Two new starting cornerbacks in Ronald Darby and Kyle Fuller. Multi-year contracts to keep defensive end Shelby Harris and safety Justin Simmons. And the exercising of outside linebacker Von Miller’s option.
Suffice to say, the last week has been good for Broncos head coach/defensive play-caller Vic Fangio. Entering a third and critical year, he may have the personnel to produce an elite defense.
And now the pressure is on Fangio to pull the Broncos out of their five-year doldrums.
“I would rather have it turned up with high expectations than have low expectations,” Fangio said after Fuller’s introductory news conference Monday.
General manager George Paton’s first offseason has started well for the Broncos in general and the defense in particular.
“Everybody still has to go out and prove themselves,” Fangio said. “Hopefully, we’ll have (organized team activity workouts) and hopefully a normal training camp and these guys will get settled into their roles. We have a lot of work ahead of us.”
During the news conference and a follow-up phone interview with The Denver Post, Fangio addressed the aforementioned players.
Simmons: Strides expected
Simmons has been an ideal fit for Fangio’s defense the past two years, totaling 189 tackles and nine interceptions while playing every defensive snap. The Broncos signed him to a four-year, $61 million contract ($35 million guaranteed) last Friday.
What Fangio said: “He quarterbacks our secondary and plays a major role in our entire defense with his on-field leadership and he does that very well. … The exciting thing is, I think he can get even better. He’s definitely young enough to get better, he’ll work to get better and we’ll do a better job of coaching him.”
What we say: The Broncos could have three new base-down starters in the secondary (Darby, Fuller and a to-be-determined safety), making it even more important Simmons was locked up long-term. He has Fangio’s full trust, which can’t be underestimated.
Miller: Optimistic tone
The Broncos opted to keep Miller at his posted salary cap number (team-high $22.125 million) believing he can perform like the player who had 10 sacks in 2017 and 14 1/2 in ’18. Miller had eight sacks, his lowest for a full season, in ’19 and missed all of last year due to an ankle injury.
What Fangio said: “He had a focus and desire for last season and then for him to get that freak injury was very, very disappointing because I think he was primed to have a really good season. Hopefully he’s going to do the same thing this offseason that he did last offseason (to get ready for the season).”
What we say: In 32 games as the Broncos’ coach, Fangio has had Miller/Bradley Chubb available together for only four games. That had to play into Paton’s decision — the best way to give Fangio a fair chance at succeeding is giving him Miller/Chubb.
Darby: Willing tackler
The Broncos’ priciest addition was Darby (three years, $30 million), who played every game for Washington last year and was fifth in total pass breakups (16), but had no interceptions.
What Fangio said: “It’s pretty simple when you’re looking at corners. Can the guy cover somebody? You need to check that box first and I think he’s got natural cover skills, both in man and zone. … I think he has good instincts for the game. I think he’s a willing tackler. We still think he has a lot of football left in him.”
What we say: One thing Fangio and defensive coordinator Ed Donatell harped on last year was “challenging the route,” meaning the Broncos’ corners weren’t aggressive enough. Darby (81 pass break-ups in 73 games) will be counted on to be around the football.
Harris: “All for” his return
Harris settled for a one-year contract last March to stay with the Broncos and his solid play in ’20 was rewarded last week with a three-year, $27 million deal.
What Fangio said: “Not that my opinion is the ultimate, but I was all for getting Shelby back. The contract thing last year at this time didn’t go his way and he handled it correctly. He and I talked about it a couple times and the things he needed to do to improve himself, which will ultimately improve free agency this time. He did that, so credit to him.”
What we say: Keeping Harris means the Broncos don’t have to immediately prioritize defensive end in the draft and on third down it gives Fangio the option of using Harris and/or Dre’Mont Jones as effective interior pass rushers.
Fuller: “Very, very capable”
The Broncos quickly agreed to terms with Fuller (one year, $9.5 million) less than an hour after the Chicago Bears made his release official Saturday. Fuller, 29, was an All-Pro selection in 2018 while playing for Fangio, tying the NFL lead with seven interceptions. He had a career-low one interception last year.
What Fangio said: “I didn’t see a decline (last year) in his movement, which is the first thing you look for so I don’t think he’s hit the downside of his career yet. He’s very, very capable of playing at the level that he played at in ’18. A lot of that will be due to having a whole, entire defense around him, which is what we had there in ’18 and they still have in Chicago. But hopefully we can get him back on track.”
What we say: Fuller has been ultra-durable since missing all of 2016 with a knee injury and the Broncos need that kind of availability and productivity (19 career interceptions). Plus, it allows Paton and Fangio to consider multiple position groups in the first round and allows Bryce Callahan to slide into the nickel-only role.
