Finding Broncos: 5 LBs for Developmental Depth and Special Teams

Finding Broncos scouts the 2023 NFL Draft with a group of linebackers that can contribute on special teams and provide developmental depth.

While the Denver Broncos have made multiple improvements to their roster, they still need a lot of help at multiple positions. The biggest issue on the roster is the lack of depth, and the linebacker position is one of them. Jonas Griffith had a lot of hope around him for the 2022 season, but injuries derailed that. The Broncos have solid starters but must find additional competition for the depth with options that can help special teams. 

Jaylen Moody | LB | Alabama

© Gary Cosby Jr.-USA TODAY Sports

Pros

• He has exceptional experience on special teams, with 881 snaps as part of every unit. 
• He is disciplined on special teams and stays in his lane. 
• He does well scrapping laterally against the run. 
• There are good athletic tools to work with and develop. 

Cons

• He isn't developed with reading plays as they develop on defense. 
• He has only played 581 snaps on defense. 
• There is a higher-than-ideal missed tackle rate. 
• He doesn't come to balance into contact. 
• Penalties on special teams were an issue. 
• There are medical concerns about his shoulder. 

Fit with Broncos

Moody fits the developmental linebacker mold perfectly. His lack of experience is easy to see when on the field. However, he can fit with the Broncos as an immediate contributor on special teams. 

Dee Winters | LB | TCU

© Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Pros

• He has excellent burst and long speed. 
• There is good experience on special teams as part of each unit. 
• He does well coming into balance and bringing force into his tackles. 
• There is great long speed to recovery when he gets behind in the rep. 
• There is good lateral agility to flow with the play laterally. 

Cons

• He is undersized for an NFL linebacker. 
• There are delays when it comes to triggering to counter the play. 
• He can be swallowed by blockers and can struggle to get off. 
• His instincts and awareness as a defender are lacking, especially when working in coverage. 
• There are a lot of missed tackles in his career, with 61 in his career and 55 in the last three seasons. 

Fit with Broncos

As an undersized linebacker, you want to see more out of Winters in coverage. He can fit with what the Broncos need on defense, as there is a decent ceiling for development. While they work to develop him, he can contribute as a core special teams player. 

What happens next on the Broncos? Don't miss out on any news and analysis! Please take a second, sign up for our free newsletter, and get breaking Broncos news delivered to your inbox daily!

Cam Jones | LB | Indiana

© Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK

Pros

• He has good burst and solid speed. 
• He can be an immediate contributor on special teams. 
• He has great short-area quickness and agility to skate gap to gap with the flow of the ball carrier. 
• There are solid instincts and awareness when working in zone coverage. 
• When it comes to tackling, he comes to balance and brings force into contact. 

Cons

• He is undersized for an NFL linebacker. 
• He isn't overly agile in changing directions instantly and smoothly. 
• He doesn't take on blocks well and can get taken for a ride with issues getting off blocks. 
• There are some medical concerns over previous injuries. 
• He can get lost in coverage and can get caught with biting on double moves. 

Fit with Broncos

With the Broncos needing to improve their special teams' play, Cam Jones can be a great fit. However, while he contributes on special teams, there is room to develop on defense. 

Nick Anderson | LB | Tulane

© Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Pros

• He has a good build on his frame. 
• There is great speed, burst, and explosion to work with. 
• He does an excellent job securing tackles and has good balance with his tackling technique. 
• He does well against the run, shifting laterally and flying through gaps. 
• The closing burst is excellent. 
• He is a ready-made special teams contributor for the NFL. 

Cons

• He doesn't fit the modern model for a linebacker, lacking height and length. 
• Sometimes he can be over-aggressive, opening an opportunity for the offense. 
• He can be easy to bait out of position in coverage. 
• His lack of length can be problematic when getting blockers off his frame. 

Fit with Broncos

There isn't a lot of upside with Anderson in coverage, but he can be a core special teams player right away. His play against the run could see him work on defense as a run defender only. He isn't an ideal fit for the Broncos on defense, but he is great for their special teams. 

Ventrell Miller | LB | Florida

© Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

Pros

• He is a physical linebacker who reads the run well and flows with it. 
• He is a coaches guy who does well communicating with his teammates. 
• He can work on special teams. 
• In shorter zone coverage, he does well in staying in the flow of the play. 
• He is disciplined on and off the field, with only one penalty thrown against him. 

Cons

• He is a little undersized lacking ideal height and length. 
• His role in the NFL will be limited due to his lack of athleticism and range. 
• Over three seasons of significant play time, he missed 39 tackles. 
• He has missed time with injury and will be older for a rookie. 
• The path to success is as a two-down run defender and special teams ace. 

Fit with Broncos

The Broncos need someone who can offer up more in coverage, and Miller doesn't have the athleticism or range for it. He could help the special teams units, but he is much of the same as what they already have on defense. 

This isn't a great class for linebackers, but some good options exist. Most of the linebackers can at least make a career as a core special teams player. The question is whether that is enough for Sean Payton and the new Broncos coaching staff. 

---

Follow Erick on Twitter @ErickTrickel.

Follow Mile High Huddle on Twitter and Facebook.

Subscribe to Mile High Huddle on YouTube for daily Broncos live-stream podcasts!