2. Derek Wolfe
The Denver Broncos pass rush is powered by Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware, but last season Derek Wolfe and Malik Jackson were wrecking balls on the inside, too. With Jackson now off to Jacksonville, that puts more pressure on Wolfe, and if his final half of last season is any indication of his future performance, he can deal with it.
Throughout the year, especially as both players’ performances continued to shine, it was clear that the Broncos were likely only going to be able to keep one of the two, Wolfe or Jackson. Because Wolfe signed a team-friendly deal mid-season, he’s the one who’ll be wearing the orange and blue in 2016. The more important question, though, should have been: Who’s better?
If you look at their contracts, the answer is clearly Jackson; he’s getting paid like an absolute superstar. But if you look at the stats, if you look at the game film, the answer is a lot closer than you’d think; in fact, the answer may be Wolfe. Next year, he’ll get the chance to prove that.
Wolfe isnt’ likely to face as many single teams as he did in 2015; he’s on his opponent’s radar, even with Miller on the field.
If Wolfe can step up and grow into the superstar Jackson is being paid to be, there’s a chance this Broncos’ defensive line could be even better, and there’s a chance that whomever is lining up at the other defensive end position could start looking an awful lot like Malik Jackson.
