The Denver Broncos schedule for 2026 is not much different in difficulty from the 2025 season. Sure, anything can happen, including a regression, unfortunately, but the Broncos are slated to have a great chance to build on the success they found in 2025.
Winning 14 regular season games two years in a row would be a massive accomplishment, as that's a ton of winning and little room for error. The team did do it once, so why not again? In total, the Broncos have won 24 of 34 regular season games dating back to the start of the 2024 season, and it's the quarterbacks that make the team's 'go' for the most part.
With all of Denver's opponents being known for 2026, let's check out the projected starting quarterbacks the Broncos should see.
Denver Broncos projected quarterback matchups for the 2026 NFL Season
Here are the projected starting quarterbacks the Broncos will face for the 2026 season:
Patrick Mahomes (x2)
Justin Herbert (x2)
Kirk Cousins (x2)
Josh Allen - Home
Malik Willis - Home
Matthew Stafford - Home
Sam Darnold - Home
Trevor Lawrence - Home
Jacoby Brissett - Away
Drake Maye - Away
Geno Smith - Away
Brock Purdy - Away
Bryce Young - Away
Mason Rudolph/Will Howard/Drew Allar/Aaron Rodgers - Away
There are a few things to note here - it's not clear at the moment if Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins will start for all 17 games. With Fernando Mendoza in the picture, the first sign of Cousins struggling might force a change that fans would clamor for.
Another thing to note here is that it's not a guarantee who starts for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2026. Aaron Rodgers could return, but he has not signed a contract. If Rodgers does retire, the Steelers would likely start one of Mason Rudolph, Will Howard, or Drew Allar.
For the most part, though, outside of injuries, the Broncos should have a solid idea of who they will see under center on the opposing sideline. There are absolutely some tougher quarterback matchups here. Not including divisional foes, players like Josh Allen, Matthew Stafford, Trevor Lawrence, and Drake Maye could present huge challenges.
However, other quarterbacks like Geno Smith, Bryce Young, and whoever the Steelers starter is would be on the easier side. All in all, Denver's schedule does rank-out rather average across the league, so this slate of games isn't necessarily hard or easy.
The Broncos should come into most matchups with a notable advantage across multiple position groups, and given how 2025 went, the team could be slated to win, at least, 12 games or more in 2026. Given how explosive and suffocating the team's defense can be, any quarterback the Broncos face who isn't the most mobile is at a huge disadvantage.
The last thing to note here is that the Broncos do seem to have their tougher opposing quarterback matchups at some, which is going to be a huge advantage - playing in Mile High is one of the best advantages in all of sports, so while the team likely won't get around facing some elite passers, at least having the game at home should make things a tad easier.
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