Horse Tracks: ProFootballFocus ranks Broncos’ secondary fourth best in the NFL

Good morning, Broncos Country.

Another day, another set of rankings — and ProFootballFocus’ most recent article which evaluates each team’s secondary may just make you fall of our your chairs this morning.

According to PFF, the Denver Broncos have the fourth best secondary in the NFL heading into the 2017 season. That’s right — fourth best. Not first. Not second. Heck, they couldn’t even throw the No Fly Zone a bone and place them in the top three overall. Here is what they had to say about the Broncos’ unit:

“Chris Harris Jr. was the top graded cornerback (91.6) in 2016 and tied with New England’s Devin McCourty for top coverage grade at 91.5 while Aqib Talib was right behind him at No. 3 overall, finishing with a 90.6 overall grade. Harris Jr. continues to set the standard for slot coverage, leading the league in yards per cover snap allowed while in the slot at just 0.59. As a rookie in 2016, Justin Simmons was the only safety in the NFL without a single missed tackle and at least 200 snaps played.” - PFF

Despite years of dominance in the secondary and having two players in Chris Harris Jr. and Aqib Talib in their top three corners overall, the Broncos’ unit (according to PFF), ranks behind the New York Giants (#1), New England Patriots (#2) and Seattle Seahawks (#3). While new additions to the aforementioned clubs may have indeed bolstered their units for the 2017 season, all I have to do to know the Broncos’ secondary is the best in the league is to go back and watch the tape over the past several seasons.

The No Fly Zone has a penchant for making the game’s best quarterbacks, tight ends and wide receivers disappear. Week after week, game after game, they have proven their pass defending prowess on the gridiron and are unequivocally the gold standard of defensive backfields in all of football. I wouldn’t take any other unit in the league over our men wearing orange and blue and I bet many coaching staffs across the league feel the same way.

The best there is. The best there was and quite possibly, the best there ever will be. #NoFlyZone.

As always, thank you for reading and here is today’s offering of Horse Tracks.

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