Denver, CO
After Broncos struggled to stop run in 2023, Vance Joseph changed his philosophy. Denver has benefited from it.
Vance Joseph wasn’t coaching on his terms and Denver’s run defense paid a price.
In his first season back in Denver, the Broncos defensive coordinator thought it was best to do things that were similar to what players did under the previous regime. Joseph’s plan, however, backfired. The Broncos gave up the third-most rushing yards in the league (137.1), the most yards per attempt (5.1) and 56 rushes for 10-plus yards, according to Next Gen Stats.
Their performance against the Dolphins — 726 total yards allowed, including 350 on the ground — left a stain that was hard to wipe away.
In the offseason, Joseph knew a philosophical change was needed. He wanted to steer away from shell coverages and instead encouraged his defensive linemen to play with more aggression. Through eight weeks, that shift has paid off.
Denver has been one of the best run defenses in the NFL, making Sunday’s matchup against the Ravens rushing attack, spearheaded by quarterback Lamar Jackson and running back Derrick Henry, highly anticipated.
“I truly think, in this day and age in the NFL, if you’re not playing on your terms, you’re losing,” Joseph told The Denver Post. “Last year, we (weren’t) doing that and it didn’t help our team win.”
The Bronco’s success has been more than just a change in mindset. They added reinforcements in the trenches to fit their new approach. They traded for former Jets defensive lineman John Franklin-Myers during the draft and signed run-stopper Malcolm Roach to a two-year deal. Meanwhile, outside linebacker Nik Bonitto spent the offseason improving as a run defender so he could be more than a pass-rush specialist.
Denver tailored the defense to fit the vision of its leader, and the results have been impressive. Through eight games, the Broncos have given up 106.4 rushing yards per game — seventh-best in the NFL — and four yards per carry.
The Broncos have held opponents under 100 rushing yards four times, with each of those efforts resulting in a victory. They had six games with fewer than 100 rushing yards allowed the entire 2023 season.
“We brought in some guys who play an attacking style, which I think, personally, a lot of top defenses play that way,” Allen told The Post. “It’s been a lot of fun. And when you stop the run, go get opportunities to rush the passer.”
Allen has been one of the league leaders in QB pressures (fifth with 38), but he has played the run well, too. He has 17 run stops, according to Pro Football Focus. Edge rusher Jonathon Cooper and inside linebacker Justin Strnad, who replaced Alex Singleton after his season-ending injury, have also played integral roles with 10 run stops apiece.
Now comes the real test for all of that progress: The Baltimore Ravens.
Over the years, Baltimore has had one of the best rushing attacks. Since 2018, the boys in black and purple finished first in rushing yards three times, and they are on track to do the same this year. Jackson has had a major hand in that, collecting 5,579 rushing yards in seven seasons.
“I don’t think anyone runs the ball as good as those guys because of Lamar,” Joseph said. “It’s like (former Falcons quarterback) Michael Vick back in the day…(those) offenses were always top five in rushing because he added 60 yards.”
Jackson has missed the last two days of practice due to a back/knee injury, but Ravens coach John Harbaugh told reporters in Baltimore that the 2-time MVP was resting on Wednesday. Joseph is planning on Jackson being available. “I think Lamar’s going to play. It’s midseason. Maybe he’s a little beat up. But he’s always answered the bell,” he said.
In the offseason, the Ravens basically added a jetpack to a rocket with the signing of Henry — a four-time Pro Bowler — to a two-year deal. In his ninth season in the NFL, Henry hasn’t lost a step. He has played on an MVP level, rushing for 946 yards and nine scores on 145 carries.
The former Titan has had four games of at least 100 yards rushing. The Broncos, however, have allowed a player to top 100 rushing yards in a game just once: Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker (103 yards) in the season-opener.
“It’s a testament to him,” Roach said of Henry’s longevity. “I’ve seen him train before in Dallas and it was a sight to see. There’s no surprise why he has so much success.”
