DENVER — The Empower Field crowd fell dead silent when Bo Nix limped off the turf in January. The Denver Broncos had just outlasted the Buffalo Bills 33-30 in an overtime Divisional Round thriller, but the victory cost them their franchise quarterback. An ankle injury ended Nix’s sophomore campaign right there, shutting the door on Denver’s Lombardi hopes before they eventually fell to the Patriots in the AFC Championship.
Now, it is February 2026. Nix is healthy and ready for Year 3. The Broncos are gearing up for another deep run, but they face a glaring hole in the middle of their defense. The front office locked down Dre Greenlaw last off-season and still has Drew Sanders under contract. Alex Singleton, however, looks destined for the exit door.
The hard-hitting linebacker hits free agency next month, and the connection to Western New York feels entirely too real. The Bills just poached Jim Leonhard from Sean Payton’s staff, naming him their new defensive coordinator on January 31. Leonhard spent the last two years maximizing Denver’s secondary and linebackers. Taking Singleton with him makes perfect sense for Buffalo. For Denver fans, watching their defensive anchor jump to an AFC rival hits hard.
The Jim Leonhard Connection
Leonhard earned his stripes in Denver. Under his guidance as assistant head coach, the Broncos finished the 2025 season allowing just a 35.5% third-down conversion rate. Buffalo noticed. Head coach Joe Brady scooped Leonhard up to install an aggressive 3-4 defensive front, completely replacing the Bills’ traditional 4-3 look.
To run a 3-4 properly, a coordinator needs inside linebackers who diagnose plays instantly and tackle everything in sight. Singleton fits that profile perfectly. He racked up massive tackle numbers in Denver, proving he can anchor the middle of the field while the outside linebackers rush the passer. Leonhard knows exactly what Singleton brings to the meeting room and the gridiron.
“I think that’s why this team’s so special. Everyone in this building plays for the guy next to them.”
— Alex Singleton, Denver Broncos Linebacker (January 2026)
Singleton’s journey demands respect. He fought his way up as an undrafted free agent in 2015, grinding through practice squads before securing a three-year, $18 million contract with Denver in 2023. Fans love his gritty playing style. He leaves everything on the grass.
Playoff Implications / What’s Next
The NFL punishes success. When a team climbs the mountain, rival organizations strip-mine their coaching staff. Denver built a top-tier defensive unit, and now they pay the toll. Leonhard is gone, and he wants his guys in Buffalo.
If general manager George Paton lets Singleton walk, the Broncos must find an immediate replacement. Denver operates with roughly $28.9 million in cap space right now. They finally freed themselves from the massive Russell Wilson dead cap hits, but paying a premium for a veteran inside linebacker might not fit the 2026 budget. Greenlaw provides stability, but he cannot play both inside spots simultaneously.
Buffalo, meanwhile, desperately needs to toughen up its interior defense. The Bills surrendered 17 unanswered points in the second half of that playoff loss before Nix drove the Broncos down the field for the win. Adding Singleton gives Buffalo a reliable veteran who knows Leonhard’s scheme inside and out. It improves the Bills while directly weakening the team that just knocked them out of the postseason.
Nix will score points in 2026. The offense looks potent. But if Denver wants to survive the AFC gauntlet, they need a defense that forces punts. Replacing Alex Singleton just became priority number one.
