Vance Joseph Makes One Thing Clear to Broncos Defense

The Denver Broncos are back in the building. The Broncos have actually been back together for about a month now, going through the initial phases of the offseason training program.

On Tuesday, though, the Broncos began their initial voluntary OTA camp, marking the first time the whole team hit the field together since the AFC championship game in January. The Broncos' Thursday practice will be open to the press, which means we'll also hear from head coach Sean Payton and select players at the podium afterward.

The beginning of OTAs signals that the Broncos are that much closer to training camp. This team has some heightened expectations this year, after winning 14 games and the AFC West crown last season.

Entering OTAs, Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph made it clear to his players that last year is in the books, according to cornerback Patrick Surtain II. The message: we're starting back at square one, and we've got to come together to get better.

"There's a good saying from 'VJ' earlier today," Surtain said on Tuesday via Denver Sports' Andrew Mason. "Basically saying, 'It's a new year. You know, whatever you did last year, it doesn't matter now. It's a new slate. Teams are getting better and better, but we've got to find a way to get better than where we was last year.' Obviously, we fell a little short last year, so we've definitely got high hopes and aspirations coming up."

Surtain held his inaugural Topgolf Challenge with PS2 event on Tuesday, hours after news broke that the Broncos gave him a $5 million raise, with the chance to reach $10 million with incentives.

Square One

Sean Payton and Vance Joseph — Denver Broncos Defensive Coordinator Vance Joseph and Head Coach Sean Payton look on against the Cincinnati Bengals. | Michael Allio / Imago / Icon Sportswire

Joseph's message is a vital one, and it echoes something Sean Payton has said before: we can talk about teams "building on" what they did the year prior, but every team starts over at 0-0 each season, which the Broncos head coach has equated to playing a board game.

"Now there’s nothing that says that’s promised the next year," Payton said back in March. "You turn the board upside down. You place it and you collect your pieces, whatever the game is. You have to start back at zero.

The difference this time is that when the Broncos start back at square one, they'll be doing so with a lot more live-bullet experience in big games and the groundswell of confidence that often accompanies such experience. The Broncos prevailed in some huge games last season and tied the franchise record for single-season victories.

When Payton arrived as head coach in 2023, it was clear that the Broncos had forgotten how to win. The team had to relearn that and set new standards. With Payton's help, Denver has done just that.

Three years later, the Broncos have won 32 games and dethroned the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC West. But it's not like all of a sudden everything is going to be downhill from here just because the Broncos finally turned a corner. That's not how the NFL works.

The Broncos earned a first-place schedule this season, and on top of that, it's the AFC West's turn to face the NFC West and AFC East, which produced five 2025 playoff teams. To Joseph's point, the Broncos have to continue finding ways to improve.

Areas for Improvement

Nik Bonitto and Josh Allen — Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) is sacked by Denver Broncos linebacker Nik Bonitto (15) as he fumbles the ball in the third quarter in the AFC Divisional Round game. | Dustin Bradford / IMAGO / Icon Sportswire

Defensively, the Broncos finished second in yards last year, third in scoring, second against the run, seventh against the pass, and first in sacks. The most obvious place Joseph's defense can improve is in the takeaway department.

Despite leading the league with 68 sacks, the Broncos only took the ball away 14 times during the regular season. But thanks to their dominance in those other areas, including second in third-down and first in red-zone efficiency, they were able to overcome the lack of takeaways.

Another area the Broncos could improve is tackling and penalties. The Broncos had too many missed tackles in 2025 and were one of the most penalized teams in the NFL through most of the season.

Honestly, the Broncos don't need to lead the league in sacks every year if they can force more turnovers. Pressure on the quarterback often leads to bad decisions, forced fumbles, and tipped passes, so if Denver can just find a way to capitalize on the pressure it creates, it could lead to a lot more extra possessions for Nix and the offense.

More offensive possessions will come in handy against the murderer's row of opponents the Broncos face in the first eight weeks, including the Chiefs twice, all four NFC West teams, the Jacksonville Jaguars in Denver, and the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium.

The Broncos' seventh-ranked passing defense will be tested by the docket of top-tier quarterbacks on the schedule. Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert twice. Sam Darnold, Matthew Stafford, Brock Purdy, Trevor Lawrence, Drake Maye, and Josh Allen, not to mention a 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers on Black Friday.

It won't be easy, but with the right mindset Joseph is trying to cultivate, the Broncos' elite defense can defy some of the prediction models out there and not only avoid regression but also take another step forward in 2026. They certainly have the horses to do it on defense.

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