After successful season, what should we expect from Broncos in 2025?

The Mile High Report staff discussed whether the Denver Broncos season was a success and what we expect from them in 2025.

Now that the Denver Broncos season has come to an end and later than we’ve grown accustomed to over the last near decade, we decided to discuss the Broncos 2024-25 season and what we expect from them next year.

I think breaking a long playoff drought is an easy ‘yes’ on the success question. Without a doubt this season — with a rookie quarterback and record dead money — was a resounding success. The real discussion then centers around what we expect from this franchise this next season.

Given we exceeded expectations, I wouldn’t be disappointed in seeing another 10-win season with a playoff berth. Though I am hoping they exceed those expectations as well. Now that we all know Bo Nix is the franchise quarterback we’ve been looking for, the focus can truly turn towards roster building. This offseason should be fun!

Here is what everyone else on our staff had to say on this topic of the 2024-25 season and future expectations.

Laurie Lattimore-Volkmann: There is no way you can say 2024 was not a success. First winning season since 2016 and first trip to the playoffs since SB50. And all this with a rookie quarterback, a tough schedule, a $90 million dead cap hit and the second-youngest NFL team. Finishing the season on another second-half collapse is disappointing, but the Bills always outmatched the Broncos, so the outcome of that game should not taint the season’s success in any way. The future is bright because the Broncos have found a franchise QB, and that was the best we could have hoped for when the 2024 season opened. The wins and playoff trip were a much-needed bonus for fans.

So that means for 2025 to be a success, there has to be even more growth – another winning season, more consistent play throughout a game, contending for the AFC West and planning on making a run in the playoffs, not just getting there.

Taylor Kothe: When your team finds a new franchise QB, your season is automatically a success. Doubling our Vegas-anticipated win total, achieving the franchise’s first winning season, AND its first playoffs appearance since SB50 were all layers of icing on that cake. And while winning vs the Bills would have been amazing, when you consider the whole context of the challenges this team faced I’d argue we’re getting down to the sprinkles on top of the icing.

For 2025, I am raptly anticipating seeing Bo Nix in his 2nd year in Sean Payton’s offense. I expect the playbook to expand significantly, especially with upgrades to the weapons around Nix, and we’ll see this young team start to mature and come into its own. Will we be true Super Bowl contenders in 2025? I don’t think you can claim that for certain, especially this far out and with the extremely stiff competition at the top of the AFC. But it’s within the range of possible outcomes, and that’s a very welcome change. And barring catastrophe, if we aren’t contenders in 2025 I expect we will be by 2026.

John Holmes: 2024 was fantastically successful. I had modest expectations at the beginning of the year. I called the front 7 the worst in the NFL, saw questions at safety and #2 cornerback, and an offense where I liked our receivers and no other position. Nik Bonito developed better than I could have imagined, Jonathan Cooper went from a great #3 edge to a good #2, Zach Allen went from great to dominant, and Malcolm Roach turned out to be the key to helping DJ Jones unlock his previous highs. Riley Moss struggled at times but showed he can be a credible outside corner and is still young with time to further develop.

On offense, my favorite two skills from a quarterback are avoiding sacks and having the instincts to throw down the field. Nix showed the first with abundance, and as the season progressed showed his guts for the second. He has a great future in Denver.

For 2025, i have loads of optimism. Denver signed all its essential free agents during the season, so this is purely a year to grow.

Ian St. Clair: As with most Broncos fans, I was cautiously optimistic heading into the 2024 season. When you have a rookie quarterback, you really have no idea what to expect. But with Sean Payton and his system to guide Bo Nix, that’s where the optimism came from. Plus the marriage of Payton and his system with Nix and his traits as a quarterback added to the excitement levels for 2024. Now that the season has concluded, it’s absolutely a success. To hit double-digit wins for the first time since 2015 and to reach the AFC Playoffs for the first time since winning Super Bowl 50 is a massive accomplishment for a franchise that was stuck in the mud for almost a decade. No one outside of Broncos Country expected anything from this team, so to accomplish both is a testament to Nix, Payton, this team, the front office, and ownership.

For the first time since Peyton Manning, the Broncos are a destination franchise again. Denver has the franchise QB, the head coach, the front office, and the wealthiest ownership in the NFL to attract free agents. I agree with Laurie on taking the next steps as a team, but I want to see what the franchise does in free agency and how aggressive it is in adding playmakers on offense (Tee Higgins, please) and shoring up the defense that really dropped off in December and the playoff game against the Bills. How the Broncos approach free agency will indicate what the expectations will be in 2025. As we sit in the middle of January, though, I’d expect Denver to take those next steps, compete in the division and make a possible deep playoff run. And how sweet is it to not have to talk about QBs? The Broncos are finally back on the right path, and it’s exciting.

Scotty Payne: Of course the season was a success. The whole point of the season was to figure out if Bo Nix is the answer or not. Thankfully, he proved he is and had himself a pretty damn good rookie season. That alone makes this season a success.

The expectations started to change after the Broncos went on a bit of a win streak while the Dolphins and Bengals all struggled. This had the Broncos sitting at the 7th seed with a healthy lead on their competition. It got tight at the end but the Broncos made it and had their first double digit win season in nearly a decade.

On top of ALL that, the Broncos had multiple Pro Bowl players and 5 All-Pros.

So let’s summarize…

• Bo Nix proving to be a Franchise QB?
• Making the playoffs?
• Winning season/10+ wins?
• Multiple Pro Bowl and All-Pro players?

Yeah, the wildcard blowout sucked but the Bills are one of the best teams while the Broncos are building to reach that point.

So, was this season a success? Of course it was. What a silly question to ask and if anyone says it wasn’t, point at them and yell “SHAME”. Did I mention they did all this with an $86 million dollar dead cap hit, a roster many called one of the weakest in the NFL, and a rookie QB the Broncos were criticized for taking when they did?

