With the 2025 NFL Draft looming, we can't help but wonder which Denver Broncos players already on the roster could be in line to fill some of the team's more pressing areas of need in 2025. Although it was a bit out of necessity (with $90 million in dead cap) we saw the Broncos take a very economical approach to filling needs in 2024, even putting their faith in some young recent draft picks who had proven absolutely nothing.
The prime example of this is Riley Moss, who was injured and used primarily on special teams as a rookie before getting thrown into the starting lineup last year as a second-year player. The cornerback position was perceived from the outside as a need whereas the Broncos internally felt like Moss could fill that role capably.
And he did.
So who could be this year's version of Riley Moss elsewhere on the roster?
3 players already on the Broncos roster who could fill massive needs in 2025
1. Troy Franklin, wide receiver
There's no doubt that the Denver Broncos have high hopes in Troy Franklin for the future. The 2024 fourth-round pick out of Oregon was not only active for the team's playoff return against the Buffalo Bills last year, but he was actually featured on the opening drive of the game.
And he made the biggest play of the game for the Broncos.
Although the excitement of returning to the postseason was short-lived for the Broncos, Franklin's breakthrough in that game was certainly notable. The Broncos have stated publicly that they had a 2nd-round grade on Franklin last year and they felt like he was worth taking where they got Jonah Elliss, but Elliss had an even higher grade overall on their board.
As much as we can be frustrated (justifiably so) over some aspects of Franklin's rookie year, the team believes he can take the proverbial "next step" in 2025 and they might rely on him to play a much bigger role this coming season than anyone really anticipates.
2. Drew Sanders, linebacker
At this point, everyone seems to assume that the off-ball linebacker position for the Broncos is going to come down to either Alex Singleton or Justin Strnad next to incoming free agent Dre Greenlaw. The reality is, the best-case scenario for the Broncos is for Drew Sanders to win that job.
Sanders, a third-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, came into the NFL with a bit of a positionless label. That can help some guys but really hurt others. It was horrendous timing for Sanders to suffer an offseason injury that cost him much of his second year in the league, but that injury may have also given the Broncos some clarity on his overall role with the team.
Sanders is a pressure player from the off-ball linebacker position and with Greenlaw now in the mix, perhaps this is the perfect year to throw Sanders into the starting lineup and see if he can get the job done.
3. Audric Estimé, running back
The confidence in Audric Estimé's future role with the Denver Broncos seems to be at an all-time low. Estimé was a fifth-round pick in 2024 and had a third-round grade from the team, according to Sean Payton. The Broncos loved him, but he found himself in the doghouse quickly last year thanks to some preseason fumbles.
Ball security is a non-negotiable in an NFL offense and with a limited number of touches already, the struggles from the rookie out of Notre Dame were even more pronounced.
It feels like he's being written off by many in Broncos Country and I think that would be premature. Estimé has a real shot at being this team's leader in carries in 2024 despite the team shopping for a RB1 in the 2025 NFL Draft. Whoever the Broncos draft in 2025 is likely to be the projected team leader in touches at running back, but they might not lead the team in carries.
That could still be Estimé. Everyone gets a fresh start in the offseason and Estimé is still a young player with huge upside thanks to his contact balance and ability to create yardage after contact, in general.