The Denver Broncos finished their 2025 season with an impressive 14-3 record and their first AFC West title in ages. Unfortunately, their loss to the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game was as a bitter end to a special year filled with miraculous comebacks and a penchant for winning close score games. Things didn’t pan out like Broncos Country hoped. Even so, fans across the globe should be excited about the potential of this year’s team.
With a first-place schedule in 2026, the Broncos
face a gauntlet of opponents in the first half of the upcoming season. Multiple division winners, two games against the Kansas City Chiefs, and several other playoff teams are on deck for the first two months. A Week 10 bye is a much-needed and perfectly timed respite to re-calibrate for the second half of the season. On paper, Denver’s final stretch of games appear to be more generous that the first two months of the season. But you can never underestimate any potential opponent.
There is no doubt the Broncos’ schedule this season will be a tough row to hoe. Nevertheless, they are a battle-tested and built to endure the nature of their first-place schedule. A lot of media analysts and pundits aren’t too bullish on Denver’s chances to win the AFC West or challenge for a Super Bowl title this coming season, but don’t be fooled—this team is set up to compete at a high level in ‘26—despite one of the hardest schedules in the NFL.
Continuity is key – cohesiveness matters.
A lot of fans across Broncos Country were underwhelmed with Denver’s free agency endeavors. Outside of their blockbuster trade for Jaylen Waddle, the Broncos weren’t very active at all. Instead, they opted to bring back players familiar with their offensive and defensive schemes.
Sure, it wasn’t been the most exciting off-season. However, most key starters are slated to return this season. The players on the roster are well coached and disciplined. With their backs against the wall in many games in ‘25, they had the grit and determination and found a way to win most of them. That experience matters. Coupled with another year of schematic continuity on both sides of the ball, they have what it takes to beat the top teams on their schedule.
Improved efficiency on the offensive side of the ball
With the acquisition of Waddle, the Broncos made an all-in move to help take their offense to the next level. Time will tell if the big trade pays off. I believe we will see an immediate impact from the dynamic wide receiver. He wins on all levels of the field and should help improve Denver’s deep passing game and ability to convert on key downs. Not only that, but his presence in the wide receiver room should bolster Denver’s aerial attack and also help open up play-making opportunities for those alongside him.
Additionally, they drafted Washington running back Jonah Coleman in the fourth round to help make an impact with respect to their rushing attack. Coleman has the traits and ability to produce at a high level despite being a rookie. He has a nose for the end zone and is highly efficient and productive in-between the tackles. His toughness and ability to gain yards after contact was evident on his collegiate tape and should help Denver’s ground game be more formidable in ‘26.
They also added Justin Joly and Dallen Bentley to reinforce the tight end position. It’s hard to gauge what kind of impact the aforementioned Day 3 picks can make as rookies. Though they all have traits that can translate even if it’s just on a situational basis this season. I feel both possess the ability to be difference makers in the red zone—an area they excelled at in college.
I’m also confident that we will see a rebound year from tight end Evan Engram. He wasn’t the ‘joker’ player Head Coach Sean Payton had talked last off-season, but believe he will perform better this year Last but not least, I expect Troy Franklin and Pat Bryant will to make positive strides in their development as well.
The continued ascension and development of Bo Nix
The Broncos’ ‘25 campaign will forever be a major ‘What If?’ moment in franchise history. Had Nix not suffered a devastating ankle injury on the final drive of the AFC Divisional Game against the Buffalo Bills, things very well could have played out differently. While there are those worried about his ability to play at a high level this year based on that injury [recovery concerns], I’m of the opinion the third-year signal caller will put together his best season to date.
The aforementioned additions are a big reason for that. The Broncos have a lot of talent and firepower on offense. It’s important to remember that over the past few years, there have been a lot of young players thrust into bigger roles early on—Nix was no exception. The expectations were big with him starting as a rookie in 2024, and that followed into last year as well.
I don’t think fans could have asked for much more than what we witnessed in the first two years of his career. He has outperformed a lot of other first-round quarterbacks from his class and delivered a lot of comeback victories. His moxie and swagger is infectious, and it’s clear the team has believed and rallied around him since his first professional game.
If Nix can continue to improve as a drop back passer and be more consistent inside of the pocket, we should see demonstrable improvement with the offense as a whole. The past two years, the team has had a lot of three-and-outs, and they’ve also been one of the worst teams converting on second and third and short when passing. I think Offensive Coordinator Davis Webb will be able to rectify those issues and continue to help Nix grow this year.
