ESPN
Previous ranking: 25
Earlier this season, Hall of Fame cornerback Champ Bailey called [Pat] Surtain [II] "phenomenal" and added, "He's doing things now, with his approach and his technique, I really didn't do until my fourth or fifth year.'' Surtain has been a key player for the league's No. 2 scoring defense. He routinely matches up with the opponents' best receivers and is consistently avoided by opposing quarterbacks. He has been a bright spot. – Jeff Legwold
Dan Hanzus, NFL.com
Previous ranking: 26
The Broncos were sellers at the trade deadline, sending Bradley Chubb to the Dolphins in a blockbuster deal that gets Denver back into the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft. It's a move made with an eye on the future — something that certainly wasn't in Denver's initial plan when it delivered a massive haul to Seattle to land Russell Wilson in the offseason. Even with Chubb gone — the former first-rounder was enjoying his best season after an up-and-down start to his career — the Broncos' defense should continue to get stops to keep the team in games. The question becomes whether Wilson and the offense can build off their game-winning drive over the Jags in Week 8 in London. If not, there will be much meaningless football to be played come December.
Pete Prisco, CBS Sports
Previous ranking: 24
They come off the bye with a brutal road trip at Tennessee. The good news is they found some offense in beating the Jaguars before the bye.
Bo Wulf, The Athletic
Previous ranking: 23
Austin Gayle, The Ringer
Previous ranking: 14
Down lead back Javonte Williams for the season with an ACL injury, the Broncos are struggling to run the ball efficiently and have been constantly forced into third-and-long situations—their average distance to the first-down marker on third downs this season is 7.7 yards, the second-highest average in the NFL ahead of Week 10. Such inefficiency on offense has throttled the team's odds to make the postseason; they've gone from -146 in the preseason to +770 after Week 9's Sunday games. Wilson has to earn his hefty game check by converting on a higher percentage of money downs for the Broncos to overcome a slow start (and a difficult remaining schedule).
Bleacher Report
Previous ranking: 24
Eight games into the Russell Wilson era, the Denver Broncos are averaging the third-fewest points per game of any NFL team. The Kansas City Chiefs are averaging more points per half than Wilson's Broncos score per game.
Mike Florio, Pro Football Talk
Previous ranking: 26
It won't be any easier for Nathaniel Hackett over the final half of the season.
Nate Davis, USA Today
Previous ranking: 25
Dealing [Bradley] Chubb was the best move for the long term — especially given what the Russell Wilson trade cost — but the league's No. 2 defense will suffer in the short run.
Vinnie Iyer, Sporting News
Previous ranking: 25
The Broncos found some answers offensively late to win their game in London before the bye and will look to build on that momentum after the bye. Defense actually might be the bigger issue going forward minus Bradley Chubb.
