Training Camp 2021: Previewing the Broncos outside linebackers

The Denver Broncos are trying to get back to relevancy – and the postseason – in 2021. They turned in a down 2020 season, going 5-11 under Vic Fangio, but the staff returns intact to give it one more try. Fangio is entering his third year as the Broncos head coach, and it’s win (a lot of games) or go home. The Broncos changed things up in a big way this offseason by moving on from former general manager John Elway and hiring new GM George Paton.

This is the first year under the guidance of Paton, and the team has done a good job of adding quality players via free agency and the NFL Draft. However, there are questions that need answers before the start of the regular season. In this series at DenverFan.com, we will go through each position group searching for those answers.

This is the latest part in our Training Camp Preview. Today, we’ll take a deep dive into the outside linebacker position:

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Starters: Von Miller, Bradley Chubb

We have been robbed over the last couple of seasons. When Bradley Chubb was selected with the no.5 overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft, many were excited to see what he could do opposite of Von Miller. When noted defensive guru Vic Fangio was hired as the Broncos head coach in 2019, people were even more excited.

Instead of seeing this dream duo wreak havoc on opposing quarterbacks, we’ve seen one year (2018) of them together. Injuries have knocked either Chubb (2019) or Miller (2020) out of action for most if not all the regular season. Entering the 2021 season, we are getting one – likely final – chance to see this combination finally pay off.

Miller is in the final year of his contract with the Broncos. He says he wants to play a few more years, but whether that’s here or not is debatable. Miller is destined to be inducted into the Hall of Fame once he’s eligible, but his impact has not been what it could have been over the last two seasons.

In 2019, with Chubb missing most of the season, Miller only had 8.0 sacks. Now, he did lead the league in incompletions and interceptions caused by pressure, but the sack total is what most will be fixated on. Entering the 2020 season, Miller was in fantastic shape – the best shape of his life – and looked like he was going to get back to being the dominant sack master he used to be. Instead, Miller suffered an ankle injury in training camp and missed the entire season.

This year, Miller is looking for a bounce-back season – again. Miller has the ability, but it’s time for him to stay healthy, stay focused and produce at the expected levels. It’s not all about sacks but expecting Miller to get double-digit sacks is not outrageous. He seems to have finally meshed with Fangio, so one more year of high production is possible. This would greatly help Miller as his future is uncertain at this time. A strong year could lead to the Broncos keeping him around or other teams could have their interest piqued.

Chubb is forever going to be compared to Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen. It’s not a fair comparison, especially because they don’t play the same position, but the Broncos passed on Allen and selected Chubb instead. While Allen has become a superstar quarterback, Chubb is a good-not-great pass-rusher when healthy. Chubb has the ability to be great, but injuries and inconsistencies have plagued his game since he came into the league.

As a rookie, Chubb looked like a superstar in the making and finished his first season with 12.0 sacks in 16 games. He’s played 18 games since that season and only has 8.5 sacks during that time. Chubb had a knee injury that cost him most of the 2019 season. In 2020, Chubb did not look like himself as he was not yet a full year from his knee injury. Then, Chubb missed the final two games of the 2020 season due to an ankle injury. He didn’t get surgery on that injury until 2021. Chubb had surgery to remove bone spurs from his ankle in May but is expected to return for the start of training camp.

It’s time for Chubb to take his game to the next level. He’s got to stay healthy in order to play up to his potential. He must get double-digit sacks – if not more – to pay off for being the high draft pick he was. In late April, the Broncos picked up Chubb’s fifth-year option keeping him under team control through the 2022 season. He’s officially guaranteed $12.7 million on the final year of his rookie deal. The team could look to give him a big-money deal and long-term extension if Chubb gets back to looking like a superstar like he did when he was a rookie.

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Reserves: Malik Reed, Derek Tuszka, Jonathon Cooper, Andre Mintze

Malik Reed snared more sacks last year than any other Broncos defender. In 2020, Reed had 8.0 sacks in 13 starts. Undrafted out of Nevada in 2019, Reed has started 21 games in two seasons with the Broncos. As a rookie in 2019, Reed started in eight games but didn’t show much. Last year, we saw him take his game to another level.

