Barton is set to take over a three-down role after fellow Broncos linebacker Alex Singleton (knee) suffered a season-ending ACL tear in Sunday's 26-7 win over the Buccaneers.

Barton is also expected to take over relaying play calls to the rest of the defense, which was previously part of Singleton's responsibilities. Barton has 13 tackles (five solo) through three games, but he's well positioned to bolster his tackle totals moving forward.