There have been certain games the Denver Broncos wouldn't have won without Alex Singleton the past couple of seasons. It is also probably time for the Broncos to move on. Both things can be true, and yet the Broncos are deciding to run it back.
While continuity was an exciting theme of the 2025 offseason, the fan base is a lot less receptive to running it back in 2026, because the perception is that the team needs upgrades and is passing on the chance to add them.
The Broncos have re-signed Alex Singleton to a 2-year contract worth $15.5 million, and as you would have expected, the fan base is not loving it.
Broncos re-signing Alex Singleton means forsaking stellar free agent class at LB
Over the past few years, Singleton has become a key piece of the Denver Broncos' defense, and racked up 135 total tackles this past season. He's always been a tackling machine, a team captain, and he showed incredible mental and physical toughness by not only playing after receiving a testicular cancer diagnosis, but coming back after surgery very quickly.
So what are the issues Broncos fans have with this move?
For all of the things he brings to the table in terms of intangibles, calling the defense (wearing the green dot on his helmet), Singleton lacks in the athleticism department. His game is predicated on instincts, and he is limited in terms of pass rushing abilities, coverage abilities, and his 8.2 missed tackle percentage last season was the highest he's had in a full season since 2021.
Pro Football Reference also credited Singleton with allowing 629 yards in coverage last season, the most he's given up in a season by over 50 yards. He was also credited with giving up a QB rating of 122.9 into his coverage, the worst figure of his NFL career.
So what gives? The Broncos decided to pursue Dre Greenlaw in NFL Free Agency a year ago, trying to upgrade a room they just decided to bring back. Why would they do that?
Singleton is entering his age-33 season, and is not only not getting any younger, but is already less athletic than ideal at the position.
This move is not unanimously hated by the fan base, but pretty close. There is value in continuity in the NFL, but the Broncos have prioritized their own guys to the point of forsaking a really great free agency class at the position. Impact players like Devin Lloyd, Kaden Elliss, Quay Walker, Bobby Okereke, and others were there for the taking, but the Broncos are instead deciding to spend valuable cap space on players they said they needed to upgrade on just last year.