Free agents the Denver Broncos could consider at every defensive position

The major waves of free agency are over, but that doesn’t mean the Denver Broncos are done building.

A couple dozen big names are still on the market, and the Broncos have enough wiggle room under the salary cap to snag one. Here’s who could tempt the Broncos on defense…

Edge

Yannick Ngakoue, 29

Ngakoue hasn’t been able to find a home in the NFL. In the past six years, he’s played for five different teams. He’s played well, too.

Ngakoue produced at least eight sacks in each of his first seven NFL seasons. He only had four last year while playing for the Chicago Bears, the first time he didn’t reach that mark.

The Broncos could probably add Ngakoue on a one-year deal without jumping through too many hoops. He would be their most consistent pass rusher from Day 1, and that could be valuable. Denver made a similar move last year to bring in Frank Clark, which didn’t go according to plan.

The Broncos will probably run with their young pass rushers, but they could certainly justify adding Ngakoue.

Defensive Line

Hassan Ridgeway, 29
Mike Purcell, 33

The Broncos added depth to their defensive line this offseason, but there could still be a need for a nose tackle.

Ridgeway would be a perfect fit for that role. Injuries have kept him off the field often throughout his career, but as a rotational defensive tackle, he could be the piece that puts the Broncos’ defensive line over the top.

Another option is Purcell, who has spent the past five years with the Broncos. There may not be much tread left on his tires, but bringing him back for one more year could be valuable.

Linebacker

Shaq Leonard, 28
Kwon Alexander, 29

The Broncos could certainly use a second starting linebacker.

The team likes Cody Barton, whom it added this offseason. The Broncos see upside despite Barton being 27 and playing for his third team. Jonas Griffith, another 27-year-old, is the other option.

Two linebackers stand out above the rest on the free-agent market.

Leonard is a four-time All-Pro, three of them first-team. He was one of the league’s top linebackers before injuries slowed him down the past three seasons. 

Alexander is in a similar boat. He was a monster for Tampa Bay for the first few years of his career but hasn’t been able to find the same success in the past handful of seasons. Injuries have played a part, including an Achilles tear in the middle of last season.

Alexander has been the better player recently. Leonard has the better ball in his past.

Alexander is the much safer option (assuming his Achilles has healed), but linebackers age like running backs, so either one is probably a bad investment despite only being a couple of years older than the options the Broncos already have on their roster.

Safety

Justin Simmons, 30
Jamal Adams, 28
Micah Hyde, 33
Quandre Diggs, 31
Eddie Jackson, 30
Jayron Kearse, 30

If the Broncos were pushing for a championship, they would be tempted by the safety market. While PJ Locke and Brandon Jones are worthy of full-time starting opportunities, both are inexperienced and upgrades are available.

Unfortunately, 2024 is not a championship year for the Broncos, so they’ll be happy to see what the youngsters in the secondary can provide.

If, for some reason, the Broncos decided they wanted to add a veteran safety, they’d be able to pick up just about any flavor they could want. Adams and Kearse are playmakers in the box. Diggs and Jackson have been some of the better deep safeties in the league.

Simmons is the best safety on the market, but given that the Broncos released him this spring, it’s nearly impossible to see the two sides coming together.

Cornerback

Xavien Howard, 30
Adoree Jackson, 28
Stephon Gilmore, 33
Patrick Peterson, 33

Similar to other spots on the roster, the Broncos would probably benefit in 2024 if they added a veteran cornerback. However, the upgrade might be slim, and it would stunt the development of the guys already in the building.

I see two categories of free-agent cornerbacks. 

The first is younger guys who could be the answer at CB2 for the next handful of years. Howard and Jackson fit this bill.

Howard is a former All-Pro, but he’s a few years removed from playing at that level. Before the Broncos could consider adding him, they’d need his legal issues to be resolved.

Jackson hasn’t had the peak that Howard has, but he’s trending upward, coming off his best NFL season.

The other options are the older veterans who only have a year or two left in the tank. Gilmore and Peterson aren’t what they once were, but they’re both still valuable defenders. They would probably be even more valuable in the locker room.

But what is better for Riley Moss, for example? Sitting on the bench and learning from a vet? Or playing and learning for himself?

The answer is probably the latter, and that’s why the Broncos will probably rule out adding a cornerback unless their circumstances change.