Three-headed monster could push Broncos defense back into elite territory

On a Tuesday edition of “Dover and Cecil” on 104.3 The Fan, hosts Josh Dover and Cecil Lammey examined what it would take for Denver’s defense to not only maintain its standing but elevate it into the league’s upper echelon. Dover framed the conversation with a direct challenge.

“Can they just return to form to be top five? Can they flirt with top three?” he asked.

It is a meaningful distinction. Top five is where the Broncos have lived comfortably in recent seasons. Top three is where defenses start winning championships — the kind of unit that doesn’t just contribute to victories but actively imposes its will on an opponent’s game plan week after week.

For Dover, the answer to that question comes down to three specific players.

“If they’re gonna do that, what will be the reason? The names I wrote down — I have three of them — PS2, Nik Bonitto and Talanoa Hufanga,” he said.

The trio represents the core of what Denver does best. Pat Surtain II remains one of the premier cornerbacks in football. Bonitto has developed into one of the league’s most-disruptive pass rushers. And Hufanga provides the kind of physical, instinctive safety play that ties an entire secondary together. Dover labeled them a “three-headed monster” — the foundational pieces around which everything else is built.

Then he paused.

“Am I missing some people?” Dover asked.

Lammey didn’t let the moment pass.

“Are you missing some people? I think the entire defense is, you know, up there,” he said with a knowing sarcasm that made the point better than any detailed breakdown could.

And that’s the most encouraging element of the conversation. When a defense is so deep that singling out three stars feels incomplete — when the supporting cast is talented enough to warrant its own recognition — you’re no longer talking about a unit hoping to crack the top five. You’re talking about one capable of leading the league.

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