The Denver Broncos arguably have the most depth in the league defensively, except at one position in particular.
The inside linebacker (ILB) position has always been a topic of discussion in Broncos Country for the last few years, and GM George Paton added a stud in Dre Greenlaw this offseason to boost that room.
With Alex Singleton coming back from the ACL injury he suffered last year in the Tampa Bay game, that duo between Greenlaw and Singleton is a very nice match for an aggressive Denver defense. With that being said, they both have an injury history worth noting, as both of them have already missed some time in training camp (precautionary reasons) with minor issues.
Broncos could convert JL Skinner to linebacker and fix longstanding issue
Last year’s training camp darling, Levelle Bailey, is next in line if one of them goes down with an injury. Bailey has been good under Vance Joseph and has earned that spot. The depth behind Bailey is where the issue stands. Drew Sanders is hurt once again, and the only one who has been making some noise is Karene Reid.
Justin Strnad has been a great depth piece for the Broncos ever since he joined the team in 2020. He has shown flashes and played well, especially on special teams. But it's his special teams run mate that is the key to not only helping the depth in the ILB room, but also to make an impact.
JL Skinner was the 185th overall pick in the 2023 draft, and the Denver Broncos drafted him out of Boise State. The hard-hitting safety stands at a staggering 6'4 and weighs over 220 pounds. He had a nice showing against the 49ers last week in the first preseason game this year and even forced a fumble that the Broncos recovered.
In the latest depth chart (which should be taken with a grain of salt), Skinner is listed behind Talanoa Hufanga and P.J. Locke at strong safety. The only person he is ahead of is Delarrin Turner-Yell.
We already know that Skinner is a staple in the special teams game and arguably the most valuable asset on that side of the ball. But he can make his mark on the defensive side of the ball with a "joker" type of change.
His original position is safety, and that is fine. With that being said, he plays best when he's in the box and using his physicality.
In the first preseason game last Saturday, he played a total of 28 snaps according to PFF. He recorded 11 snaps on special teams and 17 on defense. His defensive alignment snaps showcase the versatility he possesses, given his physical traits.
He was aligned in the box on nine snaps. In comparison, he aligned at safety six times and in the slot twice. Vance Joseph had Skinner playing in the box the majority of the time against the Niners, while also moving him around a bit.
Skinner can do that in the regular season as well if the opportunity presents itself. He is big and fast, and quarterbacks will struggle with that type of linebacker in the passing game. In the run game, Skinner can crash hard and do what he does best, which is tackling and making the ball carrier pay for it.
In the preseason last year, Skinner saw some snaps in the box as well, compared to playing his original position. He played 35 snaps in the box and 46 at safety, which included the first preseason game, where he had 14 snaps in the box to only two at safety.
Greenlaw and Singleton should be one of the top inside linebacker duos in the league this year without question. With the unfortunate injury history they have, Denver needs to have not good, but great depth at that position.
With Skinner transitioning his role to more of an ILB, the Broncos can benefit greatly from that and have him move around on defense. With his versatility and rare traits he possesses, Skinner can be the depth piece Denver needs in that linebackers room.