The Denver Broncos are now 9-5 on the season and one of the better teams in the NFL, but their winning ways also reveal urgent offseason needs. Denver now having won nine of their last 12 games is quite amazing, and they're doing it with a rookie QB and a flawed offensive roster.
At the end of the day, Denver is likely to make the postseason and likely to end their drought. The last time they made the playoffs was all the way back in 2015, so even if this team gets bounced out in the first round, it's been a roaring success.
Denver must fix their horrific run game
Everyone can see that the Broncos aren't a complete team and aren't ready to compete for a Super Bowl, and despite their winning ways, some urgent offseason needs have been revealed. Over the last four games, during the Broncos winning streak, they have rushed for the following yardage:
105
63
106
72
These numbers were also against some of the shakier run defenses in the entire NFL. And on the season, the Broncos have rushed for at least 150 yards once this year, and they have five separate games rushing for less than 100 yards.
We can all see that the run game is the most urgent issue on the team's offense right now. The Broncos continually fail to establish the run, which forces Sean Payton to have Bo Nix throw the ball more. A lot of those wide receiver screens and quick throws to Marvin Mims Jr are actually done as a de-facto run play.
Denver has to find a true RB1 this coming offseason, as Javonte Williams is unplayable, Jaleel McLaughlin is a nice change-of-pace back at best, and Audric Estime may not be the type of RB that Denver needs.
This is a hugely urgent issue that the team's front office has to get right. Sean Payton himself has even talked about just how important a run game is for the development of a young QB. Payton did inherit a lot of the current players on offense, so he's still in the process of molding the team how he likes it. I would expect the Broncos are going to make at least one splash move in the backfield this coming offseason.
Denver being able to do this and perhaps being able to add another playmaker or two on offense could put the finishing touches on this unit and thrust Denver into contention in 2025.