The Lead
Through Week 12 of the 2024 season, defensive tackle Malcolm Roach is having a career year.
But for the fifth-year player — who entered the NFL as a college free agent in 2020 — there's no secret to the productivity. With more experience has come more consistency and more on-field success.
"I feel like if you look at my stats over my whole career, every year [I've gotten] better and better," Roach said. "And this year, I feel like I'm having a more complete year with stopping the run and rushing the passer."
Before arriving in Denver earlier this year, Roach spent four seasons with the New Orleans Saints. During that time, he appeared in 41 games — with 5 starts — and recorded 90 tackles with one sack, one interception and four passes defensed.
Through just 12 weeks of his first season of Denver, Roach has already recorded a career-best 15 solo tackles and 2.5 sacks. After a strong performance in Week 12, during which Roach recorded a sack, two quarterback hits, one tackle for loss and a fumble recovery, he is eager to embrace the opportunity for even more this season. For Roach, the energy and work ethic of Denver's defensive unit — which ranks first in the league in sacks (44) and third in yards allowed per game (296.0) — has been an important part of a team culture that has allowed him to improve as a player and can continue to fuel him moving forward.
"You [can] tell [we've] got a group of guys that love coming to work together," Roach said. "That's the biggest thing. And when you get to this level, [one] of the hardest things it to get guys to play hard on a consistent basis. ... I think one thing you [can] tell [is that] we really love playing with each other, because we play hard for each other. People running to the ball, making that extra effort, things like that. Putting their body on the line. That's one thing I could really tell about the personality of our group. We love coming to work and competing with each other."
Roach has also found working with Defensive Coordinator Vance Joseph to be a difference-maker, and he described his relationship with the coach as a "great match." Both Joseph and Roach are from Louisiana, a commonality that Roach said has allowed the two to understand one another and communicate effectively both on and off the field.
"With V.J., man, when I first came in, the first thing he told me is, '[We're going to] let you be you,'" Roach said. "V.J. being from New Orleans, me being from Louisiana, it was kind of like he understood my personality. He understood certain things I do, certain things I say and what I mean what I say it. He lets me be myself and he lets me talk to the guys … and it's not just me. He lets everybody be [themselves]."
Roach has seen this coaching style and these relationships translate to on-field success, and he looks forward to seeing the trust continue to grow as the Broncos look ahead to their final stretch of games this season.
"He does a great job of finding a way to get us in one-on-one situations," Roach said. "At the end of the day, he says, 'I'm going to put you in the situation,' and it's on us to go win. I feel like this season we've been doing a great job with that."
