The Denver Broncos' defense is one of the most elite units in the league, and has dominated opposing offensive lines for a few years now. No team has sacked the quarterback more in a two-year span this century than the Broncos have in the past two years, but it has only resulted in one playoff victory and two playoff losses. There are still areas of improvement for the Broncos' defense, and a few players could step up in a major way to address these deficiencies.
The Broncos have struggled at a few key positions over the past few years, and a few issues within the infrastructure of their defense have reared their ugly heads. The Broncos' defense has struggled to limit the running game, and it almost cost them against the Bills in the AFC Divisional Round.
Another issue the team has faced over the past year or so has been their inability to generate turnovers, and the difference in games they take the ball away versus games they don't has been stark. Most notably, the Broncos beat the Bills in a playoff game where they won the turnover battle, and lost to the Patriots in a takeaway-less game.
Looking specifically at the Broncos' win over the Bills in the playoffs, Denver forced several turnovers, including two that swung the entire game and potentially saved their season. The Broncos are going to need more takeaways in 2026, and one specific defender can make all the difference in the world.
Riley Moss can help change the Denver Broncos' takeaway deficiency in a big way in 2026
If the Denver Broncos' defense is going to turn the ball over more in 2026, it is going to start with the play of their secondary. Denver intercepted the opposing quarterback just 10 times last year, and two of them came from rotational pass rusher Dondrea Tillman. Broncos secondary defenders picked off just six passes in total all of last season. For one defensive back specifically, it is time for him to start ball-hawking a little more.
Riley Moss is entering his fourth season in the NFL and has just two interceptions to his name. For one of the most targeted corners in the entire sport, especially in a man-coverage-heavy scheme, his inability to take away the football has been staggering. For reference, in that same time period, slot corner Ja'Quan McMillian has six picks, and All-Pro starter Pat Surtain II has six as well.
The Broncos have the talent and abilities in their secondary to take the football away, but the interception was elusive for them last year. Including the playoffs, the Broncos had nine games in which they did not take the ball away, a wholly unacceptable feat for a team that sacks the quarterback as much as they do.
It felt like for every interception, there was one play of two defenders colliding in mid-air on a ball that could easily have been picked off. For Moss, the Broncos are going to need him to start coming down with the football more often, and it could dictate his future with the team.
Moss is entering the final year of his rookie contract in Denver, and general manager George Paton is going to have to make a decision soon. If Moss continues to be a driving factor behind the Broncos' turnover deficit, it could force the team to make a difficult decision at corner, especially with former first-round selection Jahdae Barron still on the roster.
The 2026 Broncos have every reason to compete for a Super Bowl berth again next year, and possibly even push for their fourth Lombardi. A few things could go wrong that stop their push, and not generating more turnovers is at the top of that list. If Denver finds the ball in the hands of their defense more, it'll be because Moss finally developed the takeaway part of his game, and it could help extend his time with the Broncos beyond this year.
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