The Denver Broncos could take this current roster into the 2026 regular season and likely repeat as AFC West champions and perhaps even earn the no. 1 playoff seed again. However, we can't pretend like this roster still doesn't have a few notable holes.
In the long-term view, both tackle spots need some young talent. But in the more present view, all of tight end, inside linebacker, and running back need some help. All three position groups do have some talent, but it's clear that these units simply need another addition of some sort.
With no first-round pick, the Broncos may struggle a bit to find some legitimate talent here, but especially at running back, Denver still has a prime opportunity to fix this major 2025 issue for the 2026 season.
There are still a ton of running backs out there for the Denver Broncos to snag
First and foremost, the most important job an offense needs to be able to do well is run the ball. It's rare to see a team come out in any game and not try to establish the run. Those three words are also three of the most important words in all of words.
Teams that are able to establish the run are simply going to win more than most. We did see the Broncos do this for about 10 weeks during the 2025 campaign. J.K. Dobbins' foot injury threw a wrench into things, as it ended his season. Denver surely thought that they were going to get some efficiency from then-rookie RJ Harvey, but outside of the 12 touchdowns, his efficiency on the ground just wasn't present.
And it's not necessarily a bad idea that Denver brought Dobbins back - he was on pace for over 1,300 rushing yards through the first 10 games of his season, but his lengthy injury history, coupled with Harvey still being unproven as a runner, does force the Broncos to add another running back before the season.
Despite not having a first-round pick in this year's NFL Draft, there should still be some notable running back prospects available for the Broncos, including Mike Washington Jr., Jonah Coleman, Emmett Johnson, Nicholas Singleton, Kaytron Allen, and others.
Not only will the Broncos have some chances to draft a rookie, but the free agency market is also still holding some players who could come in and help. Names like Najee Harris, Nick Chubb, and Antonio Gibson are all available at the moment.
Smply put, the current room that the Broncos have, which would be them running it back at the position, isn't good enough. The duo of Dobbins and Harvey could be special, but you'd be asking Dobbins to stay healthy for a majority of the season, which just does not happen often.
And while that and Harvey developing as a runner could both happen, Denver cannot take a risk here. Even with the NFL Draft not being all that talented at the position, some names available for Denver in the mid-rounds would provide boosts to the room, and the free agency market still has competent legs as well.
It may not seem like it, but the Broncos do still have a prime opportunity to fix this major weakness for 2026.