Broncos' ILB Unit Receives Plaudits in PFF Ranking

The Denver Broncos had serious issues with their linebacker unit last season, so the team made a significant effort to improve it this offseason. With the addition of Dre Greenlaw in free agency, the Broncos should have an answer for the coverage issues at linebacker that have been problematic for years.

However, there is still a concern in the room: health. 

Despite that concern, Pro Football Focus' Dalton Wasserman ranked the Broncos' linebacker unit 11th in the NFL. It's a great ranking, and Greenlaw definitely carries it, but let's examine Wasserman's logic.

“The Broncos have a chance to finish much higher on this list at the end of the season, depending on how two veteran players return from injury. Ex-49er Dre Greenlaw played just 34 snaps in 2024 after returning from a torn Achilles, but since 2019, he’s earned a 77.4 PFF overall grade and ranks fourth among linebackers with an elite 90.0 PFF coverage grade," Wasserman wrote. "His partner this season should be Alex Singleton, who is recovering from a torn ACL suffered early last season. Singleton owns an outstanding 87.1 PFF run-defense grade over the past four seasons. Denver has young depth in Drew Sanders and Justin Strnad, but the fate of the unit comes down to whether Greenlaw and Singleton can recover and rebound.”

Greenlaw's medical status remains a significant concern, and betting on Singleton, who turns 32 in December and is recovering from an ACL injury, should heighten that concern even more. Sure, the Broncos' linebacker corps has a high ceiling because of Greenlaw, but both of the team's starters have serious medical problems. 

Wasserman mentions Sanders and Strnad as young depth players, but neither of them is a positive needle-mover for the unit on defense at this stage. Sure, they could help on special teams, but defensively, Sanders is a relative unknown, while Strnad is a liability. 

Strnad was part of the Broncos' issues last year, and while he was better than Cody Barton, he was still a liability for the defense. Teams found a way to attack Strnad consistently, and they did so with tremendous success.

Strnad will also turn 29 years old in August, so 'young' is a bit of a stretch there. Everyone knows who he is, and outside of having starting experience, viewing him as a net positive is a stretch. 

As for Sanders, what is he? When he has seen the field, it hasn’t been great, and while the Broncos say they're committed to him remaining at inside linebacker, there are other concerns.

Sanders ‘above-the-neck’ attributes are the question. He's a great athlete, but linebackers need to have the football IQ and awareness that he has not displayed as a pro. Before he can truly factor into the equation, he first has to make the roster, and there is a legitimate chance he doesn’t. 

The Takeaway

This may sound gloomy. If so, understand that it's not my intent. Here's the good news: If Greenlaw can stay healthy, the ceiling for the Broncos' linebacker unit is high.

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However, PFF has used health as a factor to push other teams down, and it's worth mentioning for the Broncos as well. This is a ranking that could be viewed as more than fair after the season, but for now, the Broncos should be thrilled that they're viewed that highly.