When the Broncos entered free agency last spring, most of the media attention was on Denver landing offensive weapons, and rightfully so. As free agency continued, it became increasingly clear that the Broncos were adding impact talent, but not just on offense. George Paton and Vance Joseph had visions of turning the Denver defense into an all-time unit, and tabbed two former 49ers to make it happen.
With the additions of the two former 49ers, the Broncos' defense is now firing on all cylinders. Their unit is among the best at basically every positional group on the field, and is on pace to obliterate the single-season sack record. This unit is drawing comparisons to one the Broncos had 10 years ago, and for incredibly good reason. If this unit continues at its current output, it could have the same end-of-the-season as the 2015 team.
After the Broncos were eliminated from the playoffs in Buffalo, not many were saying that the team needed a major splash and free agency on the defensive side of the ball. All the Broncos' front office has done is prove everyone wrong and show how necessary these two additions were. George Paton deserves a great deal of credit for his vision in bringing in the duo he did.
The signings of Talanoa Hufanga and Dre Greenlaw have altered the Broncos' franchise
Now that Dre Greenlaw is healthy for the Broncos, the full potential of this defense is on display every week. The vision of Paton and Joseph could be best seen in the first quarter of Denver's 18-15 win over the Texans, in which Greenlaw stonewalled Houston three plays in a row on the goal line, forcing a field goal from within the 10-yard line. The inside linebacker plays like he is being shot out of a cannon, which is a level of intensity the Broncos have been missing on the second level.
Speaking of being shot out of a cannon, arguably no defender plays more downhill and aggressively at the safety position than Talanoa Hufanga. The Broncos' safety position has presented issues in the past few years, especially with how Josh Allen picked it apart during Denver's Wild Card loss in January. Hufanga has provided the necessary change on the backside of Denver's secondary, and it has propelled Denver to a truly elite secondary.
The common theme between these two is the intensity that they bring to Joseph's unit. With both new defenders flying all over the field, the Broncos can wreck offensive game plans and blow up plays with frequency and ease. With the new aggressive edge to the Broncos' defense, this unit has the chance to carry them to a deep January run, much like the 2015 unit did.