Broncos' Darkhorse Need for 2022: Slot Defensive Back

The Denver Broncos 2021 campaign is still not ‘officially’ over but with the team needing to win out and get some luck from AFC foes in order to earn a playoff berth, the odds are rather improbable. The Broncos’ players and coaches have to focus and play like the season is on the line and while winning out with three AFC West opponents is improbable, it's not impossible.

However, with Denver possessing some of the best flexibility this offseason in both cap space and draft picks, please forgive the fan base if some in Broncos Country are starting to look forward to how GM George Paton can improve this roster after the season ends.

Everyone knows the Broncos' No. 1 priority this offseason is finding a solution at the quarterback position. With visions of Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson wearing Orange and Blue dancing in the heads of Broncos fans this holiday season, there are other areas of the roster that require examination if the team is to improve and put up a better effort to make the playoffs in 2022.

Quarterback is king but there are other positions that should be on the minds of Broncos Country this offseason. Off-ball linebacker is a position of question where three of the team’s top options at that position — Alexander Johnson, Josey Jewell, and Kenny Young — are set to hit the open market after this season.

Another position on the roster with questions is that of right tackle. While Bobby Massie has played fine this season he only signed a one-year deal with no real developmental options under contract behind him to take his spot. The final position on the Broncos roster in obvious need of a talent infusion is edge rusher.

With Von Miller now on the Los Angeles Rams, Malik Reed will be a restricted free agent, and Bradley Chubb on the last year of his rookie contract, Denver will need to fortify the room next to Jonathon Cooper in order to improve its disappointing pass rush from this season.

Don't Sleep on DB

These positions have all been discussed as needs this offseason among Broncos Country, but one position that deserves more consideration is that of defensive back. Yes, the Broncos invested heavily in the defensive backfield over the last few seasons.

Justin Simmons became one of the highest-paid safeties, Patrick Surtain II was drafted in the top-10, and Ronald Darby is the 16th highest-paid cornerback in football, so how could Denver possibly need to further invest in the secondary? The answer comes down to Denver’s snap counts, personnel usage, and the offenses of the AFC West.

Through Week 15 of this season, the Broncos' defensive backs who have aligned in the slot are Bryce Callahan (342 slot reps), Kyle Fuller (205), and Kareem Jackson (92). Unfortunately for the Broncos, all three of these defensive backs are set to become free agents, leaving a potentially large hole on the roster.

Just how important is the fifth defensive back position on the Broncos? With approximately 430 plays in nickel, 155 defensive plays in dime, and 190 plays in base defense, the Broncos have deployed some sort of sub-package on a majority of snaps this season. Depth and talent in the defensive backfield are a must.

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Slot Supremacy

The fifth defensive back’s importance is further shown when looking at slot reps compared to the Broncos’ second linebacker. In nearly every game since Week 9, the Broncos' defensive back playing a majority of reps in the slot, whether that be Fuller or Callahan, has logged more snaps than Denver’s second linebacker spot in Young or Jonas Griffith.

In Week 12, Fuller — the team's predominant slot defender at the time — played 96% of the defensive snaps compared to Young’s 61%. In Week 13, Fuller played 86% of the defensive snaps with Young playing 79%.

Week 14, Fuller played 75% of the defensive snaps with Young fielding 49% and Griffith playing 37%. Week 15, same story with Bryce Callahan returning from injury playing 95% of the defensive snaps to Griffith, filling in for the injured Young, playing 79% of the defensive snaps.

Combining the #Broncos' defensive snap counts for LB2 (Kenny Young and Jonas Griffith) vs CB3/DB5 (Kyle Fuller and Bryce Callahan) over the last four weeks.

LB2: 184 snaps: 75% of the available defensive snaps
DB5: 220 snaps: 90% of available defensive snaps
— Nick Kendell 🏔 (@NickKendellMHH) December 22, 2021

This has been harder to chart due to injuries at both positions resulting in different players having their roles shifted in games but it still should hammer home just how important that No. 5 defensive back position is on the defense. The slot defender is a starter in modern defensive football.

Slot Over LB2

This factor could be partially due to the fact that the Broncos’ decision-makers don’t trust their second linebacker as much as they do Baron Browning, who has logged 96% of the defensive snaps over the last four weeks. This also should signify just how important the Broncos' fifth defensive back position is on this team.

Further amplifying the value of that defensive back is the fact that the Broncos play in what has quickly become the Big 12 of the NFL in the AFC West. Going up against the likes of the Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, and Las Vegas Raiders, three teams with a franchise quarterback who likes to spread things out and throw the football around, means that the Broncos will need to continually invest in the secondary so long as their divisional rivals play similar stylistic offenses going forward.

QB Still Top Priority

The Broncos' first need is far-and-away the quarterback position. Until they find a solution at the signal-caller, the likely scenario for this team will be what the fans have witnessed each of the last few seasons; ineptitude sprinkled with blips of mediocrity.

It is a quarterback-driven league. However, a quarterback doesn’t simply get it done on his own. While the QB is important, it's teams that win championships (just ask Rodgers who might be the greatest quarterback of all-time even though he has only ever made it to one Super Bowl in his career).

The Takeaway

With the Broncos’ top three DBs who've seen the slot this year, Paton should not blink at another premium investment in the secondary just like I advocated for him to throw multiple resources at the defensive backfield last season.

Whether that be a combination safety-nickel defender such as Michigan’s Daxton Hill in the NFL draft or an inside-outside combination cornerback such as Auburn’s Roger McCreary or Washington’s Trent McDuffie, or Denver finds a veteran in free agency, Paton will likely have to scour for another defensive back at some point this offseason.

The up-in-the-air future of Vic Fangio and his scheme could change the formula, but the snaps for a slot defender are still in demand no matter who is calling the defense. Quietly, defensive back shapes up to be one of the largest voids on the Broncos’ roster as the 2021 season comes to a close.

Follow Nick on Twitter @NickKendellMHH.

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