The Denver Broncos found themselves set to host the AFC Championship Game after beating the Buffalo Bills in the Divisional Round, but news soon broke that Bo Nix had broken his ankle and would miss the rest of the season.
The Broncos then had to try to beat the New England Patriots with Jarrett Stidham as the starting quarterback, and that game went as expected, unfortunately. In Super Bowl LX, the Patriots couldn't get into the end zone until the fourth quarter and were thoroughly blown out in all three phases, making many Broncos fans wonder how much closer the game would have been had Denver been in it with a healthy Nix.
Well, there is a bright side, as the Broncos do have a clear path to the Super Bowl next season.
The Denver Broncos have what it takes to make the Super Bowl in 2026
The Broncos would have very likely made it this year if not for Nix's broken ankle
I'm not sure this is a controversial opinion, either. The Broncos went into the AFC Championship Game with Stidham as the quarterback, and for much of the game, Denver had chances to win, and if it wasn't for a very odd Stidham incompletion that was then ruled a fumble, the Patriots may have not even scored a touchdown.
Nix is simply someone who would have been able to get the job done in the AFC title game. Nix is a much bigger threat with his legs than Stidham is, and has those intangible qualities and that 'it' factor that the best franchise quarterbacks in the NFL have.
Furthermore, in the week prior against the Bills, Nix was outstanding and willed his team to victory.
The rest of the AFC appears to be in a worse spot than the Broncos right now
When you look at some of the other contenders in the AFC, the Broncos are in the best overall spot. When you consider ownership, front office performance, cap space, roster talent, and quarterback play, which team has it better than Denver?
The Bills have significant roster holes on both sides of the ball and just fired their head coach. The Kansas City Chiefs totally missed the playoffs this year, and a team like the Houston Texans has a Super Bowl-caliber defense, but might also have a below-average quarterback.
The Jacksonville Jaguars were great in 2025, but they have a ton of notable free agents who might not return to the team. Overall, the Broncos are in the best overall situation heading into 2026 and won't have to get desperate to improve the roster.
Denver has no reason to not be aggressive in adding talent this offseason
With the amount of success the Broncos had in 2025, this front office has absolutely zero reason to not be aggressive this offseason in finding key roster improvements. A good example of this is finding a legitimate RB1, as that type of player could have helped Denver win the Super Bowl this year, even with Nix still getting hurt.
The offense also has a need for a game-changing pass-catcher at wide receiver and tight end, and the defense needs a slam-dunk signing at inside linebacker. The neat thing here, though, is that the Broncos have a healthy amount of cap space, the ability to create more, and a front office that surely sees how close the team is right now.
Denver will be aggressive, and if the team can add the necessary roster talent, a Super Bowl berth is coming. Just think - the Broncos nearly made it to the big game with the current group of below-average playmakers on the roster at the moment. With slight improvements, things could get fun.