The Denver Broncos 2025 season ended in heartbreaking fashion, to say the least, but that doesn't mean the 2026 season will go the same way. From top to bottom, the Broncos are primed to again be one of the best clubs in the NFL for next season, as it would not be a huge surprise if the team again earned the top seed in the AFC playoffs.
But the work has really only just begun. In about a month, the NFL will embark on the free agency period, and this is where the Broncos have really added some considerable talent in recent years, but free agency also opens up the possibility of teams making some mistakes.
Last offseason, Denver attempted to address key needs by signing players like Evan Engram, J.K. Dobbins, Talanoa Hufanga, and Dre Greenlaw. Even with still having Russell Wilson's dead cap figure in the books, the Broncos found a way to be moderately aggressive. However, as the team enters the 2026 offseason, the needs that were present last year are still there this year, proving that filling these holes could be an impossible hill to climb.
Denver Broncos' 2026 needs are nearly identical to the team's needs back in 2025
For the most part, Denver's front office has been great, especially in the NFL Draft, as the team has so many key contributors that they've found in the draft over the years. Players like Garett Bolles, Quinn Meinerz, Patrick Surtain II, and Bo Nix, for example, are either some of the best at their respective positions or emerging as one of the more encouraging players at their respective positions.
However, it's not been all that great in free agency for Denver at times. Last offseason, the Broncos signed Dobbins to help fix the run game. While Dobbins is a high-end runner, he only played 10 games and suffered a season-ending injury, something that has unfortunately plagued his career.
The team also looked to shore up the inside linebacker spot with Dre Greenlaw, but between a suspension and a quad injury, Greenlaw played in just eight of 17 regular season games and could be cut this offseason. Denver also turned to Engram to fix the tight end room, and while he did catch 50 passes in 2025, he finished with just 461 yards and had one touchdown.
Additionally, the Broncos drafted Pat Bryant at wide receiver in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft, and Bryant also struggled with injuries at times. Last offseason, this team went into the offseason with notable needs on the offensive side of the ball, especially, and those exact needs are still present a year later.
That just does not make the front office look good at all, and you have to begin wondering if this group is even capable of filling these needs. With the stakes never higher for the team in the Sean Payton era, the ideal hope is that the Broncos do not overcompensate and again try to fill those holes with the wrong players.
With Nix still being on his rookie deal and Wilson's dead cap off the books for good, there is both a perfect opportunity in front of them to fill those needs, but a strong possibility that the needs don't get filled, which is precisely what happened in 2025.
A Super Bowl berth is very possible for Denver in 2026 if the front office can finally fill these crucial roster needs once and for all.