Broncos could have these free-agent linebackers in their sights
Mar 8, 2025, 9:27 AM | Updated: Mar 9, 2025, 6:32 pm
UPDATED SUNDAY, MARCH 9
Zack Baun made a lot of sense for the Denver Broncos — if he had hit the open market. Of course, that won’t happen now that the 2020 third-round pick of the New Orleans Saints will stay with the Philadelphia Eagles.
The same was true for Nick Bolton. But he elected to stay with Kansas City on a three-year, $45-million deal.
Then, finally, Jamien Sherwood went off the board. The New York Jets kept him around with a deal made late Sunday afternoon.
The inside-linebacker pickings are shrinking for the Broncos — who appear set to change the room with Cody Barton and Justin Strnad both set to become unrestricted free agents and Alex Singleton heading into the final year of his deal as he prepares to return from a torn anterior cruciate ligament.
DRE GREENLAW, SAN FRANCISCO
Shut down after just 34 snaps last season, continued concern in the wake of the Achilles tendon rupture he suffered in Super Bowl LVIII could keep his price down. At the time Greenlaw played in December, 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan noted that Greenlaw had soreness and fatigue. Another few months of rest ought to help him, but if the Broncos added him and placed him alongside Singleton, they’d have two inside linebackers returning from injury.
NOTABLE NUMBER: In his last full season, Greenlaw was one of just three linebackers to rank in the top 15 of run-stop rate and passer rating allowed in coverage per data compiled by Pro Football Focus among 83 inside linebackers with at least 300 snaps.
ROBERT SPILLANE, LAS VEGAS
A steady and dependable presence, Spillane would fit well within the locker room and would represent an upgrade against the run. But the Broncos would probably need to help him out a bit in coverage; last year opposing quarterbacks had a 111.0 passer rating when targeting him per PFF data; this ranked 64th among inside linebackers.
Notable number: Spillane had one of the best missed-tackle rates in the NFL last year, ranking sixth among 84 inside linebackers with one missed tackle every 16.7 opportunities.
TYREL DODSON, MIAMI
Seattle waived Dodson in November because of his struggles against the run, but he quickly bounced back, landing with the Miami Dolphins and playing so well that he was the AFC Defensive Player of the Week in the penultimate week of the regular season.
Notable number: Dodson was first among 84 ILBs (minimum 300 snaps) in passer rating allowed in coverage, with opposing quarterbacks posting a 72.5 rating when throwing in his direction per PFF data. But Bolton also ranked 17th among those 84 ILBs in percentage of tackles that resulted in stops.
