ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Vance Joseph's resume speaks for itself.
In each of the last two seasons, the Broncos' defensive coordinator has led a unit that has finished third in scoring defense and in the top three in rushing defense. The Broncos recorded the second-best total defense in the league in 2025, and Joseph's attacking style of defense helped the team set the franchise sack record in consecutive seasons.
Joseph, over the last 10 seasons, has served as either a defensive coordinator or head coach — and been tasked with stopping a wide array of NFL offenses.
So, when Joseph speaks about the challenge that the Broncos' new Offensive Coordinator Davis Webb has created for Denver's defense, those words carry weight.
"He's smart, so smart," Joseph said. "He understands defenses. The best play-callers in this league understand defenses. He's not just calling plays to call plays. I can tell. When he knows the coverage, he is calling the exact beater he should call. That's the first sign for a play-caller in this league, in my opinion. He has got great energy, man. He's pushing the guys to get better. He understands running the football is going to be our calling card. He is calling plays that make the defense work. The shifts and motions, that makes us work. He's got a bunch of wide-open concepts in practice because of shifts and motions. He's worked very hard from the spring 'til now to put it all together, man. It looks really good. It's hard every day to — not game plan, but just get ready for the things he's giving us. It's a lot, but it's so good for the offense to show it all. The shifts and motions and the window dressing pre-snap has been good for all of us to see."
Webb will receive his first chance to call plays in game action since becoming the Broncos' offensive coordinator when Denver visits Atlanta on Aug. 14, and Webb said he's eager for the opportunity for the team to progress — and learn — in a live setting.
"I think I'm looking forward to everyone getting the rhythm — our staff, our players, in and out of the huddle," Webb said. "We'll learn something every game, every drive. Then we'll kind of review it as the game goes and especially postgame and try to get three good opportunities before Kansas City on 'Monday Night [Football].' It will be rocking, and I know they'll be a good team. So, it'll be a good opportunity for us to kind of feel that out because most of these practices are scripted, and we kind of know what we're going to run and they kind of know what they're going to run."
Among the decisions the Broncos may work toward in Atlanta could be where Webb calls plays. On Saturday, he indicated he likely will prefer to be at field level given his previous experiences.
"We're still working through that, [Head Coach] Sean [Payton] and I," Webb said. "I would like to be on the field, is where I'm at today. I didn't play much in my NFL career. I kind of saw the game a lot from that point of view, so I feel pretty good there. We'll talk about it a little bit more, but that's where we're headed right now."
With Payton and Webb guiding the Broncos' offense, Joseph acknowledged the daily challenge that Denver's defense has faced — and the benefit it brings that unit.
"This training camp, it's been very competitive," Joseph said. "It's gone back and forth. They've made some plays, the defense has made some plays. That's a good sign for our team. Our receiver group is deep, man. It's all shapes and sizes, and they all can make plays. Evan [Engram]'s had a great camp. Our O-line is tough and smart. We've got three or four good backs. It's been fun to watch them play and improve every single day, and it's been hard on [our] defense."
That includes, particularly, the Broncos' third-year quarterback in Bo Nix.
"Bo's played well," Joseph said. "He's been accurate. He's moving very well. That's a great sign. But his deep-ball touch has been really off the charts this training camp. I know Sean wants to make more big plays this year. It's there. It's happened in training camp. It's been two a day. I don't like it for our defense, but I get it. Big-picture wise, it's so good for our team. He's so explosive with [Jaylen] Waddle and Evan and those guys. It's been competitive, it's been a great camp on both sides and Bo's playing well."
'HIS BEST TWO DAYS'
As Webb looks forward to Friday's preseason opener, Joseph is equally eager to see some players on his side of the ball receive live reps.
Among those players? Rookie inside linebacker Red Murdock.
The seventh-round pick has made a noticeable number of plays in recent practices, Joseph has noticed the progress from the rookie.
"Red has had his best two days the past couple days," Joseph said. "Red, from Day 1, has made every call cleanly. He was kind of over-processing things. But now, he's playing fast again. He's punching the ball out, like yesterday's practice. … Red's job is a little different. He's making the call. So, it took him a couple days to kind of get used to making the calls and playing fast. Now, he's doing that. I'm looking forward to Friday night to see him play live action with organic looks. It's going to be fun to see."
Murdock, the NCAA career record-holder in forced fumbles, will aim to continue his progress on Friday in Atlanta.
'A PERFECT OPPORTUNITY'
As Wil Lutz spent Saturday in Canton, Ohio, celebrating his former teammate Drew Brees' induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, a Broncos defender made his best attempt at filling in.
Safety Brandon Jones made three of four field-goal attempts on Saturday to the crowd's delight as he battled through the nerves.
"I will say, I have a lot of respect for kickers," Jones said. "When the crowd started chanting my name, I got really nervous. I'm like, 'I'm about to shank this. This is not about to be good.' Thankfully it went in."
Special Teams Coordinator/Assistant Head Coach Darren Rizzi spoke to the need to always have a contingency plan, and he said Jones "did a great job" with "a perfect opportunity" presented to him with Lutz away.
Despite his success, Jones doubted he'd ever face a situation where he'd need to attempt a game-winning kick in a game.
"If it comes down to that, y'all just pray for me," Jones said. "That's all I can say."
