Five Things for the Broncos to do Before Next Season

One of the Broncos biggest flaws was put on display last week. In the snow, neither team was able to throw the ball well. This meant both teams had to heavily rely on the run to move the ball on offense. The Broncos’ lead back, RJ Harvey, carried the ball 13 times for just 37 yards in the game. His backup, Jaleel McLaughlin, had 4 carries for 11 yards. As a team, the Broncos averaged only 3.3 yards per rush. This lack of success on the ground made it impossible for the Broncos’ offense to find success. Across the season, the Broncos’ rushing attack was not bad, but it proved to be untrustworthy in the most important moments. The Broncos’ run game is also a factor in their inability to finish drives. They ranked 21st in the league in touchdown percentage on red zone drives at 55.56%. One of the problems for the Broncos in the red zone was that they did not have the ability to run the ball down the defense’s throat and get in the end zone. An important decision for the Broncos to make this offseason is whether or not to re-sign JK Dobbins. He was the Broncos best rusher this year with 772 yards and 4 touchdowns, but he got injured in November and is an unrestricted free agent now that the season is over. It is undeniable that Dobbins was productive this season, but injuries like this have been common throughout his career, and it might be costly for the Broncos to bring him back. If Denver does not re-sign Dobbins, they will need to look somewhere else, whether it’s in the draft or somewhere else, to bolster their rushing attack.

The running backs are not the only skill position group on offense that can be improved. The Broncos do not have an elite wide receiver or tight end that can always be relied upon. Bo Nix and Sean Payton were able to make do with many different guys getting the ball on offense, but the Broncos could make a huge leap if they added a clear number one receiving threat. Last year, Denver signed tight end Evan Engram, thinking he could be a consistent, reliable target. He ended up being an underwhelming addition to the Broncos’ offense, amassing only 461 yards and one touchdown all year. Currently, the best receiver on the team is Courtland Sutton. He finished the year with over 1,000 yards, which was enough to put him in the top 15 of all receivers across the league. However, across the two playoff games, he had just 7 receptions for 70 yards and one touchdown. He did not step up at the most important moments of the year, for Bo Nix or Jarrett Stidham. The roster currently has depth. The players there are sufficient for a quarterback like Bo Nix to lead an offense to a successful year; however, if the Broncos want to eventually win the Super Bowl, it is critical that they find one or two weapons who will step up and take over a game for the team at the biggest moments.

Last week’s game proved the value of Bo Nix to this team. Jarrett Stidham struggled to achieve anything on offense. Throughout the season, some fans questioned whether Bo Nix was really a difference maker, or if the rest of the team made it what it was. In the AFC Championship, it was clear that Bo Nix would have helped the team tremendously. Stidham did not have the ability to run the ball or create plays when they needed to happen that Bo Nix would have. In fact, it was the legs of Patriots’ quarterback Drake Maye that made the key plays of the game happen. In addition, Stidham had a devastating fumble on a botched play in the second quarter to give New England the ball in the red zone. The play was not his fault, but a better quarterback like Nix would have safely gotten rid of the ball before disaster struck.

Down the line, the Broncos need to do what they can to protect Nix. They need to ensure he comes back healthy next year and is put in a position where he can thrive. This includes finding him new weapons and possibly even letting him have some say in where the team goes from here.

Another thing for the Broncos to consider is letting Sean Payton take a back seat as the offensive play caller. He was not ineffective at the job, but there may be better things for him to do on gameday, and someone else within the organization would likely be able to step up and fill that role. Payton could still control some of the big picture things on offense, but he does not need to be hyper-focused on every play for the team to run. One of the biggest moments of the AFC Championship game was when Payton decided to go for a fourth down and one within field goal range and got stopped. Had the Broncos kicked a field goal, they would have been up 10-0 at that moment. Then, later on in the game, when the snow almost completely stopped both offenses, they would have been in a tie game and could have gone into overtime. Sean Payton is still the right man for the job of being the team’s head coach, but he could take on a different role and help the team from a broader perspective on Sundays.

The Broncos may already be considering this. They already fired their offensive coordinator from last year, Joe Lombardi, and fans are speculating that they might try to promote Davis Webb, the team’s quarterbacks coach and offensive pass game coordinator, to replace him. It is possible that another team will hire Webb away as their offensive coordinator, or even head coach, but it is unlikely that the Broncos will not make an effort to keep him. Either way, it is clear that they are already changing their offensive leadership.

The Denver Broncos have an elite defense. Led by stars like Patrick Surtain II and Nik 

Bonito, they ranked second in the league in terms of yards allowed per game this season. However, if there is one area for improvement, it is in the linebackers. The pass rush is led by the duo of Nik Bonito and Jonathon Cooper, as well as Zach Allen on the inside. Surtain is one of the best corners in the league, and Talanoa Hufanga and PJ Locke make an excellent safety duo. The middle of that defense is not as strong. Last offseason, the Broncos added Dre Greenlaw, who had previously been a star for the San Francisco 49ers. However, he was unable to see the field much. He played just eight games, an issue that has become constant for him. One of the main problems with the Broncos current linebacker core is their coverage ability. The Broncos were in the top ten in receiving yards allowed to tight ends, a position primarily covered by linebackers. In addition to Denver’s current problems at the position, Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad, the other two highest linebackers on the depth chart, are both unrestricted free agents going into next season, at risk of going somewhere else. At the 30th pick in the 2026 draft, many people think the Broncos might look to add a running back there. 

This is not the Broncos’ most pressing need, and they should prioritize offensive additions. However, if Denver ignores the few holes in their defense, it can and will hurt them down the line.