NFL Denver Broncos Odds: Defense In-Depth Betting Analysis

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When the Denver Broncos have excelled in the NFL, their defense has generally led the way. Their great 1970s teams, one of which made it to Super Bowl XII, were led by the Orange Crush defense. John Elway quarterbacked the Broncos to a couple of offense-first titles, but when they won Super Bowl 50, they almost did it in spite of the offense, as quarterback Peyton Manning had regressed to a point where he had a difficult time throwing the ball down the field, and the defense basically kept the Carolina Panthers from accomplishing much of anything with the ball. Last season, the team brought in Russell Wilson to jump-start the offense, but that didn’t work well at all. This time around, Sean Payton has come to the Mile High City to coach the Broncos. Can he make the team meets its potential? Let’s look at how the defense looks going into 2023 as you consider your NFL betting options.

NFL Betting News: In-Depth Analysis of the Denver Broncos Defense

The first step to helping the defense improve involves helping the offense hold onto the ball longer. The Broncos only scored 16.9 points per game, dead last in the NFL, and Wilson took 55 sacks, a career high. Given his mobility and his quick ball release, that number is especially surprising. To help the offense, the Broncos brought in two big free agents on the O-line: Mike McGlinchey and Ben Powers. Pass protection and run blocking should both be better for Denver, which will keep the offense on the field longer – and will keep the defense from wearing down in the second half, week after week.

The Broncos did trade away Bradley Chubb to Miami and saw Dre’Mont Jones leave for Seattle via free agency. Between the two of them, they posted 12 sacks – production that the defense must now replace. Outside linebacker Baron Browning is the first name that comes to mind; in 14 games (eight of which he started), he posted five sacks. After Chubb was dealt away and Randy Gregory went down with a knee injury, Browning showed explosiveness and speed from the edge – and plenty of potential as a pass rusher. He has been slowed by injuries in the past, but having a new strength and conditioning coach could make all the difference.

Free safety Justin Simmons has led the Broncos in interceptions the last five seasons, 23 over that time period and 27 since he came into the league in 2016. In 2022, he had six, which tied him for the interception lead with C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Tariq Woolen and Minkah Fitzpatrick – and he only played in 12 games thanks to an injured thigh. He should be able to sit back and cause mayhem for opposing passing games this season as well.

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Inside linebacker Alex Singleton came to Denver to help the special teams unit, but injuries and inconsistent performance gave Singleton a chance to play defense as well, and he ended up starting a dozen games. He finished the year leading the team with 101 solo and 163 combined tackles, which ranked fifth in the whole league. Another year with 160+ combined tackles would be difficult to repeat, but we still expect him to be one of the leading tacklers in the league.

The Broncos do have some decisions to make on the defensive line, as there are 11 D-linemen on the 90-man offseason roster. D.J. Jones and Mike Purcell are the two top nose tackles, and Eyioma Uwazurike and Matt Henningsen are the two top defensive end options. The team added Tyler Lancaster and Zach Allen via free agency. Last year, the 53-man roster had six defensive linemen: two tackles and four ends.

Jones had 34 tackles, four quarterback hits and a pair of sacks in 2022 – solid numbers for a nose tackle, whose primary job is to stop the run. His performance makes Purcell a bit more expendable because cutting him would save $3.5 million in cap space. His numbers – 45 tackles, four quarterback hits and 1.5 sacks – would make him attractive to other teams.

Allen had 47 tackles, 20 quarterback hits and 5.5 sacks with the Arizona Cardinals last year, and the opportunity to play on a team with a greater chance of contending should help those numbers increase. Haggai Ndubuisi doesn’t count against the 90-man offseason roster as he is in the International Player Pathway program, and he is an intriguing project, but he is most likely to start 2023 on the practice squad.

2023 Denver Defense Positions