Coming off an impressive 2025 campaign, though an effort that ultimately fell short of their ultimate goal, the Denver Broncos are preparing for the upcoming season. They are back to square one, a fresh slate so to speak, doing whatever it takes to embark on the arduous task of competing for the franchise’s fourth Lombardi Trophy.
The franchise made some outside additions via free agency and trade, but mostly opted for a theme of continuity, bringing back most every free agent from last year’s squad.
Additionally, they selected a handful of rookie players via the 2026 NFL Draft that should round out their depth and make them even more formidable in ’26.
After last season’s success, the Broncos on paper have a first-place schedule and a tough gauntlet of opponents to start the year. There is no doubt Denver is more talented now than they were at this point last year, but things can change on a dime in the NFL. With training camp on the horizon for teams across the league, NFL.com senior writer Kevin Patra outlined his case for the Broncos, as well the other teams in the division, for being able to earn the AFC West crown in 2026.
With respect to Denver, Patra had high praise for third-year quarterback Bo Nix and mentioned his penchant for comeback victories. If healthy, he believes Nix will continue to improve and be the engine that keeps the Broncos’ offense chugging along. He also notes the addition of wideout Jaylen Waddle will help take Denver’s offense to the next level and help out some of the inconsistencies the wide receiver corps had last season.
Defensively, Patra highlighted Denver’s fierce pass rush and ability to get after the quarterback. Coupled with a formidable front seven, he also touted the Broncos’ secondary, which has the starting talent and depth to make them one of, if not the best backend group in the National Football League. Last but not least, he gave praise to Head Coach Sean Payton and mentions the team can still get better under his tutelage and leadership.
On the flip side, he noted some areas of concern that could inhibit the Broncos from earning back-to-back AFC West titles. A big if would be relative to Nix’s health. There is certainly a chance there could be a setback from his ankle injury which could prove to be cataclysmic for Denver’s division chances. On top of that, he mentions the loss of John Franklin-Myers and potential of Jonathon Cooper missing time having a negative impact on defense.
One curious case he made against them was Payton giving up play-calling duties to Offensive Coordinator Davis Webb. While many fans in Broncos Country think this is a wise decision, Patra seems to believe it could end up with adverse consequences and limit Denver’s offensive potential this coming season. I don’t think that is going to be an issue at all. In fact, I think we will see a bit more creativity on offense with Webb getting his first shot at calling plays.
Overall, I think Patra makes a lot of good points for and against. One area of divergence on my end would be with respect to the running game. I’m more concerned with Denver’s ability to keep the running game strong and am worried about J.K. Dobbins’ health. However, Jonah Coleman shouldn’t have an issue hitting the ground running as a rookie if tasked.
Relative to concerns, I do think Denver may experience some regression in the pass rushing department with the loss of Franklin-Myers and a looming Cooper suspension. It’s not likely they will amass the 68 sacks they did last year, but they still should be among the best in the NFL. Though I don’t believe depth is an issue like Pata remarked.
The combination of Sai’vion Jones and Tyler Onyedim has a lot of promise. On top of that, Denver’s depth at edge can help alleviate that concern. Jonah Elliss and Dondrea Tillman have flashed when given the opportunity and second-year player Que Robinson has a lot of potential. The Broncos’ defense coaching staff has proven they can plug in just about anyone up front and get the job done. I’m confident that will be the case again this season.
What do you think, Broncos Country? Do you believe the Broncos have a good shot to earn back-to-back AFC West titles? Do you have similar reasons for optimism or concern? Sound off in the comments section and let me know what you think.
