Bronco notes: Joseph a hot coordinator but challenge ahead with Singleton down

WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. — Vance Joseph had been one of the NFL’s hottest coordinators.

His Denver defense has improved from No. 32 in both yards and points allowed through three games of the 2023 season to No. 3 in total defense and No. 6 in points allowed through three games this season.

Can he stay hot now that his top tackler and defensive signal-caller Alex Singleton could do nothing more than watch practice here Thursday at the Greenbrier Resort with a huge black brace supporting his torn up right knee, an injury that finishes his season?

It won’t be easy. Cody Barton is a proven starter at the other inside linebacker position and it’s logical to think he’ll move over to the every-down position Singleton played so well the past three year.

The inside linebacker position next to Barton, though, is an uncertain proposition. The two backup inside linebackers on the 53-man roster, Justin Strnad and Kristian Welch, have primarily been special teams players. Strnad, in fact, hasn’t played a defensive snap in three years — since the midway point of the 2021 season. He looked good in the preseason, registering 8 tackles with a sack.

Still, it’s been three years of exclusive special teams play.

“I can’t speak to how much he’s played, but I can speak to he’s made our team,’’ Joseph said. “He’s been a valuable part of our team for two years I’ve been here. It’s NFL football where every guy in the locker room is capable of doing the job. You don’t keep guys on your roster who can’t play in NFL games.

“Football is the ultimate team sport, so I have a lot of confidence in Justin and all those guys in that room to help us win the game. Just be one-eleventh and do their jobs. That’s what the game calls for, so I’m not overly worried about that one spot. It’s us playing together, and doing our jobs and all doing more around that guy that’s going to play for Alex.”

The Broncos did add to two proven starting inside linebackers to their practice squad this week in Zach Cunningham and Kwon Alexander. But as both were signed off the “street,’’ they figure to need a week or two to get in football condition and learn Joseph’s system before they can contribute on game day.

In his spare time, Broncos’ right guard Quinn Meinerz likes to bowl. He says his league average last year was 200.

With so much times on his hands earlier this week at the Greenbrier Resort, Meinerz was ready to toss a few frames. Only to quickly go to Plan B.

“I brought my own bowling shoes but they didn’t oil the lanes,’’ Meinerz said Thursday after the Broncos’ rainy practice. “So as soon as I threw the ball it went straight to the gutter. And when it came back from the return I had scratches on my ball. So I stopped bowling and went to the arcade.”

It’s only three starts into his NFL career, but Riley Moss continues to play well as the cornerback opposite Pat Surtain II.

“The speed of the game has slowed down a lot for me, that’s the biggest thing,’’ Moss said. “There’s still things to improve on. It’s a long season and there’s ups and downs. No one on our team has arrived and ever will arrive. We had a saying at Iowa, ‘The hay’s never in the barn.’ You’re always working to be the best you can be.”