The battle of the Denver Broncos inside linebackers has been on for quite some time. The linebacker corps is perhaps the weakest unit on the team. There is adequate talent in the room, but it lacks a real star.
Denver Broncos Inside Linebackers Are a Key Group to Watch
Just before the 2020 season, Denver released Todd Davis, a longtime starter. With Josey Jewell sliding in to fill the roll and Alexander Johnson starting all 16 games in 2020, their production was encouraging. Jewell cemented himself as a starter, posting 113 tackles and two sacks. Johnson, in his second season, registered a team-high 124 tackles.
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The Inside Linebacker Room Is Still Thin
Their numbers were not stunning, but good enough. Yet behind Jewell and Johnson, Denver is still thin on the inside linebacker position. Justin Strnad was out before the 2020 season started with a training camp injury, and free-agent signing Mark Barron was hampered by injuries, too.
The Broncos drafted Baron Browning in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft. He has an upside, and that is his versatility. General manager George Paton and head coach Vic Fangio speak highly of Browning; he is able to play both inside and outside linebacker.
Jewell Remains Leader for the Top Spot
Pro Football Focus ranked Jewell the 19th best inside linebacker in the NFL, and that would be due to his instinctiveness and intelligence on the field. He doesn’t possess much athleticism, stopping him short of being great in this position. Additionally, PFF ranked linebackers with at least 400 coverage snaps. Here, Jewell ranks 12th in coverage, 10th in forced completion percentage, fifth in pass breakups, and 15th for lowest snaps per target. For the lowest missed tackle percentage on pass plays, Jewell is tied for 10th with Johnson. In three other categories, he ranks in the bottom 10. His greatest limitation is when he gets caught on blockers against the run.
Browning Could Be a Surprise
Browning suffered a lower-leg injury early in the off-season, missing almost all of the team’s on-field work during the off-season program. However, the Broncos made a notable investment in the position when they drafted him in the third-round of the 2021 draft. Fangio is hopeful Browning will return for training camp. “I still like him all the same and he has versatility. He could play some outside for us and he could play some inside.” As Broncos beat reporter Aric DiLalla suggests, Browning would be of value as a sub-package player helping against the pass.
Strnad Is the Player to Watch
After a wrist injury put him out for 2020, Strnad will be returning. With little opportunity to play since 2019, Fangio refers to him as a rookie that can develop. “We like the way he moves, and we like his attitude. He’s definitely a very conscientious player… we think the future is bright for him.” Fangio says it’s “critical” that he be a mainstay on special teams – the usual expectation of any backup linebacker. Strnad himself knows that never playing a snap in the NFL means he has “everything to prove.”
There are two reliable inside linebackers and Jewell is one of them. Based on experience, he can easily be the Mike linebacker. Strnad and Browning are both determined, with enough skill to be an adequate Will linebacker. With that position requiring versatility, Browning has a slight edge. Fans don’t have to wait much longer to see how it pans out.
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