Expectations for next year are simple. You made the playoffs this year so next year the expectations are simple. Get back to the playoffs. Add in the improvements they’re expected to make this offseason and the Broncos are going to be an offseason darling team for the media.

Joe Mahoney: I wanted to see the OL improve and they did. According to ESPN, the Bronco OL was the #1 pass blocking and #1 run blocking OL.

Not only did they play well, but they re-signed both Meinerz and Bolles which should keep this OL good for years to come. Wattenberg played much better than expected for a first year starter. They did this even when they had two starters lost for significant amounts of time to injury. The backups who came in, Alex Forsyth at center and Alex Palczewski at RT, played much better than Bronco backup OL guys have in the past decade. While the PFF grades my not reflect it, the Broncos had the best OL in the NFL and that should help not only Bo Nix as he continues to get better as an NFL QB, but also whatever RB we draft to bolster the lackluster group of running backs that we had this season.

Adam Malnati: The question of whether or not the Broncos 2024 campaign was successful leads most of us to really evaluate the way the season played out. It’s not a simple yes or no. From the perspective of the final record, 10-7 is a success. Double digit wins for the first time since the Peyton Manning era was definitely something fans wanted to see from Sean Payton’s second season.

Finally making it back to the postseason, as short lived as it was, has to be a success. However, the slow collapse into the last game against a resting Kansas City Chiefs team might feel like they backed into the playoffs. Back to back losses to the Chargers and Bengals showed that the Broncos weren’t quite ready for the biggest challenge. Making it is one thing, but the playoff push was shakier than it should have been. There were struggles in the last few weeks that showed the Broncos to be a few players from truly being ready to compete. Making the playoffs is still making the playoffs, though.

The defense seemed to regress as the season went on. From my perspective, the Riley Moss injury is the turning point. It wasn’t that Moss was the more important player on the field. It was more about the game plan. It felt like Vance Joseph moved the defense to a more conservative scheme. The blitz packages changed. Zone defense was utilized more. When Moss came back, they never went back to what they had been doing before his injury. There are several factors that play into that, but they couldn’t get back to defensive dominance. Still, they lead the league in sacks. Pat Surtain II should be the DPOY. Nik Bonitto and Jonathan Cooper terrorized opposing quarterbacks. Zach Allen anchored an awesome defensive line. It has to be considered a success.The QB carousel has haunted Broncos Country since Super Bowl 50. Not anymore. Watching Bo Nix grow into a solid starter and challenge Jayden Daniels for offensive rookie of the year was fun. He made the season fun. There is only one way to assess Nix’s season, and that’s as a success.

The offense overall was better than most people expected. They were fun to watch. Was it perfect? No, but there were major highlights. Aside from Nix, Marvin Mims stands out as a player that had a breakout season. Courtland Sutton continued to be a solid WR. The offensive line was one of the best in the league. They put points on the board. Call it a success.

Did they win the Super Bowl? Nope. But did we enjoy watching football again? Hell yes!

2025 will bring a lot of expectations. The Broncos were picked to be one of the worst teams in 2024, and having overachieved in the eyes of most people, they won’t sneak up on the league. There will need to be changes to address the running game. They will need to find a way to get better play from their ILBs. The next step is competing with teams on the next tier. They have shown the ability to beat good teams, but not consistently. I expect them to make the necessary moves to help them avoid embarrassing losses like they had against Baltimore, or the loss in the playoffs to the Bills. 12 wins and a playoff win would be a great accomplishment that shows continued growth.

Editor’s Note: I thought it would be fun to see what the local AI thought of our team’s season. Here is what they had to report.

AI Analysis by Grok: The Denver Broncos’ 2024 season can be considered a success by several metrics. They finished with a 10-7 record, securing their first winning season since 2016 and clinching a playoff berth for the first time since their Super Bowl-winning season in 2015. This achievement was particularly notable given the context of their circumstances:

• They managed this record despite having the largest dead money hit in NFL history, primarily due to the release of Russell Wilson, which significantly impacted their salary cap.
• Rookie quarterback Bo Nix, who was drafted 12th overall, emerged as a potential franchise quarterback, leading the team with performances that helped secure their playoff spot. His season included setting a rookie record for touchdown passes and demonstrating significant growth throughout the year.
• The team’s defense was formidable, leading the league in sacks and performing well even against strong offensive teams, which was crucial in their success.

Regarding expectations for the 2025 season:

• Roster Development: With a projected $55 million in salary cap space and a full arsenal of draft picks, the Broncos are poised to strengthen their roster further. They could leverage this to address key areas like the offensive line or additional weapons for Nix, potentially making them even more competitive.
• Continuity and Growth: The continuity with head coach Sean Payton, who has shown the ability to cultivate a winning culture, and the development of Nix should be significant. If Nix continues to improve, as he did during the 2024 season, expectations will naturally rise for both his individual performance and the team’s overall success.
• Playoff Aspirations: Given the 2024 success, there will be heightened expectations not just to make the playoffs but to perform better once there. The team’s goal would likely shift from merely qualifying to aiming for a deeper playoff run, leveraging their young talent and the experience gained from this season.
• Challenges: Despite the optimism, the Broncos still reside in a tough division with teams like the Kansas City Chiefs, who continue to be a powerhouse. Maintaining or improving upon their 2024 performance will require strategic planning, effective free agency moves, and success in the draft.

Overall, the 2024 season was a clear success for the Denver Broncos, setting a new foundation for the team’s future. In 2025, with the right moves and continued development, there’s a strong expectation for sustained or improved performance, aiming not just for playoff qualification but for a significant impact in the postseason.

So what are you expectations from the Broncos next season? Share in the comments section below.