With the Denver Broncos veterans reporting to training camp on July 28th, the 2026 NFL Offseason is nearly wrapped up. The Broncos had quite the offseason, perhaps one of the more interesting ones in team history. There was a time when Denver was the only team not to sign an external free agent, and they still did not make many of those moves.
It seems like this team was more focused on retaining many of their own players, as the team's group in 2025 was clearly good enough to make the Super Bowl. Had quarterback Bo Nix not gotten hurt, the Broncos would have made the big game.
Many of the same key players from 2025 are back in the picture for 2026, and as training camps across the NFL get ramped up, the biggest strength for this team entering camp is the key to a Super Bowl win this year.
Denver Broncos talent in the trenches is the key to winning the Super Bowl this year
Whether on offense or defense, the Broncos biggest strength is in the trenches. According to statmuse, the Broncos have led the NFL in total sacks over the last three seasons, with 173. The Baltimore Ravens are the next closest, with 144. With nearly 30 more sacks than the next closest team, Denver is clearly the gold standard at taking the quarterback down.
The Broncos don't just sack quarterbacks on defense. This team is also strong defending the run. In 2024, the Broncos ranked 3rd in rushing yards allowed per game and 2nd in yards per carry allowed. In 2025, Denver ranked 2nd in both categories.
The defense is simply elite, and in today's NFL, everything centers around the quarterback. Being able to protect your own quarterback and create pressure on opposing quarterbacks are the two most important things a Super Bowl-winning team must be able to do.
Obviously, the first is having the quarterback, which the Broncos do in the third-year Nix.
The Broncos offensive line has also been the best in the league for multiple years. According to ESPN's data, the unit ranked 1st in pass block and run block win rate in the 2024 season, and in the 2025 season, Denver ranked 8th and 4th in those same categories. Something else that emerges from the elite offensive line is Nix not taking many sacks and limiting negative plays overall. In just 34 regular season games, Nix has been sacked just 46 times.
For reference, New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye has been sacked 81 times in 30 regular season games. It's also not some silly coincidence that, when Sean Payton first arrived here in 2023, some of the first moves made were to sign guard Ben Powers, tackle Mike McGlinchey, and defensive end Zach Allen.
All three players are still with the team and have absolutely been slam-dunk free agency moves. Games in the NFL are won and lost in the trenches, period. Yes, there are instances where other factors end up contributing more to the outcome of a game, but no team is going to sustain success for the long-term and win Super Bowls without elite trench play.
The Broncos have the best collection of trench talent in the NFL, and the data backs it up. Entering training camp, this being the Broncos biggest strength is going to be key to a Super Bowl run.
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