PFF's Ranking of Broncos Off-Ball LB Corps Might Surprise Fans
For the duration of John Elway’s tenure in the Denver Broncos’ front office, fans have cried out into the night for one position to be addressed that seems to fall upon deaf ears every year. No, that position is not the offensive tackle, which is a position the Broncos have invested a heap draft capital and cap dollars into (with mixed results), but rather, the linebacker.
With many greats to have played for the Broncos, such as Randy Gradishar, Karl Mecklenburg, and Al Wilson, the team has a rich history in the off-ball linebacker position (read: not 3-4 linebacker such as Von Miller or Bradley Chubb, which is better classified as ‘edge’ in today’s NFL). This, along with the linebacker position being somewhat romanticized on the defensive side of the ball, are a few of the main reasons many fans seem to want the Broncos to add a linebacker via a hefty free agency contract or with a first-round draft pick.
Off-ball linebacker is a position Denver has not drafted in round one since D.J. Williams back in 2004. However, somewhat similar to the running back position on offense, linebacker seems to be devolving in value in today’s pass-happy NFL.
Instead of the days of teams fielding three linebackers in the box to stop the run, defensive coordinators are taking linebackers off the field for defensive backs at an ever-increasing rate. There are exceptions to this rule but finding a linebacker that is not a hindrance to a team’s passing defense is extremely rare.
The Broncos do not currently have a ‘known’ quantity in coverage at the linebacker position, but that makes them one of the many teams across the NFL that have concerns in that realm. Yes, it is a weekly annoyance when a tight end makes plays over the middle of the field but a lot of the tight end production against the Broncos over the recent years has been as much circumstance as anything.
In a division with multiple good-to-great tight ends traditionally, and fielding a defense with the secondary talent Denver's had over the last decade, opposing quarterbacks picking on linebackers, as opposed to the cornerbacks, was the wise tactical decision.
The 2020 Broncos aren’t going to field a unit of Pro Bowlers at the off-ball linebacker spot, but that doesn’t make the position a weakness. The coverage concern at the position is likely to rear its head again at some point in the coming season but according to Pro Football Focus, Denver’s linebacker corps appears to be in a far better position than general fan perception would think.
PFF ranked all 32 linebacker corps with the Broncos coming in as the ninth-best unit in the NFL. Here's what Steve Palazzolo had to say:
9. DENVER BRONCOS
One of the biggest surprises of the 2019 season was the emergence of Alexander Johnson, who finished with the top run-defense grade in the league (91.4) and the fourth-ranked overall grade (88.5). Johnson was a 28-year old rookie who battled legal issues and made the most of his first opportunity in the league.
Todd Davis, the starter alongside Johnson, is one of the most consistent linebackers in the league, grading between 65.0 and 71.0 in all six years of his career. Davis is another strong run defender who helped Broncos linebackers post an 88.4 grade against the run, by far the best mark in the league among teams last season.
Josey Jewell added to that, as well, with an 88.5 run-defense grade on 214 total snaps. He’ll be the top backup once again, and the key for him will be improving in coverage, where he’s struggled on 674 NFL snaps after playing well in that department in college. Denver drafted Justin Strnad in the fifth round out of Wake Forest, a productive college linebacker with multiple years of strong grades in coverage.
With Johnson’s emergence and Davis’ stability, the Broncos have one of the best linebacker units in the league.
The Broncos did not appear to be completely satisfied with their linebacker position this past offseason considering the team's reported interest in Joe Schobert, Cory Littleton, Nick Kwiatkoski, and rumored trade-up attempt to acquire LSU linebacker Patrick Queen in the draft. The overall athleticism and coverage upside of the starting duo of Alexander Johnson and Todd Davis is no doubt limited.
However, the Broncos had a number of holes on their roster and not every area of concern could be addressed in one fell swoop. With Johnson and Davis being excellent linebackers against the run, the Broncos can perhaps afford to field less stout defensive linemen in lieu of pass-rushing prowess.
Given how little resources the Broncos have used at the off-ball linebacker position over recent years as shown by the team starting two undrafted free agents at the position, it’s a fantastic return on investment that Denver’s linebackers have earned a top-10 positional ranking from PFF.
The linebacker position, especially in the Vic Fangio defense, could use a shot in the arm in athleticism and coverage upside at some point in the near future, but the 2020 unit should be more than adequate for the Broncos to once again field a strong defense that should contend for top-five status in the NFL this coming season.
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