When Justin Strnad learned in September that the Broncos were placing Dre Greenlaw on injured reserve, there was no flinch. There was no need.
In theory, Strnad is a reserve linebacker in Denver. In theory, he is a special-teams contributor and fill-in on defense. In practice, however, Strnad’s been preparing like a starter — as he told The Denver Post in early October — since the start of the season.
“People throw the backup or special-teams title a lot,” Strnad said. “But it’s like, ‘Dude, I’ve basically been starting for over a year now.’”
Do you view yourself as the starter at this point?
“Yeah, I do,” Strnad affirmed. “I absolutely view myself as a starter in this league.
“And yeah, go out there each and every week, and try to execute, play at the highest level, and help this team win.”
One of Sean Payton’s first rules of thumb that he expressed when he arrived in Denver back in 2023 was to “come in with a blank slate.” Another Payton rule of thumb is for staff to go by what they see. That’s made for an interesting evaluation on Strnad — a 2020 Broncos fifth-round pick who played zero defensive snaps in 2022 and 2023.
Strnad was thrust into action in 2024 after a rash of injuries at ILB and started eight games. Still, the Broncos viewed him as an LB3. He could’ve explored opportunities to start elsewhere last offseason. Still, he returned to Denver on a one-year deal at the start of free agency. The Broncos promptly shelled out $35 million across three years for Dre Greenlaw, and Strnad faded back into the background.
“You’re competing every day,” Strnad told The Post after Week 1. “Your job’s never safe in this league. You have a good game, like, that’s what my DC in college, Mike Elko, used to always be like — ‘This game will humble you. The moment you play good, the next play, it’ll humble you just like that.’ And that’s what this game is.
“So I never get too high these days.”
Through six games in 2024, Strnad has become a key contributor at the heart of a fearsome Vance Joseph defense. The 6-foot-3, 235-pound inside linebacker has assumed a unique role as a weak-side blitzer. On multiple plays against the Jets, Joseph disguised a standard four-man rush by dropping an edge rusher into coverage as Strnad came flying from the weak side. After racking up a sack and a half against the Jets, Strnad ranks third on the Broncos in sacks (3.5) — and first in the NFL among inside linebackers.
#Broncos ILB Justin Strnad’s success as a blitzer is giving Vance Joseph more lanes to be creative w pressure.
Watch Nik Bonitto show and then drop into coverage here as Strnad rushes, ends up getting a split sack. Joseph deployed this same look a couple times vs. Jets pic.twitter.com/WPZsvl6Byz
— Luca Evans (@bylucaevans) October 14, 2025
As Denver returns from London to face the New York Giants in Week 7, the Broncos are now eligible to activate Greenlaw off injured reserve if he’s healthy enough to return from an offseason quad tear. Denver has plotted Greenlaw’s recovery for the long haul, and Strnad’s contributions have given the franchise the breathing room to do so.
The Broncos’ biggest weakness on defense early on this season has been covering opposing running backs and tight ends, with Joseph’s match-coverage-heavy scheme prone to miscommunication picking up versatile pass-catchers. Eagles running back Saquon Barkley torched starting ILB Alex Singleton on a wheel route for a TD as recently as Week 5 in Philadelphia. But Jets rookie TE Mason Taylor and the team’s running backs combined for just two catches and a single receiving yard on Sunday in London, as Denver had few coverage breakdowns.
#Broncos allowed just two catches for one yard to Jets RB/TEs yesterday. Justin Strnad has explained that’s been issue b/c of miscommunications in match coverage.
Here’s Talanoa Hufanga communicating perfectly on a third-down checkdown and blowing up Isaiah Davis. pic.twitter.com/djgNoVdftE
— Luca Evans (@bylucaevans) October 13, 2025
The Broncos still need Greenlaw. Communication busts aside, teams have attacked the middle of the field in the passing game against Denver, and Singleton has surrendered the second-most receiving yards in coverage of any linebacker in the league, according to Next Gen Stats.
For now, though, it’s time to officially dub Strnad the Broncos’ LB2.
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