The Denver Broncos aren't missing much on paper for 2026. The team is plenty good enough to win the Super Bowl this year. This only amps up the pressure across the roster, which no one should be surprised about.
And while every player on the roster is important, it's obvious that some are more important than others - that's simply how it works in the NFL.
With training camp on the horizon, let's dive into a few Broncos players who are clearly under more pressure than others.
Denver Broncos players under the most pressure as training camp looms
Bo Nix
Let's get the obvious out of the way; Bo Nix is under a ton of pressure in 2026, but it's not necessarily a bad pressure. With the Broncos having made significant offensive additions this offseason, there might not be another quarterback in this league who has more 'help' than Nix.
While some may look at this to mean that Nix needs a lot around him to be perfect to succeed, it's more due to the excellence Denver has in the front office. Any front office would love to surround their quarterback with as much talent as possible, and Denver's offense just does not have many holes. If Nix can elevate his game a bit more, the Broncos win the Super Bowl. If not, many will begin to wonder if he's truly the long-term answer and if he'll ever be good enough to lead this team to the big game.
Jaylen Waddle
Jaylen Waddle was the Broncos grand prize this offseason, as the team spent more than a first-round pick to acquire him. The Broncos did this because of the overall lack of consistent production from their wide receiver room in the prior years.
This trade was a bit of an indictment on the room, as Waddle brings three 1,000-yard seasons to the mix in just five years in the league. Ideally, Waddle steps into that de-facto WR1 role and is able to eclipse 1,000 yards for the fourth time in his career.
The Broncos also didn't trade a first-round pick for Waddle to not put up excellent numbers. What is nice about this move is that Waddle's skill set is almost precisely what this team was missing. This wasn't just about the front office swinging any deal they could get for a wide receiver.
Waddle not performing as many expect would soon make us question the trade overall.
J.K. Dobbins
We all know the story with J.K. Dobbins at this point. Despite only playing in 10 games, Dobbins did receive a contract that can be worth up to $20 million across two seasons, but it could also simply be a one-year deal worth $8 million, which is a significant difference. The team also used a fourth-round pick on Jonah Coleman in the 2026 NFL Draft, so if Dobbins again struggles to stay on the field, the Broncos may have already put a long-term plan in place.
This is a huge year for Dobbins - he's still just 27 years old and could have a very successful two years with the Broncos, but it's all coming down to health yet again. The Broncos can also run their way to the Super Bowl if Dobbins manages to stay on the field, as he's among the most efficient players at the position when healthy, and the run game took a major nosedive when he got hurt.
Riley Moss
Riley Moss might have the hardest job in the NFL, as he's the opposite starting cornerback to Patrick Surtain II, the best cornerback in the NFL. According to PFF's data, Moss ranked 42nd among 114 qualified cornerbacks with a 65.9 grade in 2025, which is fine.
PFF notes that he allowed a 92.5 passer rating in coverage and also had 15 passes defended. According to Pro Football Reference, Moss had 19 passes defended in 2025 and allowed an 88.2 passer rating in coverage, but only allowing a completion percentage of 57.6 percent.
Moss was targeted 118 times in 2025, which is insane. Surtain was targeted just 61 times, for reference. The pass interference penalties were a thing, but many saw that a few of them were downright horrendous calls, and it's not wrong to call them just that.
Moss' overall coverage ability was in a good spot in 2026, but he will need to lessen those penalties. If that does happen, the Broncos shouldn't hesitate to extend him. If not, the odds of an extension would seem low. Furthermore, Denver's secondary has been among the best in the NFL these last two seasons, and Moss' role as the de-facto CB2 of this team will continue to be hugely important as long as Surtain is at the top of his powers.
And with Jahdae Barron waiting in the wings, Moss does have a lot at stake in 2026.
Add us as a preferred source on Google