The NFL regular-season schedule has been released, and everyone's got an opinion on what the 2025 campaign has in store for the Denver Broncos. While not on the scheduling topic, ESPN's Mike Clay is one of the more accurate prognosticators around the NFL media sphere, and he recently looked into his crystal ball to predict the Broncos' stats.
We've already covered Bo Nix and the offense, so let's examine Clay's predictions for the Broncos defense.
Defensive Line
Zach Allen | DE
Stat Projection: 949 snaps, 65 tackles, 7.5 sacks, 0.1 INT.
Ideally, the Broncos aren’t having Allen play more than 800-850 snaps on the season. If he plays 900-plus snaps, it means injuries or the depth didn’t step up. The rest of the projections for the star defensive linemen are fair, but it would be nice to see him push double-digit sacks.
John Franklin-Myers | DE
Stat Projection: 490 snaps, 33 tackles, 4.4 sacks.
There is a good chance Franklin-Myers is seeing the field more than 490 times and probably will fall between 600-700 snaps. Add another sack or two, and you will be on target with what the Broncos need out of him, especially with him coming off a career-record seven sacks.
D.J. Jones | NT
Stat Projection: 459 snaps, 39 tackles, 2.1 sacks.
This is pretty spot-on for Jones, who is a part-time defensive player. He's primarily the run defender on the inside, but he can still get a couple of sacks when caught on the field in passing situations.
Malcolm Roach | NT
Stat Projection: 437 snaps, 39 tackles 2.3 sacks.
The snaps and tackles are fair, but Denver would like another sack or two out of Roach this season. Roach is their pass-rushing nose tackle, and surpassing his 2.5 sacks from last season would be ideal for the defensive front.
Sai’vion Jones | DL
Stat Projection: 181 snaps, 12 tackles, 1.4 sacks.
Jones needs to be the depth player who steps up and plays 300-400 snaps to help provide Allen and Franklin-Myers with some rest during the games. You’d also like to see three or four sacks out of the rookie this season, as Denver’s defense relies so much on its ability to generate pressure up front.
Outside Linebackers
Jonathon Cooper
Stat Projection: 746 snaps, 56 tackles, 6.6 sacks, 0.2 INT.
If Cooper gets fewer than seven sacks, it would be a significant disappointment for the Broncos. Over the last two seasons, he has picked up 8.5 and 10.5 sacks, respectively, so notching a career low in sacks as a starter is a letdown. Clay's other stats are fine, but two or three more sacks need to happen from Cooper.
Nik Bonitto
Stat Projection: 696 snaps, 46 tackles, 8.1 sacks, 0.2 INT.
Bonitto is a difficult one because of how he wins, and it may be hard to replicate his 2024 season. That said, the Broncos could be poised to pay him like he is a premier edge rusher in the NFL. If the Broncos do pay him, and he goes on to pick up fewer than 10 sacks, that would be a serious issue and concern for the defense this season. They need him to be the guy up front.
Jonah Elliss
Stat Projection: 373 Snaps, 26 Tackles, 3.2 Sacks, 0.1 INT.
Bonitto and Cooper can slow down as the game goes on and as the season goes on, so the Broncos need more out of Elliss to allow those top two to get much-needed rest. These are fair projections for Elliss, but Denver will likely want more.
Que Robinson
Stat Projection: 107 snaps, seven yackles, 0.8 sacks.
Robinson likely sees little time as a rookie on the defensive side of the ball, and 107 snaps is a fair projection. You’d like to get at least one sack out of him when he does see the field.
Inside Linebackers
Alex Singleton
Stat Projection: 981 snaps, 171 tackles, 2.1 sacks, 0.8 INT.
If Singleton is the top linebacker in snap count, it'll be due to injury. With what the Broncos do on defense, it wouldn’t be surprising if Singleton saw almost 200 fewer snaps than projected, especially at his age and coming off a serious injury.
Dre Greenlaw
Stat Projection: 938 snaps, 140 tackles, 1.1 sacks, 1.1 INT.
If Greenlaw can stay healthy, he is the top linebacker. The stat projections from Clay are fair for Greenlaw, and the Broncos would likely love to get this kind of production out of him, except for another interception or two.
Justin Strnad
Stat Projection: 64 snaps, eight tackles, 0.2 sacks, 0.1 INT.
Strnad is only seeing the field for injury, on defense, anyway. So these are a fair projection, as it's hard to be on Greenlaw and SIngleton playing a full season.
Drew Sanders
Stat Projection: 21 snaps, three tackles, 0.1 sacks.
Like Strnad, Sanders won’t see the field without injury, except in certain situations where he could be used. Sanders has shown well as an A-gap blitzer to see the field as such in obvious passing downs.
Cornerbacks
Patrick Surtain II
Stat Projection: 981 snaps, 55 tackles, 0.1 sacks, 1.8 INT.
The reigning Defensive Player of the Year has fine projections, but 1.8 interceptions is far lower than what the Broncos want this year. Ideally, Surtain picks off at least three passes, but Denver would love to see him get five and set a career-high. While one or two interceptions will be fine, it would be lower than expected.
Jahdae Barron
Stat Projection: 746 snaps, 58 tackles, 0.3 sacks, 1.7 INT.
Barron is the second corner and will play on the boundary and in the slot. These are fair projections for him as a rookie, but his ability to generate turnovers is slightly understated. However, with him jumping to the NFL, it's unlikely he will produce turnovers as he did at Texas last year.
Ja’Quan McMillian
Stat Projection: 640 snaps, 58 tackles, 0.9 sacks, 1.2 INT.
It will be interesting to see if McMillian retains his role in the slot. If so, these stats are solid.
Riley Moss
Stat Projection: 480 snaps, 47 tackles, 0.1 sacks, 0.8 INT.
It's more likely that Moss and McMillian swap Clay's projections. Barron will play the boundary in base sets, which won't be often, and then slide into the slot with Moss taking the field. McMillian likely only sees the field in the event of an injury. That is, if the Broncos don't trade McMillian for added draft capital.
Safeties
Talanoa Hufanga
Stat Projection: 938 snaps, 96 tackles, 0.5 sacks, 1.4 INT.
The Broncos would love to get 900-plus snaps out of Hufanga with the injury concerns he has. It seems likely he gets more sacks and interceptions than projected, but there aren’t enough of those plays to go around without the Broncos setting records in both, which is highly unlikely.
Brandon Jones
Stat Projection: 874 snaps, 103 tackles, 0.5 sacks, 2.7 INT.
Jones is a starting safety and has a good role coming into the season. These stat projections are all fair, except for getting a sack or two out of him and, ideally, another interception.
P.J. Locke
Stat Projection: 267 snaps, 23 tackles, 0.2 sacks, 0.3 INT.
The Broncos use their third safety a lot, and Locke is the leader in the clubhouse for that role. These projections are fair, with Locke seeing the field often. If an injury occurs to Hufanga or Jones, Locke would get more usage.
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