Perhaps one of the worst units in football, the Denver Broncos defensive front was at best below-average. They need to boost this unit in 2024. The Broncos are probably not going to find a stud pass rusher in free agency, as that is typically a position that teams hammer away in the NFL Draft. The most elite pass rushers in the NFL were drafted by their current teams...
TJ Watt, Myles Garrett, Micah Parsons, Danielle Hunter, Nick Bosa, etc. Sure, there are some that got signed by another team or even traded for, but the tried and true way to create havoc off the edge is to draft. Now, the Broncos should still look to the free agency market to not only boost their outside pass rush, but also along the interior as well.
Including both position groups, let's cover four free agents Denver could sign along the defensive front in 2024.
1. Danielle Hunter, EDGE
A draftee of Rick Spielman, George Paton, and the Minnesota Vikings, Danielle Hunter has an obvious connection with the Denver Broncos. Hunter has played both defensive end and outside linebacker, so there are a few ways he could be deployed on defense. He's also a sack-master and got into the backfield with ease in 2023, racking up 16.5 sacks and a league-leading 23 tackles for loss.
Playing in all 34 regular season games over the last two seasons, Hunter has really turned a corner with his injury luck after playing in just seven games across the 2020-2021 seasons. This is precisely who the Denver Broncos should sign if they are willing to break the bank once this March.
2. Kevin Givens, DT
A lesser-known player, Kevin Givens has contributed to one of the best DLs in the NFL over the last handful of seasons. He's a very fine rotational player and someone the Broncos could sign to be just that. In 2023, Givens played in all 17 regular-season games and had 1.5 sacks, 22 total tackles, three tackles for loss, and four QB hits.
Denver needs to bring in some youth along the defensive line. If they can couple that with being experienced, that's even better. Well, Givens has played in 57 regular season games and nine playoff games. Givens isn't going to lead the Broncos in many statistical categories at any given point this year, but this is more of a depth signing than anything.
With Denver's limited cap spending that is surely on the horizon, they'll make these types of signings.
3. AJ Epenesa, DE
AJ Epenesa has never started full-time in his NFL career, but consider that the Buffalo Bills defensive line is very deep, so it's not like it's because of his talent level. Epenesa was a 2020 NFL Draft pick out of Iowa and is in line for a raise in 2024. He's played 15 games in each of the last two seasons, and in each of those seasons, he's had 6.5 sacks, seven tackles for loss, and 10 QB hits.
He's legitimately replicated his production over the last two years. It's wildly consistent. Well, perhaps in a starting role, Epenesa could see his production increase, and he's definitely looking to start in 2024 I'd think. Someone who won't cost a ton but does have a high ceiling, Epenesa provides that combination of youth and experience that I think the Broncos are looking for along their DL.
4. Yannick Ngakoue, DE
Yes, I am back on my yearly Yannick Ngakoue-to-Denver train. I won't stop. He signed with the Chicago Bears this past season and racked up four sacks, six tackles for loss, and seven QB hits in 13 games before suffering a broken ankle. In every year before 2022, Ngakoue never had a season with less than eight sacks, 11 QB hits, and six tackles for loss.
He is an extremely consistent pass rusher, but is virtually useless when it comes to defending the run. You'd think that someone who has 142 career QB hits and 71 tackles for loss in 123 games would be able to stick with a team, right? Ngakoue has been on six teams in his NFL career, which began in 2016.
This is the player he is, and the Broncos should be the next team to bring him in. With his broken ankle and not being quite as productive as he was in prior seasons, he'll come much cheaper than the $10.5 million contract he signed. In fact, the Broncos might be able to sign him for half that price, which is a signing that makes sense for the team.