The Broncos enter 2026 with remarkable continuity on defense. Defensive end John Franklin-Myers, who signed a lucrative contract with the Tennessee Titans, is the lone starter from last season’s unit who did not return. The depth spots are largely populated by holdovers with experience in Joseph’s scheme, which means the Broncos aren’t spending their offseason onboarding a host of key new figures. They may not get to pick up where they left off last season, but there is an intimate knowledge of how the defense can once again establish itself as a top unit.
“Coaches say all the time, ‘Ah, if we could just run it back, we could go be better,’ and then they let half their guys go and sign all new free agents, and you’re just like, ‘Were they lying to us? What was upstairs thinking?’” Broncos linebacker Alex Singleton told reporters earlier this month at an event to raise money for Special Olympics. “Instead, we’re in an organization right now where what they’ve said is completely true. … Now, we’ve had a year of winning where we got close. Instead of trying to fix something that isn’t broken with new pieces, we just kind of (reunited) the band, and we’re going to see what happens. I think we’re weeks, months, if not years ahead of a lot of teams in the league.”
That familiarity, Joseph has told his players to begin the offseason, must result in the Broncos improving one glaring weakness from last season: an inability to consistently create takeaways. Denver caused only 14 turnovers in 2025, a mark that ranked 26th in the NFL. It was the team’s lowest output since 2008. The Broncos had eight games in which they did not force a turnover, including in two of their three losses (Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars).