The Broncos’ secondary was dominant last season, with veterans helping set a league-leading and franchise-record 63 sacks.

One of this season’s missions, as ambitious as it sounds, is to reset that franchise record.

“I don’t see a reason for us not to be the most dominant unit in the league,” outside linebacker Jonathon Cooper said. “There’s nothing holding us back. There’s nothing stopping us. So, taking it up another level. … I don’t think any of us have reached our potential. And we’re just going to keep working until we’re the best in the league.”

Cooper ended the season with a career-high 10.5 sacks after starting the season with 5.5 sacks through nine games.

Besides Cooper, Denver returns several pieces for a strong pass rush, including veteran outside linebacker Nik Bonitto and defensive lineman Zach Allen, the latter of whom recently signed a 4-year, $120 million contract extension. Bonitto is on track for a huge payday of his own.

Allen recorded 8.5 sacks, a career-high 61 tackles, including 15 for loss, and 40 quarterback hits in 16 games last season to earn All-Pro second-team honors.

Bonitto will also be vital in reaching that elusive 63 after becoming a regular starter last season to lead the team with 13.5 sacks. He was the first Broncos player with double-digit sacks in a season since Von Miller and Bradley Chubb in 2018.

“As a defense as a total, we want to have the No. 1 defense,” Bonitto said. “As far as individual, just to be better than last year. I kind of have taken pride in just getting better every year, finding ways to be better in my game and just help the defense be better.”

Bonitto feels optimistic about this year’s defense from the fact that several players, including himself, have been in defensive coordinator Vance Joseph’s systems for three years.

“It’s kind of like in the back of our heads what we have to do, all the checks we have to make,” Bonitto said. “Obviously catching the new guys up to speed (is important). It’s been great so far, and I feel like with the more guys that are coming back from injury, the more time we get to play together, it’s going to be even brighter.”

Beyond the starters, players like defensive tackle Malcolm Roach and rookie outside linebacker Que Robinson have also received high praise in the offseason to bring depth to the team’s pass rush.

After signing a two-year contract with the Broncos ahead of the 2024 season, Roach recorded 43 combined tackles, 2.5 sacks, five tackles for loss, eight quarterback hits and the first forced fumble and fumble recovery of his career.

Roach brings production on the field, but more than that, coach Sean Payton said he brings leadership and a positive energy to his position group.

“You hear him before you see him,” coach Sean Payton said in June. “And I like that energy about him.”

Robinson, a fourth-round pick from Alabama in the 2025 draft, has shown promise during training camp. Despite the Crimson Tide being in the bottom 25 in sacks nationally, Robinson totaled 23 tackles, including a team-high seven for loss, and four sacks prior to a season-ending injury his senior year.

[He is] further along than I can say I was as a rookie,” Bonitto said. “The main thing with him is just going. When he goes, there’s nobody that can stop him. He’s just a freight train. He can run through anybody. It’s just a matter of when he knows what he’s doing, he can just go. He’s really dominant.”

The Broncos pass rush is bolstered by an equally strong defensive staff with Joseph at the helm. Despite last year’s success, Joseph sees this year, like any, as a new team with no guarantees.

“We had a great defense. That was last year. This year is totally different,” Joseph said. “My entire sell this entire offseason has been, ‘Let’s start over again. Let’s keep improving.’ Last year counts, but it doesn’t matter moving forward. We have to continue to improve…every year it’s different…If it’s right, we should be a good defense, but it’s no guarantee. You have to go to work.”NFL single-season sacks records

1984 Bears: 72 sacks

1989 Vikings: 71

2022 Eagles: 70

1987 Bears: 70

1985 Giants: 68

1967 Raiders: 67

2000 Saints: 66

1984 Redskins: 66

1981 Jets: 66

—Source: Pro Football Reference