Even after playing all 16 games in 2018 for the first time in four seasons, Derek Wolfe heard the chatter that tends to surround a veteran player entering a contract year.

“You know, (the critics) were like, ‘Oh, maybe he’s getting old,’ this and that,” Wolfe recalled. “My response was like, ‘Eh, I’m not even 30 years old yet, so, that’s not very old. We’ll see.”

A 29-year-old defensive end could qualify as “old” in football age to some, but Wolfe is playing with renewed vigor while putting together arguably the best season of any Broncos player. His five sacks lead Denver and are one shy of a career-high set during his rookie year in 2012. He also has 3.5 knockdowns, 4 pressures, 27 total tackles and a forced fumble.

Wolfe said an offseason filled with boxing and balance training prepared him for his big season. And besides battling through an ankle injury suffered in Week 3, the former Cincinnati star has stayed healthy. His neck issues cost him seven games across 2016 and 2017 before eventually resulting in career-saving surgery late that year.

“Getting myself back and having a full offseason was huge for me,” Wolfe said. “I had some injuries, but I got the neck fixed and last year when I played every game, I felt like I had a good season except for the fact that I couldn’t bring the quarterback down.”

This year, his ability to finish plays in the pocket is drawing the praise of teammates.

“Having a guy on the line who can consistently get sacks, we know what that can do to a defense as a whole — it gives us more energy,” defensive back Will Parks said. “For Wolfe to come along and start to get his playmaking ability on an all-time high in year eight, that’s big, and it speaks to the work he’s done throughout the offseason and the coaches putting him in positions to make plays.”

To that end, defensive coordinator Ed Donatell noted Wolfe “fits our scheme”, and linebacker Von Miller — who, in contrast to Wolfe, is on pace for a career-low sack total in a full season — agreed. Wolfe, Miller noted, remains a key reason why the Broncos’ defense is the strength of the team.

“This defense is perfect for Derek Wolfe and everything that he’s doing,” Miller said. “He’s a great player. He’s been a great player. Now, he’s taking advantage of all the opportunities that he’s getting (with Fangio’s play-calling) and I’m happy for his success.”

Wolfe’s four-year, $36.7 million deal is up at the end of the season. He made it clear he wants to finish his career with the Broncos.

“That’s the goal — to try to stay on one team and finish my career in Denver,” Wolfe said. “But obviously I’m not in control of that. All I can control is the way I play. But to retire a Bronco, that would be a dream.”

With the way Wolfe is playing at an “old” age this year, it’s fair to say that dream is plausible and that he’ll be offered another contract by the Broncos after the season.

Until then? Wolfe knows the Denver rush defense, which has climbed from 30th to 17th in the NFL over the past five weeks, still has plenty of room for growth. He plans on continuing to anchor that improvement Sunday in Minnesota, against the NFL’s leading rusher, Dalvin Cook.

“We still want to stop the run better than we have, especially there at the beginning of the year,” Wolfe said. “We’ve started to climb back up (the rankings) in that rush average, but we want to try to finish in the top five.”