After securing their first playoff berth in ages, the Denver Broncos enter the third year of the Sean Payton era. Here is what he and the front office need to do make next season and beyond even more successful.
The Denver Broncos 2024 season saw the franchise win 10 games and secure its first playoff berth since winning Super Bowl 50 nearly a decade ago. That’s a gigantic step forward from where they have been the past several seasons—the doldrums. Moreover, I believe it’s emblematic of even better gridiron days for Broncos Country to enjoy on the horizon.
This offseason, the Broncos are preparing for their third year under the leadership of Sean Payton. The team’s recent success has led to a myriad of coaches and personnel executives earning promotions elsewhere. While a handful of those vacancies are yet to be filled, those should be finalized in the coming weeks with the annual scouting combine occurring later this week.
With free agency right around the corner and the 2025 NFL Draft just down the road, the Broncos’ brass will be busy over the next two months crafting up ways to make next season even more successful. It’s the first offseason in many years where they don’t have one major problem to solve at the quarterback position.
All things considered; Bo Nix performed quite well during his rookie season and exceeded a lot of outside expectations and prognostications. He has more than earned multiple more years of evaluation and I certainly believe his best football is yet to come. However, I do have some concerns about his supporting cast heading into next season and long-term.
A rookie season for the record books. pic.twitter.com/dOBRLyqleg
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) February 5, 2025
While the team boasts a lot of young talent on that side of the ball, it’s reasonable to say they don’t have an X-Factor on the roster. They lack a Ja’Marr Chase, Saquon Barkley, or Brock Bowers—the type of players at those positions who can take over a game at a moment’s notice.
That’s why the major quest ahead for Payton and the Broncos’ brass this offseason is finding that ‘joker’ player to take his offense to the next level. In his time in New Orleans, players like Jimmy Graham, Alvin Kamara, and Michael Thomas would have earned that designation. In their best seasons in the NFL under Payton’s tutelage, they put up some of the best numbers at their respective positions.
Perhaps that player is a receiver set to hit free agency or one on a roster that could be available via trade. Names like Cooper Kupp, Garrett Wilson, and Davante Adams have been floated as potential options and fits the Broncos could wind up pursuing. But with just under $35 million in cap space and plenty of needs to address, it’s reasonable to assume Denver may go the draft route instead.
In that regard, they’re certainly in luck. Two of the premier strengths of the 2025 NFL Draft class are at running back and tight end. Those are definitely groups Payton and his staff will be looking to upgrade. The usual suspects in mock drafts are Ashton Jeanty, Colston Loveland, and Tyler Warren. I have little doubt they are great fits for Denver, but there is a good shot none of them are on the board at #20 overall where the Broncos are scheduled to pick.
But don’t worry, there are plenty of other prospects that will wind up being high-volume snap share earners in their rookie seasons at those positions as we’ve discussed in my Future Broncos segments over the past months. With four picks in the Top 125, the franchise is poised to make a splash in this year’s draft. If there is anything we have learned in the first two years of Payton’s rein in the Mile High City, it’s that he will do whatever’s necessary to set his team up for success.
The Broncos’ offense made a lot of strides last season, but just think of how much better they will be next year with a handful of dynamic playmakers added across the board to give Nix the help he needs? I’m confident he and his staff will leave no stone unturned in their pursuit of a joker to propel their offensive endeavors to greater heights. And who knows—maybe they’ll get lucky and find more than one. Wouldn’t that be sweet?