The Denver Broncos emphasis on the trenches in the Sean Payton era has been obvious. This team has invested a ton of resources, whether draft capital or money, in building up both sides of the ball, and it's paid off big-time.
Not only have the Broncos sported one of the more talented offensive lines in the NFL, the defense has led the league in sacks in each of the last two seasons and appear to be hitting their stride at the right time.
The main change with the defensive line, though, was the expected departure of John Franklin-Myers in free agency this past offseason. While that was a tough loss, veteran Malcolm Roach has stepped up in a big way and is having himself a career year in 2026.
Denver Broncos' DT Malcolm Roach has turned into quite the player in 2026
Roach has absolutely turned into a complete defensive tackle. He's stout against the run and has a ton of interior pass rush upside as well. According to ESPN's data, Roach ranks as the 5th-best defensive tackle in the sport in 'run stop win rate,' and fellow defensive tackle DJ Jones is No. 10 on that list.
Roach has always been very solid against the run, but where he has really taken some strides is as a rusher. Through seven games, Roach already has 2.5 sacks and 11 quarterback hits. He is already at a career-high figure with his quarterback hits, and he's already approaching a career mark with his tackles for loss.
But to put this into better perspective, Roach is currently on this 17-game pace:
49 tackles
10 passes defended
6 sacks
10 tackles for loss
27 QB hits
These are just silly numbers across the board. Roach is on pace for, arguably, a Pro Bowl-caliber season at the position. For more context, Nik Bonitto, who is widely regarded as a top EDGE rusher in the sport, had 24 QB hits in 2024 and 28 in 2025. Roach is on pace for 27 this year.
What is also hilarious here is that he already has four defended passes through seven games, which puts him on pace for 10 this year. Typically, 10 passes defended is a number you see attached to starting cornerbacks, not defensive tackles.
Across the board, Roach is having an insane here, and he's already been worth every penny of the extension he signed last season. I am not sure I was the only one concerned that the defensive line would take a step back with Franklin-Myers' departure, but it really has not happened, as Roach has more than picked up the pace and has turned into an all-around playmaker and someone who could realistically be an every-down DT.
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