Answering Whether LB Justin Strnad Can Finally Solve Broncos' TE Coverage Woes
The following point has been hammered home by some of us here at Mile High Huddle, but the Denver Broncos have needed to infuse athleticism and coverage ability into their linebacker corps for a couple of years now.
Earlier on in the 2020 NFL Draft, the Broncos passed on some talented linebackers that could have brought those traits to the defense. However, Denver managed to luck into one in Justin Strnad in the fifth round, likely due to the biceps injury he has been recovering from.
Strnad is a great athlete, but his medicals are a concern. Denver using a late fifth-round pick on him does make him a low-risk potential high-reward selection.
Denver has potentially a really good linebacker in Alexander Johnson, but he is best against the run while presenting some limitations in coverage. Todd Davis is another good run defender with issues in coverage.
Both can be effective in certain coverages, but they're limited and teams know how to motion to expose them and render the duo ineffective. That's why the Broncos needed someone to be more effective in coverage and open up what they can do with their defense.
While being a good athlete doesn’t mean the player is good in coverage, it does help and gives Denver more to work with. That is exactly why the Broncos took the risk on Strnad.
Vic Fangio likes to use his linebackers out in the slot, which Strnad isn’t very familiar with as most of his snaps came in the box. However, he has really good athleticism, when healthy.
Again, health was the major knock on Strnad and hopefully, Denver can keep him on the field. The Broncos need to perform better and more consistently when covering tight ends and running backs.
For a more in-depth look at Strnad and whether he can help solve the Broncos' tight end coverage woes, check out the video above.
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