We’ve already detailed the greatest offensive players in Denver Broncos history, and now we’re on to the defense, starting with defensive ends.
Now, unlike the offense, where players almost always hold a clearly defined position, things can get a little more fuzzy on the defensive side of the ball; depending on what kind of defense the team is running in any given year, the same player could be categorized as a defensive end (4-3 defense) or an outside linebacker (3-4 defense), and in some cases that defensive end will spend the majority of his time playing inside as a de-facto defensive tackle.
So, just to get us all on the same page, when deciding what position a player would be categorized as, we simply looked at their Pro Football Reference page and chose the position they were described as most often during their stay in Denver.
So if you disagree with a designation, take it up with them, not us.
Nonetheless, we feel as if we developed a good list. And so here goes …
5. Alfred Williams
Years With Broncos: 1996-1999 (4 Seasons)
Stats: 28.5 sacks; 131 total tackles
Career Accolades: 1-time 1st-Team All-Pro; 1-time Pro Bowler; 2-time Super Bowl champion
I was really close to giving this spot to Maa Tanuvasa, and I still feel like I probably should have, but in the end, I had to go with Big Al.
For one, there is something to the fact that he feels like a Colorado guy. He went to CU, he should have been drafted by the Broncos and he eventually found his way back to Denver when it mattered most. To me, while he only spent four seasons here and he wasn’t incredibly consistent, that’s worth a ranking in this top five.
And there’s no denying that his peak was significantly higher than Tanuvasa and about as high as anyone who’s played defensive end for the Broncos; his 13-sack, 56-tackle 1996 season earned him a 1st-Team All-Pro nod.
