The Denver Broncos went 14-3 last season. They finished with the best record in the AFC and made it all the way to the AFC Championship Game. Had it not been for a last-second injury in the AFC Divisional Round, it is very possible that the Broncos could have been competing for the Super Bowl title. The roster only got deeper this offseason, too, as the Jaylen Waddle acquisition made for one of the biggest additions from any team this offseason.
Despite that, the Broncos have some big question marks heading into mandatory minicamp. Notably, Bo Nix, the player who suffered the aforementioned injury, still isn’t fully recovered from offseason ankle surgery. The quarterback is getting closer to being fully cleared, and he still needs to gain chemistry with his new receiver, but Nix’s status is no longer the hottest burning question surrounding the Broncos.
Will anyone step up at the edge rusher position?
Last year, pass rushing was far from a concern for the Broncos. In fact, the team racked up 68 sacks last season, which was not only nine more than second place but also the fifth-most in a single season ever. Nik Bonitto and Jonathon Cooper formed arguably the best edge rushing duo in the league, as Bonitto was in Defensive Player of the Year conversations and Cooper ranked second on the team with eight sacks. John Franklin-Meyers was third on the team in sacks with 7.5, too.
The Broncos are still expected to have one of the best defenses in the league, headlined by their elite pass rushing, but the unit is certainly at risk to major regression. For starters, Franklin-Meyers departed for the Tennessee Titans in free agency. The defensive lineman was Denver’s biggest offseason loss. Cooper has found himself in legal issues that put him at risk of a lengthy suspension, too.
Cooper was arrested on June 4 on charges of misdemeanor criminal mischief and domestic violence. He was arrested again just days later on June 11, and he now faces two charges of domestic violence, one charge for harassment in the form of repeated phone calls, and one for violation of a protection order from his initial arrest.
Now, Denver will need their edge rushing depth to step up. Dondrea Tillman has been a magnet for highlight plays when he is on the field, but he has been a mere depth piece up to this point. Jonah Ellis has shown flashes of pass rushing prowess, but he was initially linked to a position change to off-ball linebacker earlier in the offseason. While Cooper’s issues reportedly didn’t impact the switch back to outside linebacker, one can’t help but wonder if Cooper’s uncertain future played a part in Ellis’ positional flip-flopping this offseason.
Either player, if they play well during minicamp and training camp, could very well emerge as Cooper’s replacement if he is, in fact, suspended. Que Robinson is also a candidate to take on a bigger role. The 2025 fourth-round pick played a minimal role as a rookie, but he does have loads of potential.
The Broncos may even look externally if Cooper’s situation becomes more clouded. Von Miller, one of the best players in franchise history, has been begging for a return to Denver. The former Super Bowl MVP is first in Broncos’ history in sacks (110.5), and he seemingly wants to end his career where it all started.
The future Hall of Famer has plenty left to give. Not only is he one of the best pass rushing artists in league history, but he was still able to bring the quarterback down nine times last season at age 36. Miller had some off-the-field issues of his own in his young playing days, but the Broncos’ signing of DeMarcus Ware brought the best out of him, and now the former number two pick is praised as a great leader in his own right. The Broncos’ defense needs that more now than ever before, and perhaps he could help push Cooper in the right direction. Signing Miller makes too much sense for the Broncos, but it hasn’t happened yet for a reason, despite the Texas A&M product’s public desire for a reunion. Regardless of who it is, somebody will need to step up on the edge for the Broncos.
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