Joseph said the Ravens have done a solid job executing “The Henry offense,” which is a steady diet of power runs, outside zone and toss plays. The numbers don’t lie: Henry has 77 carries for 632 yards and five touchdowns on outside zone runs, according to Next Gen Stats.
Stopping Henry or Jackson has been problematic over the years. It’s even trickier now that they share the same backfield. Jackson and Henry have a special ability to break loose for explosive runs. Jackson is first in the league with 20 rushing attempts for 10-plus yards. Henry is right behind him with 19.
The Ravens are an even greater challenge whenever they use read-option plays that make both Jackson and Henry a threat to run. The Broncos could assign a “spy” to cover Jackson specifically on each snap. Such a player would have to be able to put pressure on Jackson and not let him get settled in the pocket.
“The key part is having enough scheme to cover that extra gap because of (Jackson),” Joseph said. “So if you don’t have something to take away that extra gap, that’s the problem.”
Against Baltimore’s offense, it might take more than just stacking the box with eight-plus defenders. Numbers have shown that the Ravens have been effective in running against stacked boxes this season. On 79 run plays against stacked boxes, they have totaled 63.4 yards per game, according to Next Gen Stats. Henry has 377 rushing yards and eight touchdowns in those situations.
And if the Broncos put more defenders at the line of scrimmage, they could be vulnerable to giving up explosive plays in the passing game. Jackson is fifth in yards (2,099), second in touchdowns (17) and first in passer rating (115.4). Jackson has done a solid job at spreading the ball around. The Ravens have had nine different players catch a touchdown pass.
“Some (teams) fill the box, but that sets up a lot of opportunities with the passing game when you’re committed to stopping the run,” Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain II said. “It allows the play (action) pass, (bootlegs), RPOs (and) all those things that feed off the run to have success in the passing game.”
On Sunday, an unstoppable force meets an immovable object. The Broncos defense has transformed into one of the best in the league, and they look forward to keeping that status against the Ravens.
“They’re the No. 1 ranked offense in the NFL, so it’ll definitely be a great challenge for us to see where (how) we match up against them,” outside linebacker Baron Browning said. “I think we’re all up for the challenge.”
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Factors such as declining birth rates and families moving out of the city are contributing to declining enrollment at Denver Public Schools. In turn, it’s reshaping the district’s future.
“I think we’re in a good position, but it’s responsible for us to always be looking in the future and knowing we have to make some adjustments,” said Chuck Carpenter, the district’s CFO.
In a two-year span between this past school year and next, DPS expects a decline in enrollment of around 1,700 students.
“We haven’t really seen anything like this,” said Carpenter in response to the consistent decline.
Because of this trend, the district is facing a $28 million structural deficit over the next five years.
“We have a balanced budget now, and we’re not predicting that we’ll have an unbalanced budget in three years,” said Carpenter. “We’re saying we need to make adjustments over the next three, four years, so that our budgets are balanced.”
DPS’s Director of Campus Planning, Andrew Huber, told CBS Colorado in an interview last month that those adjustments will likely include closing down more schools.
“Additional school closures will be necessary in the upcoming years. When exactly that would be is hard to forecast right now,” said Huber.
The district’s CFO says his biggest takeaway from a recent round of closures is to make sure to give families options for what’s next.
“No one wants their school closed, but the second-best option isn’t going to be the same for every family,” said Carpenter.
This issue could be one Denver faces for years to come.
“We sort of say, how many kids are born here? Because in five years, those kids will be kindergartners,” Carpenter added.
The city’s birth rate peaked in 2005, meaning those babies have already graduated high school. And, according to the Colorado Department of Local Affairs, more young families move out of Denver and into surrounding counties than move into the city.
“I think school consolidation is very — I understand why people want to talk about it, but I think it’s more about, like, how do we make sure that the programs that are offered are rich programs,” said Carpenter.
Carpenter also says the district is closely monitoring some potential cuts to federal grants for students of poverty and language learners. He says those decisions will be made by October for the start of the new fiscal year, and cuts would have a “terrible” impact.
