Who will emerge as the tone setter for the Broncos in 2019?
Aug 8, 2019, 7:09 AM
The Broncos are trying to get back on track after back-to-back losing seasons for the first time since 1972. They have made several changes to the team this offseason, none bigger than the hiring of head coach Vic Fangio. A defensive guru for decades in the NFL, Fangio is going to make the defense elite again in 2019.
This defense is going to be closer to what the Broncos had when they won the Super Bowl in 2015 than the unit that was out there during the last two seasons. In order to play at a high level, however, the Broncos need a tone setter for the defense.
It reminds me of a video posted on Twitter by Sam Hustis from KNBR in San Francisco where former Broncos safety T.J. Ward told a great story about former Broncos cornerback Aqib Talib in Super Bowl 50. This type of player needs to emerge for the Broncos this season, but at this point that specific player is unknown.
Really funny story from T.J. Ward about Aquib Talib's two first quarter personal fouls in SuperBowl 50 🏆 pic.twitter.com/NxAi03PYhs
— Sam Hustis (@SamHustis) March 21, 2019
Who is the tone setter for the Broncos this season? If it’s not going to be a defensive player, is there an offensive player who can fill that role? Let’s take a look.
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Who Some Think it is: Von Miller
Many Broncos fans out there think All-Pro linebacker Von Miller is the tone setter for the team, but he’s really not. Miller marches to the beat of his own drum and his level of play is one that most cannot match. He’s not going to lead by yelling at people, even though Miller is not a quiet player. Miller should be better than ever under Fangio, and he should give maximum effort on most every snap. That’s going to lead to great production for the perennial Pro Bowl linebacker, but his play is intimidating in a different way than guys like Ward or Talib played.
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Some Want it to be: Phillip Lindsay
When talking with Zach Bye yesterday on “Stokley and Zach,” Phillip Lindsay was mentioned by Zach as a potential tone setter for the team. Lindsay certainly plays with a ton of energy and it must be inspiring to his teammates. The second-year running back brings an electricity to the field that other backs on this roster don’t have. The offense is going to be built through the ground game and Lindsay will arguably be their most productive runner. Lindsay does try to set a tone with his play, and he certainly doesn’t back down when an opponent tries to be extra physical with him (remember the Texans game and hit he took from Kareem Jackson?). He got kicked out of the Ravens game last year for fighting and he certainly has a ton of heart. It could be Lindsay, but he’s not going to be the full-time running back. Royce Freeman and Theo Riddick are going to be involved in the offense, as well. It’s difficult to imagine that Lindsay will be the tone setter when he won’t be on the field all the time.
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It Could Soon Be: Bradley Chubb
At the beginning of this article, I really thought I would conclude Bradley Chubb is the tone setter the Broncos need to follow, but that’s no longer the case (I’ll get to that in the next section). Chubb was fantastic as a rookie last year and took the league by storm. I expect his second season to be even better, especially under the guidance of Fangio. This year, Chubb could snare more quarterbacks than Von Miller. He is strong at the point of attack and does not give up ground as a run-defender. Chubb has the size, speed and quickness to strike fear into the hearts of opponents. He is most certainly a player that opponents will have to game plan to stop – or at least slow down. Chubb has the intensity to be the tone setter for this team, but it might take him a month or two to get into that mode. Perhaps by midseason, Chubb will take over as the guy the rest of the defense follows, and it might even happen before that. The future is bright for Chubb, but there is one player that could be a better tone setter immediately for this team.
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The Correct Answer Is: Kareem Jackson
I was having this conversation with my good friend Ian St. Clair from Mile High Report, and he suggested that Kareem Jackson was the player that should be the tone setter in 2019. And I agree. Jackson plays like Ward, and he loves to intimidate opponents like Brian Dawkins or Steve Atwater used to do for the Broncos. He was added by the Broncos this offseason in free agency and I thought he was here in Denver to be a great cornerback who could occasionally play safety. That notion was quickly squashed in minicamp and OTAs as we saw Jackson play safety almost exclusively. In training camp, Jackson has been the first-team safety with Justin Simmons on the opposite side. Jackson flies all over the field and wants to dominate the competition. I think he gets quite a few interceptions this year under Fangio, so Jackson can get you production against the run or the pass. Jackson could turn in an All-Pro season for the Broncos in 2019 and his veteran experience gives him the cache for teammates to follow. If Jackson inspires the Broncos – the entire team – the way I believe he could, then watch out. This Broncos defense will be elite again, but this whole team could have more swag in 2019 thanks to the play of guys like Jackson.
