The offseason program is a good time for NFL players to build habits.
Or, sometimes, to break them.
Broncos inside linebacker Alex Singleton in recent weeks found himself occasionally still calling out to No. 47 while manning the middle of the Denver defense.
Josey Jewell, though, plays in Carolina now. Thoroughly out of earshot.
“You can ask Jonas and Cody and Justin and those guys I’ve taken reps with that I’ve said, ‘Hey Josey — I mean whoever it is that’s out here,’” Singleton told reporters last week.
For Singleton, the goal this summer is to get to know his new running mates.
For Jonas Griffith, Cody Barton and Justin Strnad among others, the goal is to take a step toward earning that spot.
Singleton, of course, will miss Jewell as a playing partner at inside linebacker and as a friend with whom he spent a huge amount of time at work and away from it. It became clear relatively early in the offseason that Denver intended to let Jewell test the free agency market and the Panthers — led defensively by former Denver defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero — ponied up a three-year, $18.75 million deal that came with a $7 million signing bonus and more than $10 million in guarantees.
“I’m happy for him,” Singleton said. “He got a lot of money. So that’s all you can ask for for your friends.”
Even in 2023, Singleton’s second year with the Broncos, he found himself as the relative newbie in the middle of the Broncos defense. Jewell played next to him. Veterans Justin Simmons and Kareem Jackson behind. The central nervous system and communications hub had years’ worth of repetitions together, an on-field familiarity that helped defray the cost of constant churn through coaches, systems and verbiage.
Now Singleton’s got a whole new cast around him, but also the comfort of a rare second season in Vance Joseph’s system. That, he said, counts for a lot.
“It’s incredible. This is my first time in five years,” Singleton said. “The first two years I was in Philly was the only time I had the same defense two years in a row. It is night and day. How comfortable I feel every day coming out here — when it’s a new scheme you’re still learning from square one.”
Head coach Sean Payton said earlier this month that Singleton will likely wear the “green dot” helmet, meaning he’ll be the one to get Joseph’s calls from the sideline and relay them on the field.
Already having a deep understanding of the system allowed him to spend more time this summer focusing on communicating with the new faces next to him.
“There’s a lot more (focus) on not just assuming a guy knows,” Singleton said. “There’s been a lot more talking — ‘Hey, you’re here. Here’s our drops in this situation. I might do this. If this is the blitz, this is what I’m reading on it so if you’re adding off of me or dropping off of me, just know I’m doing this.’ It’s just being more verbal.”
Singleton’s played his way into that kind of leadership role the past two years by being available and productive. He finished 2023 third in the NFL in tackles (177) and he didn’t come off the field for a single defensive snap over the team’s final 14 games. His 1,090 defensive snaps clocked in among the top 10 for linebackers in the NFL and represented 97% of the team’s defensive work for the year.
“He has a way about him,” Payton said. “He likes the process. He’s experienced. He’s arrived here the hard way. To his credit, a guy like him has earned everything he’s got. Definitely, you feel his leadership.”
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The Broncos will need it this summer and into the season. They could be breaking in up to five new defensive starters and generally will be younger and less experienced overall at safety and inside linebacker.
“Now I can step up and take a bigger leadership role, not just in our room but in our entire defense,” Singleton said. “Where we’re at age-wise on defense, I have to do that. It’s good. I’m enjoying it so far.”
Broncos/Packers joint practice date: Denver will host Green Bay for a joint practice on Friday, Aug. 16 before the teams’ Aug. 18 preseason game at Empower Field.
Both teams had already confirmed the plans to practice together here, but Green Bay listed the specific date in a Monday news release. That will be among the Broncos training camp practices that are open to the public.
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