With the Denver Broncos beginning training camp this month, the entire roster is going to get a chance to show what they are made of. For the veterans, it could be viewed as just another day at the office, as players like Garett Bolles and Courtland Sutton, for example, are entrenched in their roles and have done this many times before.
For the rookies, it's their first NFL training camp, and while some are likely locks for the roster, like running back Jonah Coleman, others could be fighting for a spot on the 53-man roster, but that doesn't even guarantee a roster spot during the 2026 season.
The Broncos did seem to bring in a strong rookie class, and one of their key picks on the defensive side of the ball could be closer to a legitimate role on defense sooner than fans may think.
Denver Broncos rookie LB Red Murdock could be approaching a notable role
Red Murdock was the Mr. Irrelevant pick this year - the Broncos had the final pick in this year's NFL Draft, and took the productive Murdock from Buffalo. Funnily enough, Murdock does bring a ton of production from college into the NFL, and he's actually the all-time leader in college football history in forced fumbles, with 17.
Across his final two years, Murdock racked up 298 total tackles, 30 tackles for loss, and seven sacks. He was a production machine, and physical is a good word to describe him. While he's not the biggest or fastest, and really does not offer a ton in coverage, his physicality and clear skill at forcing fumbles could be something the Broncos unlock further in the NFL.
In the offseason, the Broncos cut linebacker Dre Greenlaw after just one season. Greenlaw struggled to stay on the field and was essentially playing half-time alongside Justin Strnad. The Broncos did primarily use three linebackers with Greenlaw, Strnad, and Alex Singleton, and their defensive snap counts in 2025 looked like this:
Singleton: 1,029
Strnad: 575
Greenlaw: 324
Singleton is likely going to remain as that constant in the middle of the defense this year, as he wears the green dot, which means he relays the play-call from defensive coordinator Vance Joseph to the rest of the unit. Strnad and Greenlaw were splitting time in 2025, and even with Strnad back on a multi-year deal and slated to be the other starter, Strnad hasn't been a full-time starter at any point in his career.
He has started exactly 8 games in each of the last two seasons and has been quite solid in this part-time starting role. The Broncos also surely aren't going to trot out Singleton and Strnad for 100 percent of the snaps each week.
This does open the door for a third inside linebacker to crack into the lineup here and there and get some snaps, and it could be Murdock. Taurean York could also factor into the mix; he was a big-time undrafted free agent signing by the Broncos, but Murdock could have the upper hand in that unoffial race for the third inside linebacker spot.
Denver does have a plethora of other linebackers fighting for a spot on the roster, but it's very normal for rookies to get more attention, as we've seen many of the current veteran inside linebackers not named Singleton or Strnad fail to make much of an impact thus far.
Murdock surely sees that 'open' third ILB spot, and there is a non-zero chances he takes it.
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