We have reached the final stretch before the start of the NFL regular season and optimism for the coming campaign remains high within Broncos Country.
The Denver Broncos are a trendy Super Bowl pick this year after coming close to the Big Game last season. However, much like last season, the team has many doubters, mostly related to having to play a first-place schedule and the likelihood that there won't be as many one-score wins as there were last year (11).
Rich Eisen has been previewing the upcoming season team by team and recently, on The Rich Eisen Show, he conducted his preview on the Broncos with four major questions.
Rich Eisen has four questions regarding the 2026 Broncos
1. What in the world does Sean Payton not calling the plays look like?
This is one of the biggest questions anyone has in relation to the Broncos this season. Sean Payton, whether he's the head
coach or not, has been calling plays his entire career. He has turned those duties over to Davis Webb this season, but there are many people who feel that Payton will still have a hand in it. That could be. But one thing that is being overlooked is that Webb is the guy who really has the closer relationship with Bo Nix and may have an even better understanding than Payton of the best situations to put him in.
Webb as the play-caller could be what makes or breaks the Broncos in 2026, but it should be seen as a major positive, at least to start the season.
2. The Waddle Effect
The biggest addition to the roster the Broncos made this offseason, by far, was trading for wide receiver Jaylen Waddle. Having an explosive player on offense was the team's biggest glaring need over the last couple of seasons and the team addressed that.
"What burst to the offense will we see from No. 17?" asked Eisen. "The Broncos have not really had anyone like him... in the Sean Payton world."
It is exciting to look forward to what Waddle can bring this team in terms of offensive production, but ultimately, how his presence improves the players around him by opening things up will determine his ultimate value.
3. Can the Broncos defense hit 70 sacks?
The Broncos have led the league in sacks in each of the last two seasons and last year they finished with a huge number of 68. The all-time record for sacks in a season is held by the 1984 Chicago Bears, who had 72.
The absence of Jonathon Cooper, and how long that lasts, will have a huge impact on whether or not the Broncos can threaten 70 sacks this season.
4. Can Bo Nix year 3 make him an MVP finalist?
A lot of people will answer this question with an immediate "no," as there is this belief by many detractors that Bo Nix isn't that good and the Broncos win games in spite of him. That's simply not true. Nix is the only quarterback in NFL history with 50+ passing touchdowns and 10+ scrimmage touchdowns in his first two years in the league. John Elway didn't do that. Josh Allen didn't do that. No one else has ever done that.
The best players on the best teams are the guys who are in the league MVP conversation, so there is no reason to think that Nix won't be in that discussion if the Broncos have another season like they did in 2025.
Eisen also made a statement Broncos fans will like after learning that seven teams (the Bills, Ravens, Chiefs, Chargers, Bengals, Texans, and Patriots) have better odds of reaching the Super Bowl than Denver does.
"With all due respect to the seven teams there, that's nuts," quipped Eisen.
Agreed. Let the season begin.
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This article originally appeared on Broncos Wire: Rich Eisen previews Broncos’ season with 4 burning questions
