​SANTA CLARA, CA – FEBRUARY 07: Derek Wolfe #95 of the Denver Broncos reacts after a sack in the third quarter against the Carolina Panthers during Super Bowl 50 at Levi’s Stadium on February 7, 2016 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) | Getty Images
We’ve spent last week highlighting the offensive greats, and now we turn to the Denver Broncos’ defensive legends. The defense can take on either a traditional 4-3 look or a 3-4 with edge specialists, so for this piece we’ll focus on the interior defensive line and reserve the edge rushers for a separate feature. This approach lets us spotlight the true trench warriors. I had to select the master of the “head-slap” in Tombstone Jackson, who could also function as a modern edge rusher, but we’ll keep him in the interior group for now. I then chose three Broncos stalwarts from the team’s three Super Bowl titles to finish with an Orange Crush original.
Rich “Tombstone” Jackson
Derek Wolfe
Trevor Pryce
Malik Jackson
Ruben Carter
Here’s where our Mile High Report staff placed the top five defensive linemen:
Scotty Payne: Jackson is an obvious pick, followed by Trevor Pryce and the Super Bowl 50-winning duo of Derek Wolfe and Malik Jackson. The Broncos don’t win a championship without either. I rounded out the list with current Bronco Zach Allen, who remains underrated and is a very good player.
Rich “Tombstone” Jackson
Trevor Pryce
Derek Wolfe
Malik Jackson
Zach Allen
Chris Hart: Trevor Pryce’s peak may be the best among interior defensive linemen in Broncos history. A versatile player who lined up at tackle and end, Pryce was a four-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro from 1999–2002. Paul Smith and Ruben Carter were long-tenured and formidable in their respective eras. Greg Kragen was an underrated member of the Broncos’ defensive line in the 1980s and early 1990s. I’ll finish with Zach Allen, whose impact in three Broncos seasons has been substantial, arguably greater than Derek Wolfe’s, though Wolfe is frequently recognized on other lists.
Trevor Pryce
Paul Smith
Ruben Carter
Greg Kragen
Zach Allen
Joe Mahoney: Pryce ended his career with 91 sacks, most with the Broncos. Wolfe played a pivotal role in the 2015 Broncos and helped Von Miller reach Hall of Fame-caliber status. Tombstone was the NFL’s best interior defender for a stretch of three seasons (68–70), undersized like Greg Kragen. Zach Allen has emerged as one of the league’s top defensive linemen in his three Denver seasons and earned first-team All-Pro last year.
Trevor Pryce
Derek Wolfe
Tombstone Jackson
Greg Kragen
Zach Allen
Sadaraine: Zach Allen has been a pressure machine for years. Derek Wolfe was a crucial part of the Broncos’ rise and is a major reason Von Miller gained his fame, yet Wolfe often flies under the radar in discussions about the era.
Zach Allen
Derek Wolfe
Tombstone Jackson
Greg Kragen
Trevor Pryce
Note: This piece celebrates the Broncos’ trench warriors and their lasting impact on the franchise’s success.