The Denver Broncos defense has been the team’s bread and butter for the last few seasons and will continue to be the anchor of the franchise for the foreseeable future.
The Broncos are expected to take a leap in 2020 in part because of edge rusher Bradley Chubb’s health. The No. 5 pick in the 2018 draft, Chubb is one of the Broncos best defensive players and will return to the gridiron in 2020 after a torn ACL shortened his 2019 season.
Chubb made an impact the moment he joined the Broncos, recording 12 sacks as a rookie, which set a new team record. And while Chubb’s injury was a setback, the 23-year-old star is progressing along in his recovery.
“I’m excited to get back,” Chubb said via DenverBroncos.com. “I’m rushing in my head and doing all the things I’m supposed to be doing to get back on that field. I’m excited to join this defense once again. They finished the year off strong.”
The Broncos have produced some of the best defensive units in recent memory, including the Super Bowl 50 squad that dominated the Carolina Panthers in the big game.
One member of the Broncos Super Bowl 50 winning team was pass rusher, DeMarcus Ware. After earning his stripes with the Dallas Cowboys as an All-Pro, Ware joined the Broncos at the end of his career and was instrumental in developing Denver’s defense into the NFL’s finest group.
Now retired, Ware stays up-to-date with the Broncos and believes the team will right the ship in 2020 and beyond, in part because of Chubb’s return.
Ware battled numerous injuries in his heyday, and was able to overcome them to earn Pro Bowl nods and a championship.
While an ACL injury is serious, Ware thinks Chubb will manage to bounce back in a big way for the Broncos as he did a few seasons ago.
“I am really eager to see him on the field, because he reminds me of myself when I played, but just actually a little bit bigger and stronger.” Ware said, “I don’t know about faster, but I know bigger and stronger. Just to see him from coaching him and talking to him and mentoring him, to have a guy come back from a season-ending injury, come back stronger and play even better, [that] would be one of those things like a proud dad would want to see, and see him really excel and do well.”
The road to recovery is strenuous, and sometimes gets the best of athletes. That said, Ware believes Chubb has the mental tenacity to bounce back.
“The thing is the mentality of ‘I can’t be stopped,’” Ware said via the team site. “And I know that Bradley Chubb, he has that mentality. No matter what type of injury you have, you can come back from it if you work hard enough, and I know he’s going to come back stronger. Just from talking to him, he’s working out really, really hard.”
The Broncos have invested a lot in their defense since they last hoisted the Lombardi Trophy by hiring Vic Fangio as head coach, drafting Chubb and trading for a slew of veteran players this offseason.
There is a ton of anticipation surrounding Chubb’s return. When healthy, Chubb is a force on the field, and should he bounce back in 2020, the Broncos defense will be one of the best units in the league.