When the 2025 NFL league year kicked off last spring, the Denver Broncos made an immediate splash in free agency by securing Dre Greenlaw. However, the transition from playing under Kyle Shanahan to now being coached by Sean Payton hasn’t been easy for him. Only 24 hours after the Broncos’ season came to an end, he offered an honest account of his experience so far.

“It’s just two different personalities in coaches.” The Broncos’ linebacker said while speaking with Zac Stevens of DNVR. “Sean is old school. You’re going to do six days on, one day off. He’s got his way of doing things. You’re going to be practicing three hours on Wednesday and three hours on Friday.

“Shanahan, he’s the complete opposite,” he added. “He wants you fresh. So it’s just two completely different mindsets, and they both have their way of doing things, and it’s for good reasons, too. But just having that understanding of things, understanding of the defense—I mean, that was, you know, like freaking Spanish when I first saw it.”

Despite the shaky transition, he wasn’t terrible for the Broncos.

When healthy, he’s made a decent impact with 43 tackles, one sack, one interception, and one forced fumble. The bigger issue, however, was that he simply wasn’t on the field enough, appearing in just 10 of 18 games, including the postseason.

Even so, he remains appreciative of the progress he’s made with the team and the steps he’s taken as he continues to grow into his role.

Denver brought him in on a $35 million deal at the start of March last year, and his arrival sparked a renewed sense of “Orange Crush” in the Rockies. That defensive resurgence helped Sean Payton’s team finish ranked No. 2 overall, with the 28-year-old lining up alongside linebacker Nik Bonitto.

When it comes to struggling to fit into a new team, Greenlaw wasn’t the only one. Broncos safety Talanoa Hufanga shared that sentiment, having experienced much of the same himself with the team.

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Much like Greenlaw, Talanoa Hufanga, who joined the Broncos this season, is experiencing the same challenge.

The safety recently shared that the Broncos’ defense is far more complex than what he experienced in San Francisco, which forces him to rethink his approach on the field. However, that challenge was precisely why the team appealed to him in the first place.

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Before the 2025 NFL season began, Hufanga spoke about what ultimately drew him to Denver.

“It wasn’t the weather,” Hufanga said with a laugh.

Instead, it was the Broncos’ defense that was the deciding factor.

“I think for me it was definitely just a great organization first and foremost. People who are willing to buy into these guys, and they really want to grow. This defense is incredible. You look from top to bottom, and it’s just players. So for me, I just wanted to humbly come in, earn their respect, and join a crew that already did really well last year for sure.”

Undoubtedly, the numbers back it up. The Broncos finished the regular season with a standout defensive performance across 17 games. They led the NFL in sacks with 68 for 424 yards and placed sixth in defensive EPA, and limited opposing quarterbacks to the third-lowest QBR at 49.0. Under Sean Payton, the Broncos have built a strong defensive foundation. It will be intriguing to see what the team brings next season.