The Broncos brought in a defensive-minded head coach in Vic Fangio last year and his squad lived up to expectations. Denver ranked 12th in yards allowed per game (337.0) and 10th in points allowed per game (19.8).
“We had a bunch of guys that stepped up,” Broncos general manager John Elway said on Dec. 30. “Mike Purcell came in and was tremendous at nose guard. A.J. Johnson at linebacker came in. We’ve got to continue.
“We still have a young roster and the thing is these guys have to continue to focus on getting better. That’s how we get better as a team. Our young guys got to continue to get better. A lot of pleasant surprises, guys that came in and played well for us in tough situations.”
Fangio and Elway will have to make some important decisions this offseason with several key defenders scheduled to become free agents in March. Denver’s list of pending free agents includes cornerback Chris Harris, defensive ends Derek Wolfe and Shelby Harris, and safeties Justin Simmons and Will Parks. NFL free agency will begin March 18.
