Broncos Defensive ‘Worst-Case’ Projection And Biggest Weakness Outlined
The Denver Broncos made three key additions on defense this past offseason: safety, Talanoa Hufanga; cornerback, Jahdae Barron; and linebacker, Dre Greenlaw.
As they look to consolidate and improve a defense that was already a top-10 unit in 2024 (9th in total defense), these new additions form the basis of the team’s ‘worst-case’ projection for the unit in 2025, per Alex Ballentine of Bleacher Report.
Ballentine believes that despite the unit having already strong capabilities prior to the offseason, the main problem the defense could encounter is that the new acquisitions do not add sizeable value to the team – at least not initially.
“Barring a catastrophic run of injuries, it’s hard to see the Broncos not being a top-10 defense.” Ballentine wrote on Monday, “But going from good to great is easier said than done.
The reality is Greenlaw, Hufanga and Barron might not be enough to push Denver from a merely good one to an elite one.
Greenlaw has already had an injury scare in summer work, Hufanga has only played 17 games over the last two seasons, and Barron is a rookie.
Those additions were kind of the cherry on top of an already talented defense. The floor feels incredibly high, but we can’t just assume progression will be linear.”
Jahdae Barron Could Have A Key Role In Defense’s Thinnest Position Group
Per Ballentine, depth at cornerback is the biggest issue on defense, despite both Demarri Mathis and Ja’Quan McMillan have both started a significant amount of games, albeit mostly in the slot.
So Jahdae Barron – at least of all the other defensive rookies on the team, could have substantial pressure stay healthy and perform at a high-level. And perhaps, if something were to happen to either perimeter corners, Riley Moss or Pat Surtain II, move to the outside for some period of time.
Barron was an excellent college player, and many were surprised – including the Broncos management – that he fell to them at #20 overall in April’s draft, so the organization will be hoping he can live up to expectations.
Can Hufanga and Greenlaw Overcome Their Injury History In 2025?
If both Hufanga and Greenlaw stay 100% healthy and play like their best, the Broncos have a very realistic shot of being the #1 overall defense in the entire league – providing other areas of the team do not suffer in the meantime.
But that is a big if. Hufanga was limited to just 7 games in 2024 after a left-over ACL tear suffered in 2023, followed by a wrist injury last season. Injuries are certainly random – to an extent, but often they become more, rather than less frequent with age.
Yet, when fully fit, Hufanga is unquestionably one of the best playmaking safeties in the entire league, and made the first-team All-Pro roster back in 2022.
It is not a dissimilar situation with Greenlaw, who has been easily regarded as one of the top-10 – perhaps even top-5 off-the-ball linebackers over the past half decade until he tore his Achilles in Super Bowl LVIII against the Chiefs, limiting him to just two games this past season.
If both are good-to-go and firing on all cylinders, the Denver defense could look exceptionally dangerous in 2025
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