Broncos forgotten 2025 4th-round edge rusher named as breakout candidate

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Broncos forgotten 2025 4th-round edge rusher named as breakout candidate originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Denver Broncos were so close to the Super Bowl this past season, as their elite defense couldn't carry the poor offense after Jarrett Stidham took over for Bo Nix following a massively unfortunate injury.

Heading into the 2026 season, there is plenty of optimism for the Broncos on both sides of the ball. While the offense has added Jaylen Waddle, the elite Denver defense might actually take a step back due to the loss of John Franklin-Myers.

But, with Jonathon Cooper's off-field issues, some edge rusher will have to step up and help out this defense. Nick Kosmider of The Athletic, in naming a breakout candidate for the Broncos in 2026, called out forgotten 2025 4th-rounder Que Robinson as the breakout candidate and the player who could help out along the edge for Denver.

Que Robinson named as Broncos breakout candidate​

"Robinson, a 2025 fourth-round pick out of Alabama, played sparingly as a rookie on Denver's deep defense, but he made a lasting impression during his appearance in the AFC Championship Game by chasing down Drake Maye and pulling down the Patriots quarterback by the shoulders for a sack," Kosmider writes.

The Broncos' fourth-rounder from a year ago had one big moment all year long, but for the most part, he was an afterthought. But he won't be this upcoming season.

Since the Cooper off-field issues came up, Robinson's expected role on the defense only grew. He was likely to see more work anyway as a natural progression of a Day 3 draft pick, but now he might be a bit more key.

Robinson, the 134th overall pick from the 2025 NFL Draft, played in just six regular-season games during his rookie season. He recorded one pass defended, a 0.5 sack, 12 tackles, and three tackles for loss with three quarterback hits.

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He had one sack in the playoffs with three tackles, only playing in the AFC Championship Game, not the Divisional Round.

Overall, Robinson played just 150 snaps during the regular season and was not much of a factor. That will change this upcoming season.

Kosmider named him a breakout candidate, and for good reason. He has plenty of potential, but on a great defense, he didn't have much of a chance to show it.

Now, with his role likely to increase, it wouldn't be a surprise if Robinson had a big 2026 season for the Broncos' defense. Que Robinson might not be forgotten anymore after 2026, as he could be a key part of an elite defense with a breakout season.

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