Speaking at the NFL combine last month, Denver Broncos general manager George Paton was asked about the state of the team’s defense.
Paton identified a few areas where the squad could improve, notably mentioning the need for a run-stuffer and more depth in the secondary.
“We feel like we need to be better in the run, and we need to stop the run better,” Paton said on Feb. 27. “We were inconsistent, a lot of things we did. Week 1 through [Week] 6 or one through the first six games, we were the worst defense in the league and then the final 11 [games] we were in the Top 10, Top 5 in a lot of metrics so really just be more consistent.
“I think we need to get better inside, stopping the run. Just be more disciplined at times and you saw that earlier. I saw that a little late with some of the busted coverages. You can always use help in the secondary, but I feel good about the young core on defense, and we will just continue to add depth.”
Fans who paid attention to Paton’s remarks at the combine were not surprised by the team’s first two signings during NFL free agency.
Denver added safety Brandon Jones — a key addition after losing Justin Simmons — and defensive lineman Malcolm Roach, who had the best run-stop percentage in the NFL last season.
Paton and Co. set out to improve the run defense and the secondary depth, and they did so early in free agency. There are still remaining positions of need for the Broncos, but the team quickly completed the top two items on Paton’s to-do list this offseason.
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