Bo Nix is going to be the most important Denver Broncos player this season, but besides him, who else fits into that mold?
Now that the Broncos are likely very confident in Bo Nix being their franchise guy, he automatically becomes their most important player, so we'll put aside the obvious for this exercise. There are 53 players on an active NFL roster, and every single one of them can play a part in a team winning.
Let's talk about the three most important non-Bo Nix players on the Broncos roster for the 2025 NFL Season.
3 most important non-Bo Nix players on the Denver Broncos in 2025
JK Dobbins, RB
The Denver Broncos signed JK Dobbins back in June on a one-year deal, and this is going to turn out to be a great move in my opinion. Dobbins is quite efficient when he can get on the field - he averages over 1,000 yards per 17-game season and also averages over five yards per carry. There is a reason why Denver signed Dobbins, and it seems like he is going to begin the year getting the bigger share of the carries. When you consider how inefficient the team's run game was in 2024, a ton of pressure is on the shoulders of the RB room to perform, as a consistent run game is really what could unlock this offense for the long-term.
Dre Greenlaw, ILB
One position where the Broncos just did not invest a ton into in previous seasons is inside linebacker, but that change to a degree when they signed Dre Greenlaw on a three-year deal. Denver has been searching for a true enforcer at the position for years now, so if that does end up being Greenlaw, the entire defense is going to benefit. Furthermore, it will be extremely interesting to see if the talented LB can put his previous injury concerns behind him - he's among the best at his position in the NFL when on the field. If Denver can get Dre Greenlaw on the field for a majority of the season, the defense could reach new heights.
Whoever the No. 2 receiver is
The Denver Broncos do not have a legitimate, week-to-week no. 1 receiver. Courtland Sutton is good, but he's not a no. 1. However, he is the Broncos best wide receiver by far, so another very crucial piece of this puzzle in 2025 is who emerges as the no. 2 player. All of Marvin Mims Jr, Devaughn Vele, and Troy Franklin have arguments. Mims has a perfect skillset to complement Sutton, so it would be ideal if he was the no. 2 guy, but Vele showed a ton of promise during his rookie season. The point here is that Bo Nix is going to need another reliable target in the passing game beyond Courtland Sutton.
And while Evan Engram is likely going to be one of those players, the Broncos will need another wide receiver to step up as the clear no. 2.