Broncos Free Agency: Top-10 ILBs to Upgrade the Position

Among all positions on the Denver Broncos defense, linebacker is the position in the biggest need of an upgrade. Down the stretch, the linebacker corps got exposed and the Broncos need better talent there.

Alex Singleton has been a reliable player, despite his issues in coverage. However, he missed most of 2024 with a torn ACL and is entering the final year of his contract.

Meanwhile, Justin Strnad had a good start to the 2024 season when Singleton went down but was unable to sustain that level of play down the stretch. Cody Barton had some really good games, but just as many in which he didn't play well.

The Broncos like Drew Sanders' upside as a potential starter, but they're thin at the position. With Strnad and Barton both set to become unrestricted free agents, the Broncos need to add at least one linebacker in free agency.

But who is available? Let's consider my top 10 unrestricted free agents.

Zack Baun
Nick Bolton
Jamien Sherwood
Ernest Jones
Bobby Wagner
Eric Kendricks
Lavonte David
Tyrel Dodson
Robert Spillane
Cody Barton

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The top three linebackers are likely to cash in during free agency. It remains to be seen how high prices get, but any of the three would be a clear upgrade over what the Broncos had this past season.

After that come some notable names who are older but may still be able to play well. They aren't long-term solutions, though. Other names on the list aren't standouts but could offer a slight upgrade at the position.

Linebacker might be the one defensive position in which the Broncos could be more aggressive than others, as long as prices don't get too high. While there are good linebackers who will hit free agency, none would be elite (outside of Baun), meaning you don't want to pay too much.

The Broncos could opt to bring back Strnad or Barton but look to them as depth rather than as a starter. Denver could do this even if it signs a clear starter in free agency. That would mean there's less pressure to draft a linebacker.

If the Broncos opt to go with another cheap free-agent linebacker for another year, though, they need to draft one at some point. Somebody like Barton would be good for depth or in a rotational role, but the Broncos need a long-term player who can play the bulk of snaps.

If it were up to me, I'd try to get one of the top three unrestricted free-agent linebackers — Baun, Bolton, or Sherwood. But whether the Broncos do that remains to be seen, especially if the price gets too high.

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