Finding Broncos: 5 Later Edges and Linebackers for Depth

With the improvements the Denver Broncos have made to their roster, they still have areas they need help. One of those positions is the edge position, where they are full of potential but have serious issues staying on the field. Adding additional competition and improving the depth would go a long way to help bring insurance to a priority position.

As for linebackers, they have their top two guys in Josey Jewell and Alex Singleton, but behind them is a question mark. Jonas Griffith had a rough season before getting hurt and never bounced back. They need that depth for added competition and special teams' ability.

George Tarlas | Edge | Boise State

Pros

There is solid size and length.
He has great short-area burst and solid agility.
There is good production as a pass rusher, but most of it came during his time at Weber State.
There is good discipline with his play by sticking to the play and avoiding penalties.
He has an excellent motor, and there are some well-developed pass-rush moves.

Cons

The athleticism overall is poor.
His technique is still quite raw, and technical lapses see him get controlled.
He isn't violent enough as a defender.
There isn't that one trait that you can change your hat on.
There are issues with getting off blocks due to the lack of strength to toss blockers.

Fit with Broncos

Tarlas would be an undrafted free-agent option with plenty of room for development. With some time on the practice squad, Tarlkas could develop into solid depth with special teams' ability.

SirVocea Dennis | LB | Pittsburgh

Pros

He is a solid athlete with great explosiveness.
He has great range laterally and vertically.
There is good speed and burst, and he plays quick.
He is praised for his intangibles and communication skills.
His play as a blitzer is excellent, with 32 pressures and 11 sacks in 2022.

Cons

He doesn't have the ideal size, length, or mass for the NFL.
Keeping blockers off his frame can be problematic, especially when his hands are late.
He doesn't explode through his tackles, which can lead to some missed ones.
The play in coverage is lackluster, with some instincts and awareness problems.

Fit with Broncos

Dennis doesn't have the ideal length for the NFL and can struggle with defending over routes. However, he has the traits to be a leader on defense and carry the green dot. He would be a solid addition for depth with the Broncos as he fits the scheme and can develop to replace Josey Jewell after the season.

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Jamal Hines | Edge | Toledo

Pros

There is good length to work with.
There is great production, with 125 pressures and 29 sacks during his career.
He is clean with his tackles, shows his length to wrap up, and drives through properly.
He does well to hang on at the point of attack.
There is good vision and good quickness to sidestep and shoot gaps.

Cons

He doesn't have great size for the NFL.
There isn't great bend or flexibility to work around tackles.
His strength isn't great, and he can get caught on blocks.
There isn't creativity in his attack plan, and his plan lacks development.

Fit with Broncos

Hines is a projected undrafted rookie who would make sense to try and develop for the Broncos. There is a lot of work, and he may not pan out, but there is enough to take that risk.

Ali Gaye | Edge | LSU

Pros

He has good size and length for the NFL.
He can quickly penetrate gaps when he gets off the snap quickly.
There is decent bend to work around the outside path of the tackle.
He does a great job of getting his hands up and cloud throwing lanes and batted nine passes in his career.

Cons

There are instances where he is late to fire off the snap.
He is easy to control in the run game, with no power to work with.
He is still raw as a pass rusher and lacks production, with only seven sacks.
There are some medical concerns in his past.

Fit with Broncos

The tools and traits are there with Gaye, but he lacks a good foundation with his technique and fundamentals. There is a good fit as a developmental option for the Broncos, but it would need to be as an undrafted free-agent option.

Owen Pappoe | LB | Auburn

Pros

He is a great athlete with speed and explosion.
He keeps missed tackles down.
His range, speed, and quickness are excellent.
When the play flows outside, he is quick to diagnose and does well finding the lane to get to the ball carrier.
He does well to come to balance and bring force into his tackles.
There is good awareness and instincts in coverage, and he does well battling for positioning.
There is a good twitch, and he has an excellent closing burst to close on the ball.

Cons

There isn't an ideal size or length for the NFL.
His angles are not great, and he may not have the recovery ability in the NFL.
There are plenty of issues getting off blocks.
The depth of his tackles was higher than ideal.
His awareness drops when blockers get to the second level and can get him caught.

Fit with Broncos

The Broncos could be using someone to replace Josey Jewell after the season. Pappoe can be a good fit in the scheme and, with added development, could be ready to start next season. However, there may be an issue with the value of being a good fit for the Broncos.

This is a strong class at the edge position, which does benefit the Broncos. While they only have five draft picks, there is depth at the position, and some talent is expected to fall to where they sit in the third round.

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