The Denver Broncos hosted eight tryout players at mandatory minicamp this week, including quarterback Sawyer Robertson. It sounds like the team has made decisions on those tryout players, and Robertson won’t be signed (at least not right now).
Instead, the Broncos are signing offensive lineman Reid Holskey (according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler) and cornerback Blake Cotton (according to the Denver Post‘s Parker Gabriel). Holskey (6-6, 306 pounds) spent time on the Houston Texans’ practice squad in 2025 before joining the New York Giants in January. He was cut by New York last month. Cotton (6-2, 195 pounds) is a rookie who spent last fall at Utah, totaling 30 tackles and seven pass breakups in 13 games.
The two moves came one day after Denver wrapped up minicamp. The 91-man offseason roster was already full, so the Broncos will need to make corresponding moves to make room for Holskey and Cotton on the roster.
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Sean Payton has seen enough. The Denver Broncos’ third practice of mandatory minicamp, which was set to happen on Thursday, has been canceled.
“Just schedule-wise, today will be our last day,” Payton said after Wednesday’s practice. “I just finished telling them that. It’s unusual because there’s a lot of packing, a little bit more than normal when you’re moving into another facility. So when we’re back here, we’ll be in the new building.”
The Broncos are moving into their new state-of-the-art facility, but the decision to cancel the final practice of the offseason was motivated primarily by what Payton has seen thus far and how the team is shaping up.
Thus concludes the Broncos’ offseason training program, which featured eight total practices as a team, four of which were open to the media. There was more on-field activity than that, including walkthrough practices unseen by the press, but in essence, we’re talking about eight sessions.
Some players have already begun to separate themselves in their respective competitions. Others have really popped, while some have failed to really stand out in any meaningful way.
By way of a Broncos stock report, let’s get to the biggest winners and losers of mandatory minicamp.
Winner: Bo Nix | QB
Nix finally returned to the practice field on Tuesday, the first day of minicamp. He was limited to individual drills only, but it was still great to see him out there.
On Day 2, though, Nix took another big step forward, participating in a 7-on-7 drill that included a highlight-reel touchdown pass to RJ Harvey. Just getting Nix back on the field was a big win for the Broncos, but seeing him progress over two days and look overall very sharp was more than a little encouraging.
Winner: Jaylen Waddle | WR
Waddle has been a lightning rod since the practices were opened to the media. He just looks different. That speed and explosiveness really add an element to the Broncos’ offense that has been lacking.
It’s been palpable. But arguably just as exciting is what Waddle’s teammates and coaches have been saying about him. Payton has called him a “force multiplier,” which is another way of saying that he makes everyone around him better.
Not that we really had reason to doubt it, but Waddle has been as advertised thus far, and then some.
Loser: Marvin Mims Jr. | WR
Mims is not listed as a loser because of any specific negative plays, like a dropped pass or a mental miscue. It’s just that, with other receivers, including Waddle, shining, generating buzz, and earning plaudits from Payton, Mims didn’t really.
Mims is a similar receiver type as Waddle, but the newcomer made it clear how much separation exists between them in practice. Now, Mims is still important to the Broncos, especially as a returner, and Payton did compliment his clutch gene and contributions in big games, but you have to wonder how he fits into the game plan on offense. That question still hasn’t been answered.
Winner: J.K. Dobbins | RB
Dobbins was his usually talkative self at minicamp, but the fact that he was healthy and out there doing his thing is a major win for the Broncos. It’s good to have him part of the daily process at Broncos HQ again because he’s one of those veterans that takes players under his wing, and elevates them.
Winner: Que Robinson | OLB
With the recent off-the-field drama the Broncos have dealt with, some extra attention was paid to the Broncos’ outside linebackers. Robinson, in particular, separated himself during minicamp.
His get-off is something else, and he was dispruptive during the Broncos’ team periods. Vance Joseph has said he views Robinson as a “future starter.” Pending Cooper’s situation, the future could be now, though Elliss will also have something to say about that.
