The Denver Broncos linebackers were exposed in Week 2 against the Colts, and the numbers are just jaw-dropping. Competent, consistent linebacker play has evaded the Denver Broncos for years now, and it's just brutal to watch at this point.
Dre Greenlaw was signed to help fix this, but he's not yet made his season debut due to a quad injury from the offseason. Greenlaw does have a long injury history, so this is unfortunately not much of a shock.
Well, the Broncos have primarily been rolling with the duo of Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad, and while each player does have their great moments, them being a starting duo is just not working out for the Denver Broncos, and that was put on display in a huge way in Week 2.
Denver Broncos linebackers were disastrous in coverage in Week 2 against Colts
You'll want to shield your eyes for this statistic:
#Broncos starting ILBs Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad were closest targets on a combined six plays v. Colts, per PFF.
— Luca Evans (@bylucaevans) September 15, 2025
Colts were 6-of-6 for 126 yards when targeting them.
That comes out to a 118.6 passer rating when in coverage, which is simply inexcusable. All offseason, we heard just how good this defense was going to be, and it feels like the entire unit took a massive step back in Week 2.
And things aren't getting easier, as Denver is set to play the Chargers, Bengals, and Eagles over the next three games. All three teams have elite pieces of their offense that the Broncos are going to need to take note of.
Unfortunately, there isn't a clear-cut solution at the moment, as Greenlaw clearly isn't fully healthy, and if the Broncos wanted to actually solve this issue, they'd have to trade for someone, but it's also not clear if someone is available.
Overall, the Broncos are in quite the tough situation with their ILB room. It's been the weakest link on the roster and just doesn't have much promise going forward unless the team gets Dre Greenlaw back on the field consistently.