Shaquil Barrett makes his presence felt on the Broncos defense

Shaquil Barrett remains an unsung hero.

There’s no doubt people in these parts know all about the Denver Broncos outside linebacker. We’ve known about him since he exploded on the scene out of Colorado State as an undrafted free agent. Since then, Barrett has made his presence felt on the defense. This season is no different. But outside of Denver and the fanbase, most don’t know how much he means to the success of the defense.

Barrett is a huge reason the Broncos have the best rush defense in the NFL. He also consistently finds a way to get pressure on the quarterback and impact the play. Yet with all the talk of the return of Shane Ray for Monday Night Football against the Kansas City Chiefs on Oct. 30, and rightfully so, Barrett’s role gets pushed aside.

Eric Goodman and Les Shapiro took care of that on Friday’s The Afternoon Drive with the fun interview they did with Barrett. They cover everything from whether Barrett likes the early bye to how healthy he is and how big the return of Ray is for the defense. They also ask Barrett what he will do with his time off. Hint: He and his wife will spend it shopping in Los Angeles.