. I would, too.

Starting point is 00:24:24 And I think if he's okay with the role that has been carved out for him, then there's no reason why he shouldn't be back, right? I don't think he's going to be expensive. His market value, according to Spot Track, is pretty much what it's been in the last handful of years, roughly 3.5 million average annual salary. I think that's a worthwhile price to pay to have somebody who provides that important depth at the safety position,

Starting point is 00:24:45 as well as a core special teams guy and somebody who just loves being around his other teammates, right? So you can get him done for, you know, two years, seven to eight million. I feel like that's a really fair deal to keep PJ Locke around, assuming that he's okay with that role, right? Because right now, Cody's got a lot of friends in high places, doesn't he?

Starting point is 00:25:05 I mean, obviously Jim Leonard just went to Buffalo. They need safety help. Dallas Cowboys. They brought in Christian Parker as their defensive coordinator. Of course, he was the old DB's coach for the Denver Broncos. And so he probably knows and would love to have PJ Locke as part of revamping that Dallas defense. So if there's competition to,

Starting point is 00:25:23 sign him elsewhere, I wouldn't get into a bidding war if I'm the Broncos, right? I think, and we'll talk about him on our restricted free agents episode or exclusive rights. I can't remember which one he is, but he was looking good defensively, wasn't he? I mean, my goodness, he played really nice down the stretch. So I think that's another conversation that we'll have. But if it comes to a bidding war, I wouldn't necessarily do that to keep PJ around, especially if he has an opportunity to start somewhere else. Well, here's also another. thing too that I found to be impressive about PJ. Look, I think in that Buffalo Bills game, he came up big.

Starting point is 00:25:58 I think he did. I think Chris Thomason of the Gazette had reported initially that PJ said he'd be willing to take a team friendly deal to come back. So that obviously makes things there. It just depends on where maybe Denver's motivations are at here. But according to NFL next-gen stats, Kobe Bryant of the Seattle Seahawks, PJ Locke and Julian Love are the only defenders with 60 plus snaps and coverage and zero catches allowed in the playoffs.

Starting point is 00:26:22 And PJ obviously coming up big. in that Buffalo game with the interception. A great return that gave the Broncos an opportunity to put more points up on the board, didn't allow a single catch as well. And the Patriots game to the AFC championship, when Brandon Jones went down, we were talking about like, hey, this is arguably the most important loss for Denver defensively

Starting point is 00:26:40 when you talk about not having a player for the postseason. And I felt like PJ did a really good job of kind of saying, hey, wait, wait, wait, don't forget about me because he did step up. He did have an impact, not only coming up against the run, but once again, not allowing a single pass catch in 60. I think he had 68 coverage snaps overall in the playoffs. That to me is impressive. And that's obviously hard to overcome at times.

Starting point is 00:27:03 I think you can never have enough good depth at this position. But as you mentioned, those ties that bind, those connections in Buffalo, those connections obviously in Dallas, those might help PJ expand his horizons a little bit and say, hey, you've got an opportunity to maybe go start here, whereas maybe you don't get that opportunity here in Denver. I'm very curious to see maybe how this changes PJ's approach, but also the Broncos as well, especially considering Brandon Jones,

Starting point is 00:27:28 his contract is going to be coming up here at a very, very short standpoint, too, and you do have Fufanga. You want to try to maintain continuity with this defense. Where do you stand realistically here on the safety position right now, you know, factoring in if PJ is not returning, so to speak. Let's operate on that hypothetical. The Broncos have Devin Key, as you mentioned, exclusive rights.

Starting point is 00:27:50 he's going to be back. You're not going to let a first team all pro special teams ace go out the door here. And J.L. Skinner at some point, his contract is also going to be coming up too. I mean, it's very, very interesting to see what the Broncos depth is if PJ does depart. It really is. I think you feel good about your top end guys, right? I think even you would even feel pretty good about your top four guys going into next season, assuming Devin Key is back and is able to play that PJ lock role while also still being. that force on special teams. That's the thing. Right now the Broncos have had the ability to have just that sort of, what do you call it, an embarrassment of riches in the defensive backfield at both

Starting point is 00:28:30 corner and safety. But it all hinges on those top end guys being healthy, doesn't it? That's where you have the embarrassment of riches. And you don't necessarily want to have Devin Key or PJ Locke, for that matter, out there for extended periods of time at this point. I think what we saw this year was almost best case scenario, right? Other than you would have loved to have had Brandon Jones for the playoffs, but in terms of the amount of time that he missed, timing of the injury stunk, but the amount of time that he missed,

Starting point is 00:28:57 I think was perfect for what PJ was able to do, you know, picking off Josh Allen in the playoffs, playing much better than expected down the stretch, considering what we saw last year and why the Broncos went after Hufanga in the first place. But I do believe that they have the depth to be able to sustain that loss if he does leave. and I feel like it starts with those top end guys all returning to form and being exactly what you expect them to be.

Starting point is 00:29:23 I know we're going to have a conversation as well on tomorrow's episode about restricted free agents. There's obviously one major player at that position, cornerback, Jekwon, McMillan, obviously, who has emerged as one of the best young nickel defenders in the NFL. Here's my dilemma, right? We've talked about rookie Jade Barron. I'm going to be going into his second year. Could this be the perfect opportunity for Jada's role and kind of switch back to maybe that safety position a little bit because if J-Quon's going to stick around as he should,

Starting point is 00:29:51 what is Jada's rule going forward? In my opinion, his best path to playing is outside corner depth potentially, but I would also say maybe that hybrid safety role that he played at Texas could be something that the Broncos could consider here as they evolve, as the NFL always changes personnel-wise, coaches, schemes, you name it, but with Vance Joseph sticking around, how could the Broncos maximize their defensive depth? Well, the position switch might be in line here. But Broncos Country, that will wrap up today's episode show.

Starting point is 00:30:21 Make sure you share your thoughts with us here on today's unrestricted free agents on the defensive side of the ball that are set to hit free agency, whether you want them back, whether you see them going elsewhere. And on top of that for you, every day or is tomorrow's show. We're going to take a look at the restricted free agents here for Denver headlined by J-Quann-McMillan, who is worthy of a contract extension. Will the Broncos give it to them, though? We'll discuss that on tomorrow's episode of the show. Broncos country. We'll see you then.

Locked On Broncos - Daily Podcast On The Denver Broncos - FREE AGENCY: Denver Broncos DILEMMA at LB With Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad

There aren't comments yet for this episode. Click on any sentence in the transcript to leave a comment.