SHOCKING COMEBACK: Broncos 2025 Defense Dubbed Best Since ‘No Fly Zone’ Era by NFL.com

Now that some meaningful action is on the doorstep, Denver Broncos fans will be far less inclined to troll through every offseason list to desperately get their football fix. Hold your horses right there, though, because NFL.com's Gennaro Filice dropped one more list of sorts, projecting the top 10 defensive units in 2025. 

Filice boldly jumped aboard the hype train and put the Broncos in the top spot on his rundown, primarily due to the offseason improvements they've made. 

"After ranking 27th in defensive points allowed in 2023, Denver soared to No. 3 last season. This year, I have the Broncos taking another step forward to edge out the Eagles and Ravens for top billing on this list," Filice wrote. "Why? Well, in addition to returning 14 of their top 15 players in defensive snaps -- LB Cody Barton was the lone loss -- they signed big-ticket free agents Dre Greenlaw and Talanoa Hufanga and then spent their first-round pick on versatile defensive back Jahdae Barron. So, the group that led the league in sacks and defensive EPA (expected points added) just got better."

Making some big-ticket additions has propelled this already stellar defensive unit into possibly rarefied air. Managing to knock the Philadelphia Eagles defense, which was so very dominant in the Super Bowl, is no mean feat for any unit in any era, but Filice is backing it to happen this season.

Honestly, this Denver defense boasts the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year in superstar cornerback Patrick Surtain II, but Filice believes the imperious cover man is certainly not alone. 

"Let’s examine the particulars -- and seeing how the reigning Defensive Player of the Year resides in the secondary, we’ll go back to front. Pat Surtain II has established himself as the best cornerback in the game today, while Riley Moss looked like a quality CB2 in just his second season," Filice wrote. "At safety, Hufanga joins Brandon Jones to give Denver an interchangeable pair of ferocious cover men who'll both get after the quarterback in Vance Joseph’s blitz-happy scheme. And Barron figures to slot right into the starting nickel role, providing Joseph with another multi-talented chess piece to play around with."

Head coach Sean Payton's bullish draft move to select the best available player with the 20th overall pick raised some eyebrows, but Barron is more than capable of adding a huge amount of flexibility in Year 1. Payton wasn't content with just attacking early in the draft; he also stripped the San Francisco 49ers of talent like Hufanga and Dre Greenlaw, and it was an act of grand larceny. 

The signing of the hard-hitting Greenlaw was a move that Filice believes can answer some of the question marks surrounding the Broncos' linebacker corps, which will rely on Alex Singleton returning successfully from a major knee injury. Linebacker is the least imposing group on this defense, but Greenlaw certainly spices things up — if he can return to full health. 

If Greenlaw can indeed stay healthy and available for the duration, he might prove to be the biggest free agency bargain of the year. The former Niner also brings a mean attitude to the Denver defense that could push it over the top and into truly generational company. 

Last but not least, Filice is extremely high on the group upfront to get after the quarterback with consistent destructive intent. After all, defensive coordinator Vance Joseph's pass-rushing rotation already led the league in sacks last year, and it got even deeper in the draft. 

For as much as the pass rushers will be allowed to pin their ears back by Joseph, Filice is also impressed by the dedication and proficiency that exists in the trenches to stuff the run effectively.

"Up front, the Broncos bring waves of pressure, with six different players recording at least five sacks last season: Nik Bonitto (13.5), Jonathon Cooper (10.5), Zach Allen (8.5), John Franklin-Myers (7), Jonah Elliss (5), Dondrea Tillman (5)," Filice wrote. "The deep defensive line is a wall against the run, too, giving up the second-fewest yards per carry (3.9) in 2024. In summation, this looks like the best Denver D since the 'No Fly Zone' gave the franchise its third Lombardi Trophy a decade ago."

For all the amplified buzz that a list like Filice's will generate, the Broncos' defensive warriors will still have to dutifully sacrifice themselves to get the job done. The proof of the pudding is always in the eating.