Like choosing which of your kid’s leftover Halloween candy to pilfer or voting in our annual Snow Angels cover contest, sometimes there’s no wrong answer. Whether its everlasting gobstoppers or ever-loving jaw-droppers, you really can’t miss in either of those two scenarios.
That’s a little how the staff here at Mile High Sports felt when it came time to issue our weekly “Power Rankings” and the editorial calendar called for a list of defenders for the Denver Broncos. Up and down the defensive side of the ball, there’s really no wrong answers when rating the Broncos defensive playmakers.
Coming into the season, we knew Wade Phillips had a plethora of talent at his disposal with two of the best edge rushers in the league and arguably the best cornerback tandem as well, but more than a handful of other players have emerged over the first seven games to make Denver the league’s best defense in total yards, passing yards and scoring.
It was a whopper of a task (candy pun intended), but the brain trust at MHS finally put together what we think is one beauty (Snow Angels pun intended) of a list ranking the Broncos top defensive playmakers.
No. 12 – Darian Stewart
After making the game-sealing interception in Week 1 against Baltimore (with a big assist from David Bruton), it might feel like Darian Stewart’s name hasn’t been called all that often.
Outside of that interception and a forced fumble against the Vikings, he hasn’t been much of a big play guy. Even his forced fumble against Minnesota is a bit of a false stat, considering he had just given up a 25-yard reception.
As such, it could come as a surprise that Stewart ranks fourth among all Broncos with 25 tackles on the year, but that’s precisely where he sits -just one tackle behind T.J. Ward.
Not only has Stewart been a stout tackler, he’s been well above average in pass coverage and currently ranks as one of the top 15 coverage safeties according to PFF.
It’s an embarrassment of riches for Wade Phillips when his lowest-ranked starter is one of the 15 best at his position.
No. 11 Sylvester Williams
One of the biggest concerns for the defense heading into the 2015 season was how it would cope with the loss of Terrance Knighton. John Elway didn’t want to pay “Prime Rib” prices for “Pot Roast,” and there was doubt as to whether or not Sylvester Williams would be capable of plugging the run. The soft underbelly of the defense was expected to be right up the middle.
Well, we’re seven games into 2015 and the Denver defense is currently fourth in the league, allowing just 89.3 yards per game. Despite being the only defensive starter with a negative overall rating by Pro Football Focus, Sly-Will has been solid at the nose, absorbing blockers and freeing up Malik Jackson, Derek Wolfe and Vance Walker (not to mention Brandon Marshall and Danny Trevathan).
The only real knock on Williams has been his pass rush – he’s notched 1.5 sacks himself and is yet to spring Wolfe or Walker for a sack (although Jackson has four, tying him with Von Miller). But with so many other weapons surrounding Williams, Wade Phillips only needs his big man in the middle to soak up bodies while the rest of the rush does its work.
No. 10 – Danny Trevathan
Danny Trevathan couldn’t ask for much more than he’s accomplished already in 2015. After having missed all but three games in 2014 and making just one start, he’s rebounded from knee surgery and reasserted himself as a speedy ILB with great field coverage, both horizontally and vertically.
Trevathan hasn’t broken a big play yet – he has no picks, sacks or forced fumbles – but he’s been excellent in pass coverage and against the run. He’s the No. 7 rated coverage ILB according to PFF and the No. 5 overall at the position.
He’s second on the team in tackles, following only his partner in crime, Brandon Marshall. Together, they make up the best ILB tandem in the league.
It’s only a matter of time before we hear Travathan’s name called on a big, game-changing play.
No. 9 – David Bruton
Earlier this year, we penned a story in Mile High Sports Magazine about David Bruton being primed to have a breakout year. We love being right.
Bruton has long been a standout on special teams and a team captain – he’s currently the longest-tenured player on the Broncos roster – but he’s never been able to crack much playing time in regular defensive rotations.
We’re going to blame John Fox and Josh McDaniels for all of that.
This year, finally given an opportunity to log significant minutes, Bruton has been great. He’s made big play after big play, and save for a couple bad penalties, has shown that he can play with or in place of both Darian Stewart and T.J. Ward as needed.
It’s been a long time coming for the longtime Bronco.
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[adrotate group=”1″]No. 8 – T.J. Ward
In his year-plus with the Denver Broncos, safety T.J. Ward has amassed some impressive numbers. He’s logged 88 tackles, four sacks, two interceptions and two forced fumbles across 21 starts.
He was named the AFC Defensive Player of the Week for his effort against the Minnesota Vikings earlier this year when he made six solo tackles, a career-high two sacks and forced a fumble. It was as dominant a single-game performance as we’ve seen from a Denver safety since even before the days of John Lynch.
But despite the monster game against the Vikes, Ward has also registered some sloppy performances and taken some bad penalties. Against the Raiders he looked somewhat lost between run and pass coverage. In that game, and lost in his big game against the Vikings, he committed some costly penalties.
Ward plays fast and loose (that attitude off the field cost him a game to start the season). that can be a huge asset when timed correctly. Ward just needs to keep one eye on the clock.
No. 7 – Derek Wolfe
In his three games after returning from suspension, Derek Wolfe has been simply spectacular. He’s already tied with his backup, Vance Walker, in tackles and he’s proving to be a much better pass rusher than either Walker or Antonio Smith were in his absence.
It’s that absence that has him further down our list right now than he’ll likely find himself come season’s end. After being forced to sit out for the first four games for violating the league’s PED policy, Wolfe has been on a mission to meet the expectations of being Denver’s top draft pick back in 2012.
Save for one extremely poorly timed personal foul penalty against Cleveland, he’s played about as perfectly as the Broncos could have hoped after missing a quarter of the season.
