The Denver Broncos 2025 season ended in heartbreaking fashion, but if you take a long-term look at what happened, the future could be bright. The Broncos nearly made it to the Super Bowl without Bo Nix and other key contributors. This coming offseason, the team won't have Russell Wilson's dead cap on the books any longer and will have every single season to go out and add considerable talent.
Reinforcements are needed on defense at the linebacker position, first and foremost. Other help along the defensive line would also be welcome. Offensively, though, is where the bulk of the problems are. The unit just doesn't have any game-changers, and as we saw during the 2025 season, Nix was continually carrying this unit to victory.
As the offseason kicks off with free agency in March, the Broncos worst-case offseason scenario was just revealed, and it would be a painful, brutal reality for Nix.
Denver Broncos worst-case scenario would be a horrific reality for Bo Nix
Kristopher Knox in Bleacher Report talked about why failing to add weapons around Nix would be the team's worst-case offseason scenario.
"There's a very real chance that the Denver Broncos would have reached Super Bowl LX if quarterback Bo Nix hadn't suffered a broken ankle during the divisional round. Denver carried an elite defense into the AFC title game and lost a 10-7 game to the New England Patriots with Jarrett Stidham at quarterback.
However, the Broncos probably wouldn't have fared much better than New England did against Seattle, even with Nix healthy, due to a serious lack of offensive firepower.
Denver needed offensive playmakers entering last offseason. While rookie second-round pick RJ Harvey made a significant impact, other additions, like Pat Bryant, Evan Engram, and J.K. Dobbins, really didn't. The offense ranked a respectable 14th in scoring, but consistency was a massive problem.
The Broncos can't afford to spend another offseason only half-attacking their need for playmakers. Pass-catchers, like free-agent Alec Pierce and Washington prospect Denzel Boston, must be high on Denver's wish list."
Knox's anaylsis is rather spot-on here. The Broncos absolutely would have made it to the Super Bowl this year if Nix was in the lineup, but it might have been hard to imagine how the Broncos could beat the Seattle Seahawks given the lack of talent Denver has on offense, and the overwhelming talent Seattle has on defense.
Knox goes on to say that free agent Alec Pierce must be high on the Broncos wish list, but I would push back on that a bit. Pierce is not a no. 1 wide receiver. He's similar to Courtland Sutton in that he's a fine no. 2 option, but the Broncos already have that kind of player on the roster.
Denver has to swing higher - the team has to target someone like AJ Brown or Jaylen Waddle in a trade this offseason, and anything below that would be a failure. However, there are difference-makers at the running back and tight end positions in free agency who could fit the Broncos need for more weapons.
Players like Breece Hall, Travis Etienne, David Njoku, and perhaps even Dallas Goedert would be logical solutions at this position, but while we might not all agree on just who the Broncos should bring it, we can all agree that the team has to surround Nix with better players.
If not, the Broncos will again fail to take that next step on offense, and Nix's development would reach a climax, even if there's more meat on the bone.