The Denver Broncos showed some amazing flashes on offense during the 2025 season, but their overall efforts landed them in the middle of the pack in almost every offensive category. This offseason, the Broncos made a big splash by adding wide receiver Jaylen Waddle into the mix, as well as drafting players to shore up their backfield, tight end group, and offensive line.
In order to compete at a high level and make their Super Bowl dreams come true, Denver needs to find a way to be more consistent
offensively. The aforementioned moves should help accomplish that. Moreover, I’m optimistic Offensive Coordinator Davis Webb will find a way to help them be more efficient. Nevertheless, they still have to prove themselves on the field.
That means executing better on third downs, drastically improving their three-and-out woes, and finding a way to consistently run the ball and take some weight off Bo Nix’s shoulders. Without further ado, here are my offensive position group rankings for the upcoming season. Feel free to give yours in the comments section.
#1: The Offensive Line
Football games are won in the trenches. Thankfully, the Broncos boast one of the best offensive lines in the National Football League and have good depth. With multiple All-Pro and Pro-Bowl players, Denver’s linemen up front have done a fantastic job protecting Bo Nix and paving ample rushing lanes for Denver’s running backs.
Garett Bolles, the elder statesman of the franchise, continues to play at a high level as his Ring of Fame career rolls along. Mike McGlinchey, a key free agent signing from a few years ago, has finally ended Denver’s longstanding revolving door at the right tackle position. They have proven themselves to be one of the top tackle duos in the NFL.
A road grader and bully at right guard, Quinn Meinerz continues his ascent as one of the league’s best offensive linemen. Center Luke Wattenberg impressed last year with healthy and took a major jump as a player. Whether Ben Powers or Alex Palcezwski win the left guard job, I feel comfortable with their ability to play well on a weekly basis.
This is a well-rounded group and one that deserves a lot of credit for the franchise’s quick turnaround the past few seasons. I have no doubts they will perform well as a group this season and help pave the way for another double-digit win season.
#2: The Wide Receivers
Ranking Denver’s wide receiver corps as the second-best position group on offense will certainly raise a few eyebrows. Last season, the group made a lot of big plays in big moments. Alas, they struggled with drops and game-to-game consistency which resulted in a lot of stalled drives and missed scoring opportunities.
Even so, I believe Waddle’s addition will help unleash the potential of this group in ‘26. He’s a threat down the field and is extremely effective creating yards after the catch. It’s been a long time since Denver has had two receivers top the 1,000-yard mark, but Jaylen and Courtland Sutton appear poised to do that for the Broncos in ‘26. If all goes as planned, they could be one of the most productive wide receiver duos in the NFL.
Marvin Mims Jr., Troy Franklin, and Pat Bryant are all talented wideouts with very different playing styles. It’s hard to theorize the trio’s potential target share given Waddle’s presence. However, the best we can hope for is that we see increased explosive plays and that they take advantage of the opportunities and looks they are given. I’m confident that at least one of them will play a significant role in helping Denver’s offense become a Top 10 unit this season.
#3: The Quarterbacks
Entering his third year leading the Broncos on the gridiron, Bo Nix has arguably been the most productive rookie from the 2024 NFL Draft class. Nix touts a penchant for game-winning drives and fourth quarter heroics. His Houdini-like ability to evade pressure and avoid sacks has been a welcomed sight for sore eyes after seeing Russell Wilson take too many bad sacks in his time in Denver.
By all accounts, Nix has surpassed almost any expectation I had of him once he was drafted. He hasn’t been perfect, but the production and wins speak for themselves. That being said, my biggest concern for the team in ’26 is how he will recover and perform after his devastating ankle injury against the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Divisional Playoff game.
So much of his game is predicated on his ability to roll out of the pocket and make plays on the move. Will his ankle injury inhibit or limit that? Potentially. Which means he has to take a big leap as a pocket passer, especially operating over the middle of the field.
For as much as I’ve been thrilled with Nix, that is an area he has struggled at since his collegiate days at Auburn and Oregon. If he can improve demonstrably in that regard, the offense will be much more efficient. At that point in time, he will certainly merit consideration as one of the league’s best signal callers.
#4: The Running Backs
The Broncos had one of the better rushing attacks for about half of last season. Unfortunately, things spiraled downward when J.K. Dobbins suffered a season ending Lisfranc injury in Week 10 versus the Las Vegas Raiders. RJ Harvey was a dual-threat player last season and led all rookies in total touchdowns and amassed nearly 1,000 all-purpose yards. Though his vision and consistency as a runner was a struggle throughout the year.
In order to help their ground game in ‘26, Denver drafted Washington standout Jonah Coleman in the fourth round of the 2026 NFL Draft. He is a touchdown scoring machine, a tough runner with a low center of gravity, and has great vision in patience. In the event Dobbins were to have any setbacks with injury, I’m confident Coleman could step in immediately and be an asset for the team.
With Coleman’s addition to the squad, that likely means one of Tyler Badie and Jaleel McLaughlin, will be suiting up in a different uniform for the upcoming season. Regardless of how that shakes out, I believe Denver’s top trio of running backs will be more productive this year compared to ‘25.
#5: The Tight Ends
For quite some time now, the Broncos have been without a top-flight player at the tight end position. I’m not “down” on this group as a whole, but it’s certainly the one that has the most room for improvement. All of Broncos Country was hopeful Evan Engram would prove to be the ‘Joker’ Head Coach Sean Payton touted him as all of last offseason. Alas, that never came to fruition and Engram’s first year in the Mile High City wound up being quite forgettable.
Instead of pursuing an outside addition to the squad, the team opted for continuity at the position. Well-versed in Payton’s system, veteran tight end Adam Trautman to be their main man at the ‘Y’ for the season. Additionally, every other player that saw snaps last year is set to compete for a spot during training camp and the preseason.
Denver also added NC State standout Justin Joly and Utah’s Dallen Bentley on Day 3 of this year’s draft. I’m not sure how much to expect from either as rookies. However, I do believe Joly has the talent to be consistent contributor at the position in time. He seems like a viable replacement for Engram, with Bentley offering a skillset more similar to Trautman’s, but with a little bit more receiving potential.
