In 2021, the Denver Broncos’ defense is expected to be a top-notch unit. What is separating this unit from the daunting 2015 unit?
Looking back at the 2015 Denver Broncos’ defense, every position was loaded with not only depth but talented depth. Chasing down quarterbacks from the outside were future Hall of Famers, Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware.
Hunting down mistakes from the opposition’s offense was Aqib Talib, Chris Harris Jr., Bradley Roby, Kayvon Webster, Darian Stewart and T.J Ward. Pressing the interior were inside linebackers, Danny Trevathan and Brandon Marshall.
Last but not least, guys like Derek Wolfe, Malik Jackson, Vance Walker and Sylvester Williams were there clogging the inside. One guy’s emergence from that unit helped mold that defense into the solidified unit that it eventually became, hint, it wasn’t Derek Wolfe.
In 2014, Malik Jackson started three games for the Denver Broncos. During that season, Jackson totaled three sacks and twelve quarterback hurries. Adding to that, he had 42 tackles, and 8 of those resulted in a loss of yardage.
When the Denver Broncos were at their best in 2015, Jackson played a monumental role in their rise to excellence. Someone who isn’t mentioned as much when the No Fly Zone defense is mentioned is Malik Jackson. One who deserves every bit of credit for his role with that unit.
Statistically, Jackson didn’t overwhelm people with his rise into 2015, but he did contribute with 5.5 sacks and 16 quarterback hits during that run. He also had 45 tackles, and like 2014, 8 of those were for a loss. Having an interior presence like Jackson brought can work wonders for a defense, especially when you have peak Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware on the outside.
Like the team in 2015, I expect this Denver Broncos to boast the league’s number one defense when all is said and done.
Taking a look at the secondary, players like Kyle Fuller, Ronald Darby, Bryce Callahan, Patrick Surtain II, Justin Simmons, and Kareem Jackson have the potential to replenish the makings of the No Fly Zone. Becoming a unit like the No Fly Zone does not happen overnight, so I do not want to undermine what that unit was.
This defense could just become another truly special Denver Broncos’ defense.
After comparing each respective roster, I came away with an interesting thought. This team has Von Miller and Bradley Chubb on the outside wreaking havoc. Every one of the aforementioned players in the secondary has the ability to change each and every single game they play in, like the No Fly Zone.
Players along the defensive line, like Shelby Harris, can be the veteran that can mimic the role of Derek Wolfe. In a bit of a different scheme upfront, Dre’Mont Jones definitely has the ability to one-up Sylvester Williams and what he brought to the table.
Alexander Johnson and Josey Jewell may be a tick behind Brandon Marshall and Danny Trevathan, but this is where the rise of McTelvin Agim comes into play.
McTelvin “Sosa” Agim saw minimal action in his rookie season, much like Malik Jackson. In both of their respective rookie seasons, neither topped ten tackles. Nor did either one contribute via sack, but what happened after Jackson’s rookie season was what caught my attention.
From just starting in five games and seeing action in 16, Jackson racked up 6 sacks in 2013. By the conclusion of the 2013 season, the Denver Broncos were beaten, bruised, and bashed via injury and the Seattle Seahawks.
In a year that ended through that crushing Super Bowl defeat, Jackson would see a jump in playing time from just 11% his rookie season, to 52% in his second season. He saw 52% of snaps in 2015. Interestingly enough, Agim played in 13% of the snaps for the Denver Broncos defense during his rookie season.
Having this number jump due to an inability to keep the rising playmaker off of the field would be tremendous for this already star-studded unit. I’ve yet to meet a quarterback that likes pressure in his face. With Shelby Harris already having the best hands in the league and Dre’Mont Jones turning heads in his third season as a professional, the door is open for Agim’s rise.
Jones himself had 6.5 sacks last season, Derek Wolfe nor Sylvester Williams ever had a 6.5 sack season with the Denver Broncos. If Jones can contribute another six-sack season to this defense, what if Agim can duplicate that sort of productivity?
Head Coach Vic Fangio has had some interesting insight on Agim thus far:
"“The next four weeks will tell [along with] the season if he’s one of the 53,” head coach Vic Fangio said of Agim on Saturday. “He’s a lot better than he was last year. I feel a lot better about him.”"
While that isn’t the biggest nod of confidence, Fangio just compliments different than most. During Day 4 of training camp, Agim had a couple of batted passes that resulted in interceptions, one he actually hauled in for himself.
From top to bottom, this defense is loaded on paper. This secondary is primed to be patient and capitalize on errant throws that are dealt out due to a heavy pass rush. If Dre’Mont Jones and Shelby Harris can be what this team expects, anything from McTelvin Agim just feels like a bonus at this point.
There will be plenty of depth and talent across this defensive line. The same can be said for the secondary backing up this defensive line. This defense instills an abundance of confidence that the opposition will be held to under 25 points a game. If that holds up, this team can be in and have the chance to win a whole bunch of football games this upcoming season.
5 reasons the Denver Broncos have the best defense in the NFL
The Denver Broncos have the best defense in the NFL. It may be premature to say, but the pieces are all in place for that to prove true in 2021.
One player alone does not make a team, nor defense for that matter. That said, one player can change a play or a possession for that matter, Agim should have plenty of opportunities to make drive-altering plays with the likes of Dre’Mont Jones, Shelby Harris, Von Miller, and Bradley Chubb all drawing attention around him.
If McTelvin Agim can take the leap we all seen Malik Jackson take in 2015, this unit could rival the 2015 Denver Broncos’ defense. Agim could be the missing link when you line each chain up against one another.