Over the last two years, Reed has continued to develop his game. A converted defensive end in college, Reed had one year of playing outside linebacker in the Wolfpack’s 3-3-5 scheme. During his time under Fangio, Reed has become more comfortable rushing the passer from a standing position. Reed has a quick first step and does a good job of bending and bursting to the quarterback. When the passer is in his sights, Reed shows an extra burst to the passer.

With Miller and Chubb healthy, Reed goes back to being a backup. He’s a high-value reserve who could start and thrive if given the opportunity.

Derek Tuszka was a fine late-round prospect the Broncos picked up out of North Dakota State in the seventh round of the 2020 NFL draft. I watched him during the week of practice for the East-West Shrine Bowl and liked what I saw. Tuszka reminded me a bit of Trey Hendrickson when I saw him years ago at that game. Hendrickson is now one of the best rushers in the game, and at the time he reminded more of Derek Wolfe. I don’t think Tuszka is quite as talented as Hendrickson, but there are some similarities to their game.

My favorite part of Tuszka’s game is his quick burst off the line with bad intentions. He plays with natural violence and hunts quarterbacks for fun. In three seasons as a starter, Tuszka had 40.5 tackles for loss. He’s known for his work ethic, bend and burst and violent striking hands. Tuszka does need to become better as a run-defender, but that’s not why the Broncos added him.

This year, we’ll see how Tuszka can round out his game. He’s got the looks of a part-time player right now based on his struggles against the run. Cleaning that up will get him more playing time. The upside is there for Tuszka to be more than a rotational player. He could be a starter for the Broncos one day.

Jonathon Cooper was one of my favorite players in the 2021 NFL draft. I watched him earlier this year during the week of practice for the Reese’s Senior Bowl and came away impressed. Cooper showed great hustle and energy when getting after the passer. In an interview that week with DenverBroncos.com, I proclaimed that Cooper would be a great fit in Denver. To my delight, the Broncos added Cooper in the seventh round.

He fell in the draft due to health concerns from a heart problem. Years ago, Cooper was diagnosed with arrhythmia and underwent multiple heart surgeries when he was 14 years old to address his abnormal heart rhythm. Cooper underwent a minimally invasive heart procedure four days after the Broncos drafted him. He required the ablation to correct a heartbeat issue.

After Cooper’s surgery, Fangio commented on the young pass-rusher. “Medically, he is doing well. He had a procedure the other day, one that we were aware of. He’s doing good. They’re confident they have rectified everything, and he should be good to go.” Fangio said.

It’s rare to find a young player who is such a strong leader. A two-time captain at Ohio State, Cooper is beloved by his teammates and can be an inspiration. Cooper’s play on the field is all about hustle and heart. This makes him a fine developmental pass-rusher, especially when he gets more nuanced with his moves. Cooper has multiple moves to get after the passer but needs to learn how to stack them quicker in order to be more effective.

The Broncos have found great pass rushers from the ranks of the undrafted in the past (Malik Reed, Shaq Barrett) and Andre Mintze has a chance to follow in their footsteps. Mintze, undrafted in 2021, is a hustle player who can set/hold the edge against the run, has the speed to run down screen passes and can use his burst to get after the passer. He’s limited as a rusher and needs to learn more moves and how to stack them (he just uses bend and burst mostly). He’s likely headed for a developmental year on the practice squad in 2021.

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Summary

It’s all about getting after the passer in today’s NFL. If everyone stays healthy, the Broncos are going to be able to terrorize opposing quarterbacks. Miller and Chubb could be one of the best pass-rushing duos in the NFL – and it would be nice to finally see that come to fruition after two years of disappointments.

Behind Miller and Chubb, the Broncos have a proven player in Reed with a combination of younger/developmental players behind him. If they must go to these rotational players; the defense will continue to be aggressive when it comes to rushing the passer.

Fangio is known for great defense, but he has yet to truly put that on the field with the Broncos. Having this group of outside linebackers could finally help him do that.

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