LB Alex Singleton Ready to Help Broncos Elevate 'Important' Special Teams

Should Denver Broncos GM George Paton opt to stick with what he has at linebacker, Alex Singleton could end up starting in 2022. Singleton was signed by the Broncos last week and arrives in the Mile High City as Philadelphia's former leading tackler (twice).

When it came to stopping the run, Singleton earned a 74.9 grade from Pro Football Focus, ranking No. 8 in the NFL. Paton has taken a nuts-and-bolts approach to the Broncos roster with well-traveled backup QB Josh Johnson, safety J.R. Reed, and slot cornerback K'Waun Williams putting pen to paper over the last week.

Reed’s addition to the team is likely more about improving special teams. Although Singleton could find himself starting at linebacker in Denver, his main impact is likely to also come in the third phase.

After signing with the Broncos, the 28-year-old Singleton detailed exactly what he intends to bring to the table in the third phase and beyond.

“That’s how I’ve put my foot in the league,” Singleton said during his hello presser in Denver. “It’s how I finally got off the practice squad and [how I] started playing games in this league. First and foremost, you can play every defensive snap, but I think there’s a third phase to this game for a reason. It’s important.”

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Denver’s special teams have bordered on laughable in recent years which quite rightly has cost successive coaches their jobs. Turning that major negative into a positive is going require taking special teams with the utmost seriousness once again because it feeds into all facets of the operation.

Of course, playoff teams do that consistently and Singleton is fully aware that what he does on special teams can set the tone for the entire team.

“You always want to be on a competitive team and [it] starts with how your special teams play fuels your offense and fuel your defense,” Singleton said. “As a leader in Philly last year for that specific unit, [I tried] to bring a culture. I’ve learned how I like the game to be played in that phase, [and I want to] bring that here to contribute and be part of that.”

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