The Denver Broncos have been picked by many to be one of the best teams in the NFL this coming season, despite plenty of doubters still existing.
The Broncos were the AFC's top seed last season and it took blizzard conditions and not having their starting quarterback in the AFC title game to keep them out of the Super Bowl. However, having to play a first-place schedule and the fact that they won 11 games by one score last season are among the main reasons why many feel the team will take a step back this season.
ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith recently named his top five teams with less than a week before Week 1 kicks off. He has the Broncos on that list, coming in at the No. 3 position.
"Rams, Seahawks, Broncos, Bills, Cowboys."@stephenasmith shares
his top five NFL teams 👀 pic.twitter.com/WayifaD2xN
— First Take (@FirstTake) September 3, 2026
"This is the team that should have been in the Super Bowl to be quite honest," said Smith. "Bo Nix is back. That defense with 68 sacks is back. They got Jaylen Waddle there now. Gotta give love where it's due, Denver's a top-three team."
Smith ranks the Broncos as the best team in the AFC ahead of the Buffalo Bills. The only teams ahead of them in his rankings are the Seattle Seahawks and the Los Angeles Rams, the two teams many expect to be battling in the NFC for the right to get to the Super Bowl.
The Broncos have a lot of believers; now it's time to go out and prove them right.
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This article originally appeared on Broncos Wire: Stephen A. Smith reveals his top 5 NFL teams (including the Broncos)
