Denver Broncos: Roster matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs

2. Defense – S, CB, LB, DL

The Denver Broncos’ secondary features the best safety duo in the NFL, with Justin Simmons and Kareem Jackson.  They also have two rookies oozing potential in Caden Sterns and Jamar Johnson.

The Chiefs’ safeties are pretty good, though.  Tyrann Mathieu and Juan Thornhill make for a good combo, but no team in the NFL can touch what Denver features in their secondary.

Advantage, Broncos.

Now, the cornerbacks.

The Broncos legitimately have five starting-caliber corners on their roster.

However you slice it, the Broncos have the best group of cornerbacks in the league.  Best duo, trio, etc.  It doesn’t matter.  No team can come close to the secondary talent.

For the Chiefs, L’Jarius Sneed is a budding star, and they also have guys like DeAndre Baker and Mike Hughes, who both are former first-round picks.

Until they can prove themselves, the Denver Broncos will have the better unit.

Advantage, Broncos.

Time for the linebackers.

The Denver Broncos linebacking group features projected starters Josey Jewell and Alexander Johnson.  They also have two young players in Baron Browning and Justin Strnad who look to be future starters.  It’s a very solid unit.  In fact, PFF gave the duo of Jewell and Johnson the 4th best in the NFL for 2021.

Even though the Broncos linebacking unit is the weakest group on their defense, it’s still very strong if viewed league-wide.

The Chiefs linebackers are solid, featuring rookie Nick Bolton, and other guys like Anthony Hitchens and Willie Gay.

Their unit is solid, but not flashy.  They do their jobs adequately but don’t feature any imposing names.

The Denver Broncos have the advantage here as well.

I’d also lump edge players into this, but that wouldn’t bode well for Kansas City.

The Broncos’ duo of Von Miller and Bradley Chubb might be the best in the NFL.

Time for the defensive line.

The Broncos’ defensive line features three starters who may all, crazily enough, be underrated.

Shelby Harris, Mike Purcell, and Dre’Mont Jones make for a very good trio.  Depth pieces like DeShawn Williams and McTelvin Agim also have potential.

The Chiefs may have the slight, ever so slight advantage here as they feature Chris Jones, Jarran Reed, and Derrick Nnadi.

Chris Jones is an insanely good player and always causes havoc.  His ceiling is extremely high, more than any of the Broncos’ players, and I think gives the Chiefs a slight edge on the defensive line.

The score is now 5-3-1, with the Broncos having the overall advantage.