The Denver Broncos aren’t looking at their defensive front the same way they did just a few months ago.
The new view from above now figures to see a much bigger role for 6-foot-6, 320-pound defensive tackle Eyioma Uwazurike, who could negate the loss of John Franklin-Myers in free agency and negate any possible dip if edge rusher Jonathon Cooper finds himself sitting out after a pair of offseason arrests.
ESPN’s Bill Barnwell thinks Uwazurike could be 1 of the NFL’s top backups in 2026.
“Uwazurike’s role will expand after the departure of John Franklin-Myers, but the former fourth-round pick was another unheralded defensive tackle who had his best year as a pro in 2025, generating 3.5 sacks across a career-high 409 snaps,” Barnwell wrote. “While he’s already 28, Uwazurike’s best football could still be ahead.”
Eyioma Uwazurike In Line for Breakout Season
ESPN’s Ben Solak singled out Uwazurike as Denver’s top “breakout candidate” as he continues to repair his reputation following a year-long gambling suspension in 2023.
Uwazurike might end up being the answer for the Broncos as they try to replace Franklin-Myers, who left for a 3-year, $63 million free-agent contract with the Tennessee Titans.
“Franklin-Myers is such a nifty player, with the ability to line up as both a big end and an undersized 3-technique without any apparent weakness,” Solak wrote on July 8. “The Broncos have a deep room of options to replace his snaps in a piecemeal fashion but no one-to-one replacement. Of the rotational players who impressed last season, the first one I’d be trying to get more snaps to is Uwazurike. He had a resurgent 2025 season after a 2023 season-long suspension for gambling threw a massive halt in his developmental arc. More of a true defensive tackle than Franklin-Myers, Uwazurike has a mean bullrush and a hot, hot motor that helps him make cleanup plays in muddy pockets. He can do a lot of the dirty work that made Franklin-Myers such a valuable part of the Broncos’ rotation.”
Uwazurike was a 4th-round pick in 2022 but remains on his rookie contract because of his yearlong suspension — a 4-year, $4.42 million contract which will pay him approximately $1.145 million in 2026.
Uwazurike Brought Back Off Suspension in 2024
The NFL dropped the hammer on Uwazurike after he bet on NFL games during his rookie year. The league reinstated him in August 2024 after what was initially deemed an indefinite suspension.
“We were informed by the NFL today that Eyioma Uwazurike has been suspended by the league indefinitely for violating its gambling policy,” the Broncos said in a statement after the suspension was announced in July 2023. “Our organization fully cooperated with this investigation and takes matters pertaining to the integrity of the game very seriously. The Denver Broncos will continue to provide all members of our organization with the necessary education, resources and support to ensure compliance with the NFL’s Gambling Policy.”
Uwazurike was not prosecuted by the state of Colorado or Arapahoe County, 9News’ Mike Klis reported in July 2024 after an investigation determined he did not break gambling laws. Uwazurike not being charged helped clear the way to his reinstatement, according to Klis.
Eyioma Uwazurike Showed Promise as Rookie
In limited action as a rookie, the former fourth-round draft pick and All-Big 12 selection out of Iowa State showed he could make plays. In just 8 games in 2022, he had 17 tackles, including 2 QB hits and 1 pass deflection.
If Uwazurike is truly in a battle for a starting spot, he’ll likely be doing so against rookie 3rd-round pick (No. 66 overall) Tyler Onyedim.
“With the loss of John Franklin-Myers in free agency, there are snaps to be had at defensive tackle for one of the league’s best defenses,” ESPN’s Jeff Legwold wrote in April. “Onyedim’s quickness will be an asset in the pass rush and is needed next to Zach Allen. Onyedim transferred for his final college season after four years at Iowa State because he wanted to play more of a three-technique than on the nose. The move paid off, because that’s where the Broncos see him in their defense.”
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