3 Broncos players making it easy to say goodbye in 2025 offseason

The Denver Broncos are making a run here late in the 2024 season and they have a great chance of reaching the playoffs for the first time since they won Super Bowl 50 back in the 2015-16 campaign. Even with the team absolutely destroying the expectations and narratives of national pundits, there's no doubt that the roster still has holes and still has players they won't be sad to move on from next offseason.

With just a handful of games left to play in 2024, it's clear that there are a few players, in particular, who may already have one foot out the door. We've seen the Broncos take a pretty cutthroat approach to guys not living up to their end of the bargain, cutting the likes of wide receiver Josh Reynolds, tight end Greg Dulcich, running back Samaje Perine, wide receiver Tim Patrick, and others.

Which players are making it easy for the team to say goodbye in 2025?

Javonte Williams among players Broncos won't have a hard time watching leave in 2025

1. Javonte Williams, running back

The one aspect of moving on from Javonte Williams that will be difficult in the 2025 offseason is the fact that he was a 2nd-round pick as recently as the 2021 NFL Draft. Not only that, but it will sting to think about what could have been, given the fact that Williams was outstanding as a rookie and one of the best in the league immediately at creating yardage after contact.

Unfortunately, an injury suffered in the 2022 season has tremendously affected the best parts of Williams's overall game, and the Broncos are not getting the type of production from him that they need in order to justify bringing him back.

Javonte is an unrestricted free agent in 2025 and even though he's only going to be 25 next year, he would have to have an incredible run here at the end of the 2024 season for the team to even consider bringing him back. It feels much more likely that the Broncos will pivot to rookie Audric Estimé for the final four games of the regular season and hopefully the playoffs after that.

In 23 of his last 29 games, Williams has averaged less than four yards per carry. It's no wonder the Broncos went after Josh Jacobs in 2024 free agency. The running back position will be an intriguing area of focus in 2025.

2. Levi Wallace, cornerback

It really never felt like Levi Wallace was going to be anything more than a camp body, but there was some discussion about whether or not the veteran and former Alabama corner was going to start opposite Pat Surtain II this offseason.

Thankfully, the Broncos got the development they needed from second-year player Riley Moss. Moss has been outstanding this season and is currently on the shelf with a minor knee injury. Wallace came in as a replacement on Monday Night Football against the Cleveland Browns, and was consistently picked on before ultimately getting benched when the Browns were down just two points late in the 4th quarter.

The Broncos replaced the struggling Wallace with rookie Kris Abrams-Draine, and if Wallace remains on the roster in 2024, he's one of those players who won't be difficult to say goodbye to in 2025. The Broncos have plenty of young players under contract at the cornerback position who should be getting snaps ahead of Wallace at this point, including Abrams-Draine, who could be in line for more work with the playoffs looming.

3. Lil'Jordan Humphrey, wide receiver

This is a bit of a sensitive subject, because there are a number of things Lil'Jordan Humphrey does quite well. Namely, one of the things Humphrey does well is block in the running game.

He is clearly one of Sean Payton's "guys" and there's nothing wrong with that. With that in mind, however, the Broncos should be on the lookout for upgrades in the 2025 offseason at the wide receiver position and they shouldn't be compromising just to keep Humphrey around. There is a reason why they've been able to stash him on the practice squad at times over the last couple of years.

While Humphrey has made some nice plays in Denver, he's also got far too many drops and fumbles and it's head-scratching when there are plays designed specifically to go to him. There have been flashes from Humphrey after the catch, but the Broncos can do better on the depth chart here and if Humphrey is replaced in 2025, I don't think a lot of Denver fans will be upset about it barring a heroic run here at the end of the seaosn.