The Denver Broncos' defense received a huge boost to their already stacked unit with the season debut of free agent prize Dre Greenlaw. Although he was clearly on a snap count, playing just over 20 snaps in the first half and then no more the rest of the game, Greenlaw had an immediate impact. Playing up the middle down the stretch, Justin Strnad was able to help swing the game with an interception of Jaxson Dart.
The third inside backer in this equation is Alex Singleton. Coming off a torn ACL on the wrong side of 30, many questioned if Singleton would even be on the Broncos' 2025 roster, let alone playing 100% of defensive snaps in Week 7. Despite his incredible usage, Singleton has not had an easy go of it to start his 2025 campaign.
With Strnad making huge plays, while also recording 3.5 sacks on the quarterback in seven games, and a returning Dre Greenlaw, the question becomes simple: What happens to Alex Singleton? He still paces the Broncos' linebacking group in snaps by a considerable margin, but would be the least reliable of the three when all are healthy. With Greenlaw suspended for Week 8, this could become a major week for Singleton.
Alex Singleton desperately needs a strong performance in Week 8
Alex Singleton will get another shot at being the Broncos' lead inside backer in Week 8, but there might be no more guarantees after this week. Broncos fans can reasonably expect Greenlaw's snaps to increase each week, and those snaps need to come from somewhere. With Strnad being one of the elite inside backers at creating pressure up the middle, the Broncos probably want to keep him on the field in those spots.
Another layer to this issue for the Broncos is the impending NFL trading deadline. The Broncos could find themselves in need of support anywhere on the roster, but needing to find cap space to make it work. Singleton is the most cuttable contract on the Broncos' roster, and the team moving on from him could align with the rising snap counts of Greenlaw. Worse for Singleton, they could also look to upgrade over him and move on from him, regardless of cap space. In all honesty, Singleton is probably the third-best inside backer on the Broncos' roster as of right now.
In the worst way possible, Singleton needs a big week against the Cowboys. The second level of the Broncos defense has been under the microscope this season, and so far only Justin Strnad has been able to rise to the occasion. Alex Singleton has struggled throught the season, and could find himself on the outside looking in on the Broncos' linebacking rotation very soon if his struggles continue.