The Denver Broncos earned the No. 1 seed in the American Football Conference and have the first-round bye in the playoffs after going 14-3 in the regular season.
The Broncos get a much-deserved week off to rest and get ready for whichever team they face in the Divisional Round, the lowest remaining seed out of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Houston Texans, Buffalo Bills and Los Angeles Chargers.
Denver started the season 1-0 before dropping their next two games to the Indianapolis Colts and Chargers on walk-off field goals, and it didn’t seem like this team would rattle off 11 wins in a row before losing to the AFC South champion-Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 16.
But that’s exactly what happened, and it happened because Denver has the best all-around defense in the National Football League. The Broncos’ defensive unit led the league in sacks (68, franchise record).
The offense is good, but too inconsistent. Without the defense playing lockdown coverage, this team wouldn’t be where it is. Unfortunately for Denver, two key linebackers are expected to hit free agency after this season and the team may need to look into replacements.
Star linebackers Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad were excellent this season. Singleton led the team in tackles (135) and Strnad was fifth on the team with 4.5 sacks. If the Broncos opt to let both players walk in free agency, the most logical option to replace them is through the draft.
ESPN’s Jordan Reid predicts that the Broncos will select Cincinnati LB Jake Golday with the 31st overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
“Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad will be free agents after the season, which makes linebacker a priority for the Broncos,” Reid wrote Tuesday. “At 6-foot-4, 240 pounds, Golday aligns at both inside and outside linebacker in Cincinnati's defense but projects best as a Mike at the next level. His combination of length, block avoidance and versatility make him an option at this pick. Golday is already receiving high Day 2 grades from scouts I've talked to and is a prospect who will likely continue to rise throughout the process.”
Denver is in a place where they could theoretically “reach” on a player who isn’t expected to be a first-rounder, but Golday is rising up the draft boards for a reason. He’s an explosive sideline-to-sideline defender who would fit right in with this current defense if the team moves on from Singleton and Strnad.