Tyler Onyedim is Focused on More Than Replacing John Franklin-Myers

Tyler Onyedim isn't trying to measure up to John Franklin-Myers. Although the Denver Broncos drafted Onyedim with the hope that he could be part of the picture of replacing Franklin-Myers, who departed to the Tennessee Titans in free agency, the rookie third-rounder is trying to cultivate the right mindset.

"JFM is a really good player, but obviously, I want to be my own person," Onyedim said during Broncos rookie minicamp earlier this month. "I don't want to live through somebody."

Replacing JFM

The Broncos may take an it-takes-a-village approach to replacing Franklin-Myers's production at defensive end opposite Zach Allen. Onyedim will factor into things, alongside incumbents like Malcolm Roach, Eyioma Uwazurike, and 2025 third-rounder Sai'vion Jones.

Whether it's Onyedim or a rotation of guys, it won't be easy for the Broncos to replicate the 14.5 sacks Franklin-Myers produced during his two years in Denver as an interior pass rusher. However, one area where Onyedim could possibly offer an immediate upgrade over JFM is in run defense.

That was JFM's vulnerability, and teams tried to attack it, especially with rush linebacker Nik Bonitto sharing that same flaw, and lining up over his trenchmate's outside shoulder. Onyedim was one of the 2026 draft class' best run-defending interior players, so alongside Uwazurike's strength in that same department, first and second down could be much more difficult for opponents.

What happens on third down when it's time to rush the passer, though, remains to be seen. That could be where Jones steps in and starts to deliver a return on the Broncos' draft investment last year. Time will tell.

Leading by Example

Texas A&M defensive lineman Tyler Onyedim (DL23) during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

For the time being, Onyedim is working to acclimate to his new football surroundings, which includes the notoriously thin air of the Mile High City. As the Broncos' first selection in this class, he's being looked to as a leader by his fellow rookies, and to that end, he's just trying to be himself.

Perhaps another way of saying that is Onyedim leads by example, not the rah-rah approach.

"Just being myself, though, at the end of the day," Onyedim said of leading. "Don't change for anybody. Just being myself, that's what I'm holding onto."

Just being himself got Onyedim this far, so it's a good philosophy to start with as a young pro. While rookie minicamp was ongoing, he was enjoying the process and marveling at his opportunity to live his NFL dream.

"It's truly a blessing walking out there," Onyedim said of practicing at Broncos HQ. "Finally doing what I dreamed to do was just a blessing."

Untapped Pass-Rushing Upside

Along his path to Denver — which included a four-year stint at Iowa State and a final collegiate season at Texas A&M — Onyedim watched a lot of Broncos football, studying how they attacked the quarterback. Now he gets to be a part of it.

"It's a blessing, just watching them while I was in college," Onyedim said. "Watching the NFL games and watching Denver's defense attacking the quarterback all the time. It's a blessing being on this defense."

In five college seasons, Onyedim only produced 5.5 career sacks, but a big reason for that was how Iowa State used him as a two-gapping defensive tackle whose job was to consume blocks and allow the guys behind him and on the edge to make the play on the ball. He set a career-high in sacks (2.5) in his one year at Texas A&M, where he was allowed to penetrate and pursue the quarterback and the ball.

The Broncos liked Onyedim's Iowa State tape. They loved his Texas A&M tape.

So, there's reason to believe that Onyedim could just be scratching the surface of his pass-rushing capabilities. The Broncos will certainly be hoping to help him on that path even further, as the team posted the most sacks in the NFL in back-to-back seasons.

In the meantime, Onyedim is still soaking it all in and doing his best to learn the Broncos' scheme under defensvie coordinator Vance Joseph.

"It's crazy, coming here when I was on the flight, just knowing, like, 'Damn, I could be actually an NFL player, doing what I prayed for,'" Onyedim said. "So it's been a blessing."

The Takeaway

As a rookie, the Broncos might not rely on Onyedim to replace Franklin-Myers on a player-for-player basis, but his long-term outlook certainly projects as that of a lynchpin starter upfront. But there will be some competition for that vacancy in the Broncos' starting lineup.

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