Stupid question, but that’s how one sports analyst is deciding the Broncos’ production from 2024 will drop off this coming season.
Good morning, Broncos Country!
CBS Sports’ Jeff Kerr doesn’t have too much confidence in Bo Nix and the Broncos next season.
Denver made his list of ‘Five teams poised to take a major fall’ in 2025.
“Replicating the No. 1 pass rush from last season will be very difficult, especially from a team that finished with 63 sacks and five players who had 5+ sacks last season. The Broncos need more production from their running backs and better blocking up front to take the pressure off Nix too.”
He added that while the Broncos may not have the “brutal slate” of games this coming season as last, road trips to the Texans, Eagles and Commanders will be a handful, along with the usual competition in the AFC West.
“Winning 10 games is possible for Denver, but it will be tough for the Broncos to match that win total and go back to the playoffs.”
Kerr did backpedal a bit from his “take a major fall” headline by saying the Broncos’ dive in 2025 may just be a small one.
“The Broncos deserve all the credit in the world for winning 10 games and making the playoffs with a rookie quarterback in Bo Nix. The last-season slide never happened as Denver held off a late Cincinnati charge to make the playoffs, snapping an eight-season playoff drought. Nix protected the football throughout the year while showing the big-play capability with his arm, especially late in the year.”
So this is why reporters who don’t really cover a team should not even try in the offseason.
Of course, the defensive production last season was amazing and may be hard to replicate. At the same time, with the core of defenders returning and the ability to add more talent and strength in the offseason, the “drop-off” doesn’t have to be monumental — or even a thing at all.
And on the flip side, why would we assume Nix and the offense wouldn’t take a step forward after a year of NFL experience, a year of chemistry and again, the likelihood of adding more talent? I’m counting on it and have no reason to believe otherwise.
The other team’s on Kerr’s list were Pittsburgh (yes), Indianapolis (likely), Minnesota (possibly) and Washington (what?)
Predicting number of wins is a fool’s errand and shouldn’t be the only barometer for determining if a team has improved over a previous year. But if the 2024 Broncos got 10 wins out of a really tough schedule and a rookie QB — not to mention an insane dead cap hit — I see only better things happening in 2025.
Eddie Mac knows
During Super Bowl Week on Radio Row, Ed McCaffrey spoke with Steve Atwater about the Broncos’ season and Bo Nix, and he, of course, had a much better read on the team. Granted, it was Eddie Mac, who is a stud and also knows his Broncos.
But he also had some great insight.
Recalling that the last time he got to cover the Broncos in the playoffs was SB50 — “which was a pretty fun game” — McCaffrey believes from ownership to the coach to the QB, the Broncos are headed in the right direction.
“Beating the Chiefs — and I know they didn’t play their starters — but beating the Chiefs, the team that has been to five of the last six Super Bowls, to get into the playoffs was a major milestone,” he said. “It gives our team hope.”
He also pointed out that every team he was on, even the Broncos, drafted wide receivers in the first round. It’s just the way it is if you want the team to get better.
“The way you make a team and play and contribute and win championships is by continually bringing in talent to compete for those positions. And guess what? It’s hard but it’s fair,” he added. “If you want to be the guy, be the guy. Be the best player on the field at your position. It’s that competition and bringing in great talent at every position that allows a team to win championships.”
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