Why Tyler Onyedim Is Earning Early Respect From a Broncos All-Pro

It’s not easy to fill a starter’s shoes in the NFL, especially for a rookie. Denver Broncos third-rounder Tyler Onyedim was drafted with the hopes that he could one day help fill the void left in the wake of John Franklin-Myers’s departure, if not outright succeed him.

The Broncos have several players in the mix to take over the Franklin-Myers starting role opposite Zach Allen on the defensive line, including Eyioma Uwazurike, Malcolm Roach, Sai’vion Jones, and Onyedim.

As one of the best run-defending defensive tackles in the 2026 draft class, it’s safe to assume that Onyedim will see the field early in Denver, especially on first and second down. But it depends on how the competition shapes up this summer, especially in training camp.

On Thursday, following the Broncos’ last voluntary OTA practice, Allen took a few questions, and when the All-Pro was asked about his new rookie teammate, he sounded duly impressed by what he’s seen so far.

“He's already got the hard part done because you can tell right away that he has the physical traits,” Allen said of Onyedim. “He's got a really good attitude. He's always trying to learn, always asking questions, and he takes film study seriously, which is pretty rare for a young player.”

Rare Trait For a Rookie

Tyler Onyedim. — Texas A&M defensive lineman Tyler Onyedim (11) reacts against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. | John Mersits / IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire

The seriousness with which Onyedim approaches the film room is highly encouraging. Allen quickly took notice of it.

The rookie’s on the right track. But the Broncos’ quest for a Super Bowl in 2026 hasn’t really begun. Things will heat up in training camp when the pads go on and the contact begins. It’ll separate the men from the boys quite quickly, as always.

The non-contact nature of OTAs make it a little harder for trench players to stand out. That’s why the positive reviews on Onyedim thus far, from his coaches and teammates, is noteworthy. We don’t want to read too much into it yet, but it’s a positive harbinger.

“Those guys have the toughest job,” Broncos head coach Sean Payton said in May. “The offensive and defensive linemen in these camps, we talk about staying up. The closer to the ball you are, the more challenging this kind of practice format is. They are the ones that it just gets easier when the pads get on.”

Considering that Onyedim has had exactly one rookie minicamp and six OTA practices under his belt, he seems to be tracking in the right direction. The veterans around him seem to appreciate his grind, especially as a rookie.

“He's been great. It's been awesome working with him,” Allen said of Onyedim. “It's crazy to think we're only in the second week of this process. When the pads come on, it'll be really fun to see where he's at.

The Broncos will hold their mandatory minicamp June 16-18 — three practices open to the media — then they’ll take their six-week summer break leading up to training camp. The Broncos have not announced their training camp dates quite yet, but it’s likely to be the fourth week of July.

We’ll get a much better idea of where Onyedim stands then. In the meantime, Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph is expecting his D-line players to step up and answer the JFM bell, especially the draft picks: Onyedim, Uwazurike, and Jones.

"As you win and improve as a team, you're going to have players move on and get paid elsewhere," Joseph said on Thursday. "You can't pay everyone. We chose to let JFM walk and draft his position. Now the guys behind him have to play well."

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