The pressure is now squarely on Vic Fangio’s defense
Mar 19, 2021, 10:35 AM | Updated: 10:58 am
Vic Fangio is a defensive guru. At least that’s what everyone keeps saying.
But so far, Broncos Country hasn’t seen results that suggest this is true. Far from it.
During his first season in Denver, Fangio’s defense became the first in NFL history to fail to record a sack or force a turnover in the first three games of the season. They also blew late leads against the Bears, Jaguars and Colts, letting Mitchell Trubisky, Gardner Minshew and Jacoby Brissett beat them.
Last year, they gave up 30-plus points in eight out of 16 games. And once again, holding a late lead was an adventure, as they blew games against the Titans and Raiders in the waning moments.
That said, the hype is still out there. People are still talking about the Broncos having a top-five defense, despite them finishing 12th and 21st during Fangio’s first two seasons, respectively.
In part, this is because the Broncos have spent big in free agency on the defensive side of the ball. That’s where their focus has been.
First, they inked Shelby Harris to a three-year, $27-million deal to keep the defensive lineman in Denver. Then, they brought Ronald Darby to town on a three-year, $30-million contract, adding a big-time cornerback to the secondary.
But that’s not all. The Broncos also picked up the team option on Von Miller, keeping the pass rusher in orange and blue at a $22.225 million cap number. And then, they signed Justin Simmons to a long-term deal, inking the safety to a four-year, $61-million contract that makes him the highest paid player at his position in the NFL.
Those are some hefty investments. They give the Broncos an embarrassment of riches on the defensive side of the ball.
They still have Bryce Callahan, Bradley Chubb and Alexander Johnson, as well. Those players are set to earn more than $20 million combined in 2021.
What’s it all mean? It’s time for Fangio’s defense to finally live up to the hype.
There are no more excuses. Despite having the most costly defense in the NFL in 2020 Fangio got a free pass for his group’s failings last season. That can’t happen again.
George Paton has given Fangio plenty of pieces to work with. He needs to build a top-five defense out of it. He needs to create a unit that can dominate and win games on that side of the ball.
It’s time for Vic Fangio to prove that he’s actually a defensive guru.
