PFSN ranks all 32 NFL defenses (Broncos are No. 1)
Sean Payton has worked hard to help turn the Denver Broncos into a turnaround story, taking the team from a disastrous 5-12 season with Nathaniel Hackett in 2022 to a 10-win season in 2024 that came with a playoff birth. While Payton and his offense, run by Bo Nix, has gotten a lot of praise, the Pro Football Network is here to remind you not so fast: can't forget about the Broncos' defense.
Pro Football Network recently ranked its top defenses in the NFL going into the 2025 season. The website placed the Denver Broncos' unit as their top defense, citing Pat Surtain and the drafting of Jahdae Barron as reasons for their No. 1 ranking.
'The Denver offense gets plenty of attention because of its young quarterback and creative head coach, but this defense was as good as it got from start to finish a season ago, after grading 23rd in Defense+ in 2023. Patrick Surtain II is the reigning Defensive Player of the Year and projects to stifle pass games for a long time. The Broncos also showed a lack of compliance during the draft, as they not only added Jahdae Barron (a corner out of Texas) with the 20th overall pick but also a pair of high-pedigree edge rushers in the middle of the proceedings. This is the gold standard for defense right now, and that doesn't appear likely to change given the roster they've constructed.'
On Sept. 7, the Broncos will get a chance to put their top defense to the test against the Tennessee Titans when they open up their regular season (view the full schedule here).
Related: These 25 celebrities are Broncos fans.
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