Both Wolfe and Malik Jackson are up for contracts at the end of the year, so it’s no surprise they’re having big years. Von Miller is going to eat up a huge amount of money this offseason, so Wolfe is playing to get paid by someone. Even if that’s not the Broncos, he’s playing for that big payout and it’s already paying off for the Broncos.
No. 6 – Aqib Talib
Would it shock you to hear that Aqib Talib is actually rated lower than Bradley Roby on certain national ratings systems? Pro Football Focus says Talib is a full 1.1 points behind Roby as a cover corner so far in 2015.
It may seem hard to believe, as Talib has made some big plays, after all, he’s notched three interceptions already on the year, two of which have gone for touchdowns.
But he’s also had some tough days at the office. Oakland and Minnesota stand out, specifically, as Talib was burned or turned around on more than one occasion in both games.
Still, the co-pilot of the “No Fly Zone” is having a big, big year. Between Talib and Chris Harris Jr., with assists from Roby, Darian Stewart and David Bruton, Denver has the best pass defense in the league.
No. 5 – DeMarcus Ware
DeMarcus Ware isn’t just making plays on the field this year. Yes, his 5.5 sacks lead the team (and he’s even missed a game). And, yes, his 13 tackles are most among the Broncos outside linebackers. And, yes, he’s making game-changing plays like the forced fumble that turned into a safety against Green Bay.
Yes, he’s doing all of those things (and earning awards for them).
But he’s also changed the entire culture of the Broncos locker room, at least as far as the defense is concerned. Reunited with Wade Phillips from their days in Dallas together, Ware has the Denver D working harder and smarter than they’ve perhaps ever done.
Ware is the vocal, emotional and spiritual leader of a defense that we can only compare to Bruce Lee. Oh, it’s peaceful – when it needs to be – just don’t engage it in a fight.
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[adrotate group=”1″]No. 4 – Shaquil Barrett
At the start of the 2015 season, most every media outlet (including this one) expected first-round draft pick Shane Ray to be the third in a new version of the “Three Amigos” – this one on the defensive side of the ball. And while Ray performed well enough prior to his MCL sprain, the real third wheel to Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware has been Shaquil Barrett.
The CSU product had a breakout preseason and hasn’t missed a beat into the regular season. He’s already logged 3.5 sacks and 12 tackles in mostly rotational work. His three forced fumbles are tops on the team.
He earned the first start of his NFL career in Week 6 against Cleveland when Ware was out with a back injury. Barrett answered the bell by having his best game as a professional, making six tackles and getting 1.5 sacks on the day.
He’s proved himself so valuable already that his name was routinely mentioned as the No. 1 target in possible moves for tight end and offensive line help as the trade deadline approached.
Just how big a playmaker has he been? He’s not even a starter and we had to include him on this list at No. 4.
No. 3 – Brandon Marshall
We’re done making “the other” Brandon Marshall comments here at MHS. “Our” Brandon Marshall is “the” Brandon Marshall.
Need more proof? NFL.com used “our” Brandon Marshall’s picture in their player profile of “the old” Brandon Marshall. Maybe that’s because the inside linebacker is head-and-shoulders above the wideout who shares his name, at least as far as this year is concerned.
After stepping into a starting role due to Danny Trevathan’s injury last year, Marshall went ahead and became the team’s No. 1 tackler and proved to be one of the best coverage linebackers in the game. And he did all of that while fighting a foot injury late into the year.
Now fully healthy again, Marshall is once again leading the team in tackles and doing so by a wide margin. Trevathan is second to Marshall’s 44 with just 29. Marshall also has 1.5 sacks and two forced fumbles to his name already this year.
Pro Football Focus rates him the No. 2 inside linebacker in a 3-4 defense after Luke Keuchly, not bad company to keep.
No. 2 – Chris Harris Jr.
It’s been so long since Chris Harris Jr. surrendered a touchdown, our research staff had to know the Dewey decimal system to dig up any literature on the topic.
Indeed, the full-fledged coming-out party of 2014 is proving to be no fluke and Harris has once again asserted himself as one of, if not the top cornerback in the league.
He’s still yet to surrender a TD this season (do we even need to knock on wood anymore?) and he’s got two interceptions despite being thrown at just 37 times. He’s allowed just 213 total yards on the season and only 107 yards after the catch.
His 74-yard interception for a touchdown against Oakland proved to be the game-winning play in a contest that needed someone to be the difference-maker.
Always humble and always hungry, Harris is proving to be a long-term playmaker in the mold of Champ Bailey. He may never get the kind of adulation Bailey did, but there’s no discounting how important his role has been.
No. 1 – Von Miller
It takes a rare talent to unseat a player of Chris Harris’ caliber for our top spot at this point. But Von Miller is in a class above not just his Broncos brethren, but nearly everyone else in the NFL.
The No. 2 pick in 2011, Miller has outplayed even those expectations. Recently Bucky Brooks of NFL.com asked which player would be better to build a defense around, J.J. Watt or Miller. That’s the kind of company Miller keeps.
Miller returned to the Broncos this year with a clean slate from the NFL and a huge payday on his mind. He’s already logged 37 combined sacks, QB hits and QB hurries; that’s good for third in the NFL behind Pernell McPhee and Tamba Hali, both with 39.
Still, it feels like Miller hasn’t fully “let loose” in a game this year. Now that opposing offensive lines have to consider Shaquil Barrett in addition to DeMarcus Ware, Miller should be primed to add even more to those totals above. Until now, the game-breaking plays have come from cornerbacks, safeties and even DeMarcus Ware.
Von’s day is coming this season and it’s going to be great.