The Denver Broncos don't have to do a ton of work on the defensive side of the ball when free agency rolls around, as this team could (and should) sign a linebacker in wave one and proceed to turn their attention to the offensive side of the ball.
Adding some depth could come later in the offseason, but all in all, the defense is in a good spot and should again be a top-3 unit in the NFL in 2026. As we all know, the offense is the unit that needs the most work, so hopefully the front office can get that work done.
Recently, the Broncos were named as a potential fit for a defensive player, but it is not at all who you think, and the hypothetical signing would honestly not be smart.
Bleacher Report names safety Kevin Byard as a missing piece for the Denver Broncos defense
Alex Ballentine in Bleacher Report named free agency safety Kevin Byard as a fit for the Broncos in free agency:
"Defense: This was the league's best defense last season, but they were middle of the road in creating turnovers. A ball-hawking safety like Kevin Byard, who had seven picks in 2025, would take this defense to an even higher level."
I do struggle very much to see the vision here. Kevin Byard is a good veteran safety who is turning 33 years old this summer. He spent the 2025 season with the Chicago Bears and racked up seven interceptions, which led the NFL. Sure, Byard's ball-hawking prowess would be nice on the Broncos, but where is he going to play?
Both Brandon Jones and Talanoa Hufanga are obviously under contract and make up one of the best tandems in the NFL, and the team's secondary as a whole is among the best and most deep in the league, so there sincerely isn't a 'spot' for Byard on the backend.
Given that he had a Pro Bowl and All-Pro season, in any event the Broncos were to make this move, Byard would cost a pretty penny, and that would then give the team less money to use to fix much more urgent needs like at linebacker, running back, and tight end.
Not only that, but the Broncos just used a first-round pick on a defensive back in Jahdae Barron, and also have three other very good, youngner defensive backs in Patrick Surtain II, Riley Moss, and Ja'Quan McMillian.
The Broncos obviously need to put a bigger emphasis on creating turnovers, as it went from a strength to a weakness from 2024 into 2025. With Vance Joseph back for another season as the defensive coordinator, one could fairly assume that the continued chemistry can only help things and lead to those weaknesses being fixed.