Robinson had one heck of an offseason. I’m really looking forward to his second year.
Loser: Jonathon Cooper | OLB
After being arrested twice in the span of a week, the Broncos excused Cooper from mandatory minicamp. It would seem the Broncos want to create some distance from Cooper until his legal troubles are resolved, one way or another.
It’s a shame, in more ways than one. Beyond what legal ramifications might await Cooper, he’s very likely to be suspended by the NFL, and the Broncos releasing him at some point is not outside the bounds of the plausible. It’s a good thing that rush linebacker room is stacked.
Winner: Matt Henningsen | DL
None of these winners has been quite as surprising as Henningsen. He made a huge play on Day 1 of minicamp, tipping a Sam Ehlinger pass and returning it to the house.
Henningsen followed that up with another disruptive Day 2. He’s gone from being an after thought in the Broncos’ defensive line conversation to establishing himself as a bona fide threat for the roster.
Loser: Jahdae Barron | CB
Like Mims, Barron wasn’t bad during the offseason; he just didn’t pop, really, in any way. He broke up one pass on Day 2 of minicamp, but beyond that, there wasn’t much to see.
It will be interesting to see how Barron performs in training camp. We know the Broncos have high expectations for him, and a role on defense, even if as a depth piece, will be created for him, but I was hoping to see more signs of a Year-2 leap by now.
Winner: Jonah Coleman | RB
Another as-advertised player. Coleman has proven he’s ready for the NFL, which was partly what attracted the Broncos to him in the draft.
Coleman stood out in a major way at minicamp and made it clear that the Broncos have more than just a J.K. Dobbins insurance policy on their hands. Coleman is a force to be reckoned with.
Winner: Tyler Onyedim | DL
Like Coleman the Broncos’ first pick in the 2026 draft has looked NFL-ready. The Broncos still haven’t signed Onyedim, but that didn’t stop him from participating in the offseason program, which is a good harbinger.
Rocking the No. 98 jersey, it’s easy to mistake Onyedim for the guy he was drafted to replace: John Franklin-Myers. That’s especially true when the rookie is out there making plays like JFM. Onyedim has earned praise from his teammates, including the All-Pro Zach Allen.
Winner: Evan Engram | TE
Engram looked very good in minicamp this week. He looked like a big, athletic, smooth, explosive receiver, which is what he’s been in the NFL.
Engram wasn’t really all those things in his first year with the Broncos, but I’m hopeful that Year 2 will be different for the two-time Pro Bowler. He’s had a good summer.
Winner: Troy Franklin | WR
Franklin seems like the obvious No. 3 receiver in the pecking order. That doesn’t mean he’ll get the No. 3 snaps on an exclusive basis, though.
As the Broncos’ No. 2 last year, Franklin wasn’t able to fully live up to that, although he took some big steps forward in his second year. As the No. 3, it’s more his natural spot and that should allow him to continue to thrive in the offense, especially with the connection he has with Bo Nix dating back to Oregon.
Winner: Sam Ehlinger | QB
Ehlinger had a great offseason. He looked way more comfortable and far sharper in the offense in what is his second go-around in Payton’s offense.
Ehlinger was sharp this summer, and if he can continue to build on the foundation he’s created, it could create some uncomfortable conversations at Broncos HQ.
Loser: Jarrett Stidham | QB
Stidham has been less noteworthy this summer, but that doesn’t mean he’s been bad. In comparison to Ehlinger, though, Stidham wasn’t as good, which is curious, considering his standing as the team’s primary backup since 2023.
If Ehlinger ends up leapfrogging Stidham, what do the Broncos do? They’re holding a competition for QB2, and they have to be prepared for the possibility of Ehlinger winning it, especially after his strong summer.
If Ehlinger forces this issue, Stidham could become expendable. Stidham is very unlikely to be a cut candidate because of his contract, but as a trade piece? There’s a reason the rumor mill has been active on the Stidham topic this offseason. It’s something to watch.
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