Broncos DC Vance Joseph: Unit must phase out ‘awkward' plays to become dominant

New York Times

a day ago

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Vance Joseph is not oblivious to the rosy prognostications about the Denver Broncos defense that have been fluttering around this offseason. The team's third-year coordinator is working with arguably the most talented group of personnel he's had in his 10 years calling NFL defenses. The Broncos led the NFL in sacks (63) and expected points added per defensive snap last season, brought back all of its defensive front, added two key veteran pieces in safety Talanoa Hufanga and linebacker Dre Greenlaw and drafted a chess piece defensive back in first-rounder Jahdae Barron. Many of the players Joseph is working with are entering their third year in the team's current defensive system.
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But on the way to establishing what the Broncos want to be, Joseph is providing consistent reminders of what they can't accept.
'The next step is avoiding the awkward big plays and the awkward series,' Joseph said Tuesday as he and Denver's other coordinators addressed the media for the first time in this training camp. 'If you want to be a top defense in this league, man, it's just consistency. … If you're going to be dominant, it has to be every down, every drive, every quarter.'
Joseph has truncated that message to one word at times during camp: 'Finish!' He has bellowed the reminder frequently during plays in team periods, turning himself into a human bullhorn. As good as his defense was last season, it slipped down the stretch. The Broncos gave up 30 or more points in four of their final six games, including a 31-7 loss to the Buffalo Bills in the first round of the playoffs. The Broncos believe they can compete for a Super Bowl this season. Head coach Sean Payton has said as much to anyone willing to listen. There aren't many realistic pathways to that goal that don't include a dominant defense.
'That's been my focus from the spring to now,' Joseph said. 'Every single day, every play, how we finish, how we hustle, how we communicate and how we engage in every play is important.'
Part of reaching that dominant level, Joseph said, is creating stronger depth in training camp. The Broncos' vulnerabilities became easier to exploit as they became nicked up with injuries in the second half of last season at various levels of the defense. That's why the strong training camps so far from second-year players like linebacker Levelle Bailey and cornerback Kris Abrams-Draine are more than fun summer storylines. To withstand the attrition that occurs during the long march toward the playoffs, those are the kinds of players who have to not only fill in but maintain the high bar Joseph's unit has set for itself.
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'It's a long season and things do happen, so to find depth in training camp, that's part of it,' Joseph said. 'So to watch guys like (Bailey) get better from last year, control the huddle and make plays has been fun to see. And it's not just there — at corner, at safety — it's a deep roster. We're looking to find depth of not just guys who can start for us (at the beginning of the season), but guys who can play four or five games as a starter for us without any drop off.'
Here were some more takeaways from Tuesday's sessions with the coordinators:
• Tight end Evan Engram tilted his chin toward the sky and shook his head Monday, expressing bewilderment that he had let a pass from Bo Nix slip out of his grasp. The thing about Denver's new target in the passing game, though, is that he always seems to be creating another opportunity.
Offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi said the ways Engram will help the Broncos and Nix stress defenses are already evident.
'We had high expectations and he's met or exceeded them,' Lombardi said of Engram, who bounced back from that drop with two big catches over the middle in Monday's practice. 'He can run, he can change direction, willing blocker. He sticks his nose in there. … Complete tight end who's really been showing up in camp.'
Making the connection 🏈#BroncosCamp pic.twitter.com/teGwTeDTYE
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) August 5, 2025
• Just before Lombardi spoke to the media on Tuesday, he watched as second-year wide receiver Troy Franklin made a diving, 20-yard catch on a throw from Nix during a two-minute drill. The highlight play set Denver up for a would-be game-winning field goal in the situational period. It was the kind of play that Franklin has made look routine in his second training camp, which could not be a larger departure from his first.
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Lombardi sees a player whose confidence — 'He knows what he's doing' — has allowed his speed to flourish. That, in turn, has allowed Denver's coaches to showcase Franklin in different ways.
'As a rookie, you really want to nail down on one position,' Lombardi said. 'Know that he's got that down, we're working him in the slot a little bit and that gives us more flexibility of what we can do with him. He's really been doing a great job with all of that. … As he learned the offense, he's been able to play naturally.'
• Special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi had quite the statement about the depth materializing on Denver's roster and what that will mean for cutdown day in a few weeks.
'I don't think I've ever been involved in a camp — and this is my 17th year in the league — where there are going to be as many tough decisions as we are going to have,' Rizzi said. 'I welcome it and I love it. I think the emphasis we have put on (special teams), you watch us out here, and we are evaluating everything. The players know that, and competition brings out the best in everybody.'
• Rizzi was one of the special teams coaches last season who helped develop and present the league's new dynamic kickoff rule proposal to owners at the league meetings. He was pleased with how the rule change, which included touchbacks being brought to the 30-yard line, played out in 2024 during a trial season. There was a higher return rate overall (though not for the Broncos, specifically), and the league reported a lower injury rate on those plays, particularly with concussions.
This offseason, Rizzi was glad to see the league permanently adopt the rule with a tweak that should give his star returner, Marvin Mims, more chances to make explosive plays on special teams.
Marvin Mims Jr. with an explosive kick return
📺: #DENvsBUF on ESPN/ABC📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/J3bHxYOoK2 pic.twitter.com/10jerBrFUh
— NFL (@NFL) November 14, 2023
'The analytics last year told you it was probably a wash to kick a touchback or put the ball in play,' Rizzi said. 'That's not the case anymore with touchbacks at the 35. I think you're going to see a high, high spike in the return percentage. We're going to have to be really locked down in our coverage. We're not going to be a team that is going to give up the 35, unless it's situationally. I don't think we'll see as many touchbacks when we're on the return side of things, either. It was easy for teams to do that last year. I don't think teams are going to want to give Bo and that offense the ball at the 35-yard line. They are going to take their chances (kicking to Mims and Denver's other returners).'
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The Broncos gave several veterans the day off on Tuesday ahead of Thursday's joint practice with the San Francisco 49ers. Among those who didn't participate: Left guard Ben Powers, running back JK Dobbins and wide receiver Trent Sherfield. Linebackers Alex Singleton and Dre Greenlaw worked out on the side but did not participate in team drills.
Rookie outside linebacker Que Robinson returned to portions of practice after missing the previous three sessions with what Payton described as a bone bruise.