The Denver Broncos must improve their roster this offseason, and some of their starters from 2024 could become backups in 2025. I don't know about you, but I am personally very excited to see what path the Broncos take in the 2025 NFL Offseason. This team is truly right on the cusp of being a contender.
They have to make the right roster moves to get there, though. And that's much easier said than done. Denver has a ton of avenues to make roster improvements, and there are a few positions where it's just about guaranteed to happen.
In fact, some of their starters from the 2024 NFL Season could actually become backup players for them in 2025 or even for a new team next season. Who are they?
4 Broncos' starters in 2024 who could become backup players in 2025
Javonte Williams, RB
Javonte Williams got most of the carries for the Denver Broncos in 2025 and is slated to be a free agent this offseason. After his 2022 knee injury, Williams just never seemed to regain his rookie season form. In 2023 and 2024, he averaged less than four yards per carry. He's a horribly inefficient runner at this point and not someone the team needs to be bringing back.
Where Williams lands will likely be in mop-up duties. He could be a decent short-yardage or goal line running back for a team. He won't cost much on the open market and just does not have the juice to be a RB1 in the NFL anymore. Many of us were very encouraged after his breakout rookie season, but that knee injury was just brutal for the sake of his career.
Luke Wattenberg, C
Luke Wattenberg was fine in 2024. He was good at pass blocking but not go so good in run blocking. All in all, he's an average center who could be at risk of losing his starting job in 2025 depending on how aggressive the Denver Broncos are in finding a replacement. Given that the team has four big-time contracts on the roster along the OL, they may not feel comfortable pursuing a free agency upgrade.
We could see the Broncos take a rookie center in the 2025 NFL Draft in hopes that he can develop into the long-term answer there. Depending on how quick of a study a hypothetical rookie is, Luke Wattenberg could very much find himself beginning the 2025 NFL Season as a backup.
PJ Locke III, S
PJ Locke III was bad in 2024 and is clearly best as a backup, rotational player. He signed a two-year extension with the Broncos last offseason, so he's got one more year left on his deal, and I would be flat-out shocked if he was a starting safety for the team in 2025.
The Broncos were able to find Brandon Jones on the open market last year, so my guess is that they are hoping to find another starting-caliber safety in free agency yet again. Locke was awful in coverage and seemed to be a liability back there for most of the season.
This is the offseason where Denver does need to be a bit aggressive in improving the weakest parts of their roster. PJ Locke III might be the weakest current starter on the Denver Broncos.
Alex Singleton, ILB
Alex Singleton tore his ACL just a few games into the 2025 NFL Season and may end up getting cut by the team for some cap savings. The Broncos parted ways with ILB coach Greg Manusky, so this team might be ready to do a full-scale reset at the position in 2025. Singleton is also getting old, so it just might be best for both parties to part ways here.
And I am not sure what team would sign Alex Singleton this offseason to be a starter. He'd probably have to show he's fully recovered from his torn ACL to be given looks as a starter here and there, but it's very likely that he begins the 2025 NFL Season on the bench in a rotational role, whether that is with the Broncos or with a new team.