Finding Broncos: 5 Defensive Linemen to Compete for Starting Job

Finding Broncos scouts the 2023 NFL Draft with a group of defensive linemen who can compete for a starting job.

While the Denver Broncos brought in Zach Allen to replace Dre'Mont Jones, they still have needs along their defensive line. They lost DeShawn Williams and don't have a clear route to replace him outside of going bigger, with D.J. Jones, Mike Purcell, and Allen being the starting unit. 

Either way, they can still use additional competition on their defensive line for the depth spots. Eyioma Uwazurike and Matt Henningsen are only in their second year, and Jonathan Harris has been underwhelming. Adding competition could help those second-year players take the next step in their development. 

Nesta Jade Silvera | IDL | Arizona State

© Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Pros

• Overall, he is solidly built. 
• He has solid burst and explosion. 
• There is good athleticism to work with. 
• He has good closing burst. 
• There is good power to hold up at the point of attack. 
• He can quickly drop into his anchor to hold up against double teams. 
• He explodes off the snap and brings good power into his engagements. 
• He churns his feet to generate a consistent bull rush. 
• He quickly gets into a blocker's chest and breaks down their block. 

Cons

• He may be a little undersized in terms of length than teams desire. 
• While he can get some pressure, that isn't his strong suit. 
• Despite his power and ability to break down blocks, he gets caught on blocks too often. 
• When working on getting through blocks, he doesn't chain moves together. 

Fit with Broncos

There is a good fit with the Broncos scheme, and Nesta Jade Silvera is one of the options that could compete to start immediately. It wouldn't be a significant boost to their pass rush ability on the inside, but he would help their run defense, which can help open up space for the edges. 

Jalen Redmond | IDL | Oklahoma

© NATHAN J FISH/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK

Pros

• There is a good build on his frame. 
• He is a solid athlete with good explosion. 
• He had solid production as a pass rusher over the last three seasons. 
• There is good strength and power in his game to hold up at the point of attack. 
• There is an excellent anchor to stall double teams. 
• He explodes off the snap and generates that into power once engaged. 
• There is good hand technique; he keeps them active and combative to break down blocks. 

Cons

• The length may not be ideal for NFL teams. 
• He has a habit of popping up with his pads and giving up leverage. 
• He has heavy feet and isn't the smoothest mover when working laterally. 
• There isn't great agility to flow with the play. 
• There are issues keeping blockers off his frame, which heightens the issues with length. 
• He needs his pass-rush arsenal overhauled. 

Fit with Broncos

Jalen Redmond is a bit of a tweener. He plays more like a nose tackle in a smaller frame. However, there is the ability to move him around and get some decent versatility out of him. While Redmond needs more work, he can be additional depth for the Broncos as a rookie. 

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D.J. Dale | IDL | Alabama

© Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

Pros

• He has a good compact build on his frame.
• The motor is excellent and runs non-stop.
• He has good quickness, and his first step is extremely quick. 
• Despite being a rotational piece, he still played 1,464 snaps over four years. 
• His active hands consistently strike with force. 
• There is good agility to flip and flow with plays working laterally. 
• He does well shooting gaps with his initial quickness and can break down double teams and split through them. 
• There is excellent power, and when he does drop into his anchor, he doesn't give up ground. 

Cons

• He is undersized for NFL teams lacking height and length. 
• There isn't much to work with as a pass rusher. 
• He has been a rotational piece in college, that may not offer up enough to be a starter in the NFL. 
• There isn't much versatility to his game, likely being a 0/1 technique only. 
• He can drop his anchor against double teams late, giving up ground. 
• There isn't much there in his pass-rush arsenal. 

Fit with Broncos

D.J. Dale is a run defender with little to offer as a pass rusher. If the Broncos want to bolster their run defense from the defensive line, Dale makes sense. They lack pass-rush ability from the unit, but finding players to eat up blocks and space could help out the edge rushers.

Dante Stills | IDL | West Virginia

© Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports

Pros

• He is a good athlete with speed, burst, and explosion. 
• Overall, he has a good build on his frame with solid length. 
• He has great experience with 2,376 snaps played, picking up 23 sacks and 112 pressures as a pass rusher. 
• He has a quick first step to shoot through the gaps and cause disruption behind the line of scrimmage. 
• He is a fluid mover who can easily flow with the play or change direction. 
• There is a great closing burst to finish the play when in pursuit. 

Cons

• There isn't great strength or power to his game. 
• He gives up ground consistently at the point of attack.
• There isn't great bend with his play, and he plays with a high pad level. 
• There isn't much counter to his game, and he can struggle to get off blocks. 
• He is a tweener with the play style of an edge and the size of an interior defensive lineman. 

Fit with Broncos

Dante Stills is a quick player who can boost the Broncos' interior pass rush. They lack that depth, with Allen being the only one who can be consistent enough. Stills fits the scheme and can work as a part of a rotation as long as they keep him off the field as much as possible against the run. 

P.J. Mustipher | IDL | Penn State

© Dan Rainville / USA TODAY NETWORK

Pros

• He has good size and build for a nose tackle. 
• There is plenty of strength and power to hold up at the point of attack. 
• He does well handling double teams without giving up ground. 
• His motor runs hot, and he plays to the whistle. 
• There is decent lateral agility to flow laterally with the play. 
• He has great awareness of the play and where the ball is. 

Cons

• He isn't a great athlete. 
• There isn't anything to work with as a pass rusher. 
• He isn't very twitchy and can miss opportunities to penetrate gaps to make the play. 
• His footwork can get him into trouble or get him tripped up. 
• There are issues with his hand technique, and he can allow himself to get controlled by blockers. 
• He has issues disengaging from blocks, even when the play is right there. 

Fit with Broncos

There isn't any versatility with Mustipher as a run-defending nose tackle only. That hurts his fit with the Broncos, who like to have that versatility. Even if they want a run defender, they need someone who can move around their defensive line. The way Mustipher is a fit is as a potential replacement as the nose tackle down the road. 

The draft isn't a strong class for defensive linemen, which may make it better for the Broncos to look for a potential free agent among free agents. However, some options can be added competition and even potentially be a starter, with enough growth during training camp and preseason games. 

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