Offseason Priorities for the Denver Broncos: Defense

Jan 11, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Broncos defensive tackle Terrance Knighton (98) reacts to a play during the first quarter of the 2014 AFC Divisional playoff football game against the Indianapolis Colts at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

The defense for the Denver Broncos had a good year in 2014 but not a great one. It’s true they were ranked in the top five but they lacked the impact plays that changed the momentum of games.

In the playoff loss to the Indianapolis Colts when the offense was struggling, a big play from the defense could have gotten the Broncos going but it never came.

The talent is already there on the defense side of the ball and much like we talked about with the offense, it’s the attitude that must change. John Elway set this defense up to play aggressive and to constantly apply pressure to opposing offenses. For whatever reason, former defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio chose to play base defenses and rarely blitzed.

The first step in changing that came when the Broncos named Wade Phillips as the team’s new defensive coordinator last week. Phillips got his start in the league under Buddy Ryan who believed in always sending one more guy than the offense could block.

Phillips may not go that far but he will blitz and he will send players from all angles. Had Phillips been the Broncos defensive coordinator versus the Colts, Andrew Luck would not have left the game with a clean jersey.

The biggest change that’s coming on the defense is a switch to the 3-4 which will be more conducive to getting pressure on the quarterback. DeMarcus Ware had his best two seasons under Phillips with the Dallas Cowboys, and Von Miller should be better utilized.

The Broncos have four excellent linebackers with Ware and Miller on the outside, and Brandon Marshall and Danny Trevathan on the inside. The switch to the 3-4 should make the linebackers for the Broncos among the best in the NFL.

Re-signing Terrance Knighton was always a priority but now with the switch to the 3-4, the Broncos need a nose tackle and Knighton fits perfectly. He has said he would take less money to stay in Denver, and the Broncos need to find a way to get that done. If they were to lose Knighton, then the Broncos would have to find someone to play the nose which would not be easy.

The hiring of defensive line coach, Bill Kollar is big for the Broncos but bigger for three individual players. Kollar is known for getting the most out of players and his presence should help the development of both Derek Wolfe and Sylvester Williams. Phillips counts on his defensive line to occupy blockers so his four linebackers can make impact plays. The Broncos need both of those players to take the next step. Malik Jackson is coming off of a breakout season and should continue to flourish in the aggressive defense taught by both Phillips and Kollar.

The secondary for the Broncos is ready to go and there’s not much work that needs to be done there, other than possibly replacing Rahim Moore. Moore is a free agent and while the Broncos would probably like to keep him, he is probably going to get a big offer from a team desperate for defensive talent. The Broncos have too many other priorities to give that kind of money to Moore.

Moore is a good player but not a great one, and the Broncos can probably find a suitable replacement for a lot less money. In addition to finding a starting safety, Elway will need to add depth at that spot. Quinton Carter is a free agent as well and is coming off of another knee injury.

As we said, the Broncos have the talent they need to be one of the best defenses in football. They have the pass rushers, if used correctly, to get constant pressure on the quarterback. The Broncos also have the talent in the secondary to play man coverage, allowing Phillips to be creative with his front seven.

As mentioned earlier, Elway built this defense to be successful in today’s NFL; two elite pass rushers and cornerbacks who can cover. That’s the same way the Seattle Seahawks are built. The problem last season was never the players, it was how they were being used.

A prime example is safety TJ Ward. Ward is never going to be known as a great cover guy from the safety spot but he can disrupt offenses if used right. Del Rio constantly had Ward in coverage and rarely blitzed him. Phillips will move Ward all over the field and use him liberally as a part of his blitz packages. That’s why Ward was signed and fans should see the real impact he can have under Phillips.

It will take some time for the players to adjust to the new, aggressive, attacking style of defense but the talent is there. If the Broncos can re-sign Knighton and address the safety spot, then they should be a top five defense again and one that makes those impact plays.