Kyle Long among three biggest variables for KC Chiefs vs. Broncos

Testing the Broncos secondary

There’s  no greater secondary on paper in the entire National Football League. George Paton and the Broncos deserve credit for the amount of talent they’ve developed in the defensive backfield, because they have elite players, enviable depth, and zero weaknesses in the entire lot.

The Broncos added Patrick Surtain II, a potential contender for Defensive Rookie of the Year in the first round this year to a group that was already exemplary. Ronald Darby is another playmaker outside, while Justin Simmons and Kareem Jackson would compete for one of the best safety duos in the league. Kyle Fuller is still around as is promising rookie safety Kaden Sterns, and we’re not even able to count three corners on IR in Bryce Callahan, Duke Dawson, and Michael Ojemudia.

Given the elite talent level of both Surtain and Simmons especially, the Broncos have the sort of defenders who can hang with the Chiefs most elite weapons in most one-on-one situations if they want to play that way. If they attempt to provide greater coverage, the Broncos have a bit of an edge here. The Chiefs will have to run the ball to keep defenses honest, and it might not be as easy to exploit mismatches here in the secondary.