ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — This offseason, the Denver Broncos have tried to handle most of their roster issues with solutions from their own depth chart. But inside linebacker is a spot where the upcoming NFL draft might have to provide immediate help.
The Broncos are set to be the last team to make its first selection of the draft, as they currently must wait until the tail end of Round 2 (No. 62 overall). Inside linebacker is on the short list of potential choices at that spot, along with tight end and the defensive line.
“When we look at the puzzle, you have to take the red magnets that are [the unrestricted free agents] and put them off the depth chart, then begin to address the ‘musts’, ‘needs’ and ‘wants,'” Broncos coach Sean Payton said.
The Broncos re-signed 17 of their own players who had been scheduled to be unrestricted, restricted and exclusive rights free agents to address most of those musts, needs and wants. Which is why most of their predraft top-30 visits have been geared toward the need spots that remain, with inside linebacker being at the top of that list.
Among Denver’s pay-to-stay signings were 32-year-old linebacker Alex Singleton, the team’s leading tackler in three of the past four seasons, and Justin Strnad, who started eight games last season. But the Broncos also released Dre Greenlaw, who was one of their biggest free agent signings a year ago.
Greenlaw missed nine games last season — eight with thigh injuries and one due to a suspension. But he was a starter in the base defense alongside Singleton, playing 324 snaps in eight games.
“Singleton and Strnad are really good players,” Broncos general manager George Paton said. “And Dre? We couldn’t keep the three of them.”
Paton also said earlier this offseason that he believed the inside linebacker class in the draft was “pretty good” and that he likes the depth of the group.
When he was asked about the position at the league meetings last month, Payton said one of the Broncos’ moves would be to look at edge rusher Jonah Elliss, the Broncos’ third-round pick in the 2024 draft, at inside linebacker when the team begins its on-field offseason work in June.
“It’s the decision to give him snaps going forward,” Payton said. “It’s a position where we are wanting … It was really looking at your assets, and we know that he is smart, tough and he has all the [traits].”
Elliss has been productive in limited work on the edge, with 7.5 sacks in two seasons, but he also finds himself behind two-time Pro Bowler Nik Bonitto and Jonathon Cooper. Que Robinson, Denver’s fourth-round pick in 2025, is also positioned for more snaps. And some league scouts and position coaches believed Elliss’ best fit was at off-ball linebacker when evaluations were made before the 2024 draft.
Along with contemplating an Elliss move, the Broncos have used several of their top-30 visit slots to host linebackers. Kaleb Elarms-Orr (TCU), Dasan McCullough (Nebraska) and Jimmy Rolder (Michigan) are among the players who have come through the Broncos’ complex in recent weeks.
Rolder — who is known as an aggressive, sure-tackling run defender — is likely the quickest early-down fit in the Broncos’ defense. A one-year starter with the Wolverines, Rolder led Michigan in tackles last season (73) and is considered one of the most technically-sound tacklers on the board. A lot of teams have him in the third-round range, a round in which the Broncos don’t currently have a pick. So, the Broncos’ evaluation of him could hinge on whether they believe he is worthy of their second-round pick or if they would consider a move up from their fourth-round picks (Nos. 108 and 117) to get him. Elarms-Orr could be a player the Broncos select if they stand pat in Round 4.
McCullough was not invited to the combine and is likely on a bigger developmental curve than the other two. But his potential versatility at 6-foot-5, 240 pounds has pushed evaluators to consider a variety of options for him. McCullough has played as an edge player and as a safety/linebacker hybrid at points in his three college stops (Indiana, Oklahoma and Nebraska).
The Broncos’ decision-makers also sat down with Josiah Trotter (Missouri) at the combine. He could be an enticing option at No. 62, as many league evaluators have graded him to come off the board in that area of the draft. CJ Allen (Georgia), Jacob Rodriguez (Texas Tech) and Jake Golday (Cincinnati) are also considered Round 2 picks and could be around when the Broncos make their first selection.
