The Denver Broncos have been atrocious defensively through the first four games of the 2023 NFL season. It required a miraculous comeback against the Chicago Bears in order to just get this team their first win of the season after trailing 28-7. The Broncos need to make some changes defensively, but what?
Well, for starters, they will soon be getting some key players back from injury. That will be a start. But beyond that, could we see further changes made to the depth chart? Could we see changes made in terms of who is calling the plays defensively?
Let's take a look at some players -- and one obvious coach -- that need to be benched as soon as possible.
3 players (and 1 coach) the Denver Broncos should bench defensively
1. Vance Joseph, defensive coordinator
Let's start with the obvious, right? It's time the Denver Broncos pull some responsibility from Vance Joseph. Why would you wait until it's too late when you can clearly see the common issue with the defense in the first four weeks of the season is Vance Joseph?
The Broncos have given up 37.5 points per game so far this season -- last in the NFL. They've allowed 1,876 yards of offense through four games -- last in the NFL. They rank 31st in red zone percentage. They are dead last in rushing yards allowed. They've only forced three turnovers, 25th in the NFL.
Ultimately, you can't just "fire" Vance Joseph. You have to have a solution. There's probably nobody on the defense right now who knows the type of coverage schemes required to effectively run the "Fangio" defense better than defensive backs coach Christian Parker. I'm not sure how it could possibly be any worse having Christian Parker calling the shots out there than what we're seeing from Vance Joseph.
2. Jonathan Harris, defensive line
I don't know what the solution is for the Denver Broncos on the defensive line right now. There have been a lot of missed holding calls that should be going in favor of Denver's defensive line right now that have led to a lot of points for the opposition, but this unit has been too bad to really ignore that the personnel could be obvious issues here.
I know the Broncos have liked Jonathan Harris for quite some time now, and he's getting his first real shot at substantial snaps this season, but there may need to be changes made. Should the Broncos try Frank Clark in his place when he's healthy? Should Mike Purcell be getting more snaps? Should PJ Mustipher and/or Tyler Lancaster be called up from the practice squad?
I don't know exactly who would be replacing Harris, but the Broncos do have some guys and need to try something different at this starting DE spot.
3. Time for Damarri Mathis to sit, Riley Moss to play
I don't know if they're just taking their lumps with a young player or if we are mis-evaluating what we're seeing from Damarri Mathis to this point, but he's not cutting it at the cornerback position opposite of Patrick Surtain II.
Opposing quarterbacks the last two weeks (Justin Fields, Tua Tagovailoa) have almost as many touchdown passes (8) as they do total incompletions (10). When you consider the fact that one of the incomplete passes by Fields was a desperation throw at the end of the first half, it's even more staggering.
The Broncos' secondary, as a group, should be embarrassed, but I don't see how Mathis's play is acceptable at this point, not with a viable alternative like Riley Moss sitting on the sideline. Mathis has 0 PBU this season and quarterbacks have a rating of 149.4 when throwing into his coverage. It's about as bad as you could imagine.
4. Randy Gregory needs to be benched more extensively
After Sunday's game against the Bears, Nik Bonitto has officially out-snapped Randy Gregory so far this season, but just by one snap overall. Bonitto has played 155 snaps compared to Gregory's 154, and that's with both appearing in four games. I think we're already starting to see Randy Gregory's playing time get cut down but I think the Broncos might need to "bench" him more extensively yet.
What does that mean? Maybe it means more opportunities for guys like Ronnie Perkins, who was recently signed off of the Patriots' practice squad. Maybe it means more opportunities for Thomas Incoom. Maybe it means when Baron Browning is ready to go, Gregory's role is even mor sparse than it currently has been.
Maybe it means Frank Clark replaces Gregory in the rotation, and Gregory becomes a healthy scratch.
I know that we saw Sean Payton send a clear message when Nik Bonitto started over Randy Gregory in Sunday's game against the Bears and there was nothing subtle about it. Gregory was clearly benched, and rightfully so after what he put on tape against Miami.
When the Broncos signed Randy Gregory to a four-year, $70 million deal in free agency, he was coming off of a season in Dallas in which he played just 437 total snaps (roughly 38 percent). He only played in 12 games that season, but I think this is true -- less may be more with Randy Gregory. Keeping him fresh and giving him a package of plays each game might be the best mode of operation going forward.