The Denver Broncos didn’t do a lot in free agency during the offseason, but so far they’re one for two with their major signings on defense. Linebacker Dre Greenlaw hasn’t been on the field long enough to earn a pass/fail grade, but safety Talanoa Hufanga is turning into a huge success story.
The Broncos refer to him as “the ultimate eraser” in the back end of their defense, and that’s something Denver definitely needs. Defensive coordinator Vance Joseph likes to send pressure from all directions with his fast, athletic pass-rushing group, and that means the safeties have to hold up their end as they get to the quarterback.
“He is the ultimate eraser of anything in the run game or pass game that kind of pops,” Joseph said to Kyle Frederickson of the Denver Gazette after practice last week. “That’s the mark of a good safety. He has great size and great range in both the run and pass game. He’s a guy who’s playing fast. … Those are special traits that the best guys have. He has those traits.”
The numbers back Joseph up. Hufanga has given up just 73 yards on 23 targets in coverage this season, and according to Next Gen Stats his 0.1 yards allowed per coverage snap is the fewest among NFL players with at least 100 of this snaps.
“I’m just thankful to be a part of a great defense,” Hufanga said after last week’s 10-7 win over the Las Vegas Raiders.
But Hufanga doesn’t just operate on the back end. He’s made his mark as part of the pass rush as well, and this was something coach Sean Payton anticipated when the Broncos signed Hufanga.
“There is a physicality to him, and then there is a leadership skill set to him and an anticipation,” Payton said. “He’s unique. He brings so much to the team aside from his skill set. Those are the players we are looking for, and we got a good one there.”
As for the record-setting ways of the Broncos defense as a sack machine, Hufanga indicates that he saw this coming when he first joined the team.
"I’d seen how it was in training camp,” the safety said. “I saw our front seven and what they could do, and the back end and how they can cover. Defensively, we’ve just got to keep stepping up and doing our job. I didn’t like that they got seven (points) this week, if I’m being honest. We’ve got to hold these teams to more field goals. It starts defensively, because we’ve got to set the tone.”