Report: Broncos Sign Former Saints DT Malcolm Roach
The New Orleans-to-Denver pipeline continues churning for the Broncos, who signed former Saints defensive tackle Malcolm Roach on Tuesday to a two-year contract worth up to $8 million, NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported.
Entering his age-26 campaign, Roach was signed by now-Broncos head coach Sean Payton's Saints in 2020 as an undrafted free agent. The Texas product has amassed 38 solo tackles, seven tackles for loss, seven quarterback hits, three pass deflections, and one interception across 41 career appearances, including five starts.
Roach (6-3, 290) was particularly effective last season against the run — his forte — posting the NFL's best run-stop rate (17.4%), according to Pro Football Focus.
At minimum, Roach will slot in with the Broncos as a situational run defender, occupying the role of free-agent DT Mike Purcell, who's unlikely to return.
At most, depending on what the team does with incumbent NT D.J. Jones, he'll vault his way to starter and — as it was a priority — help bolster a Denver defense that finished 30th in rushing yards allowed per game in 2023.
“We feel like we need to be better in the run, and we need to stop the run better," general manager George Paton said at February's Scouting Combine. "We were inconsistent, a lot of things we did. Week 1 through [Week] 6 or one through the first six games, we were the worst defense in the league and then the final 11 [games] we were in the Top 10, Top 5 in a lot of metrics so really just be more consistent. I think we need to get better inside, stopping the run."
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