The 2025 Denver Broncos got to the doorstep of the Super Bowl without any offensive firepower, and it took the work of several underrated pieces to do so. Courtland Sutton speaks for himself as now a three-time 1,000-yard receiver, but the rest of the skill threats for quarterback Bo Nix left a lot to be desired. At times, it was clear that the lack of talent was holding the Broncos back.
Different receivers or running backs stepped up frequently for the Broncos last year - mainly the duo of running back RJ Harvey and receiver Troy Franklin - but the Broncos clearly felt the need to address the issue, as they brought in star wideout Jaylen Waddle from the Miami Dolphins. Waddle pushes everyone on the Broncos' depth chart at receiver down one rung, and it might be causing fans to forget about one specific name.
The Broncos took Pat Bryant in the third round out of Illinois in the 2025 NFL Draft, clearly believing that he can provide long-term value to the franchise. Around midseason, head coach Sean Payton began to utilize him more often, and it felt as though Bryant was on the cusp of a breakout. Payton was very quick to throw his weight behind his receiver after the draft last year, stating to ESPN last year that:
"His size and his hands are outstanding. He competes... he was just a player who excelled in crunch time. I think he had a walk-off, a couple of these big plays."
Pat Bryant is already flying under the radar for the Denver Broncos entering the 2026 season
With the beginning of the preseason getting closer and closer, Bryant's stock feels surprisingly low for how well he performed for the Broncos last year. He is firmly an under-the-radar name heading into the summer.
After what felt like a breakout couple of weeks last year, Bryant struggled to stay on the field with injury issues, notably struggling with concussions. Bryant made an immediate impact early in the Broncos' second half of the season, including an 82-yard breakout performance against the Kansas City Chiefs in the Broncos' major home win. Right when it seemed as though Bryant was going to ascend to being a legitimate weapon for Nix and the Broncos' offense, his stock plateaued before dropping off for the rest of the season.
Bryant missed Weeks 15 and 17 for the Broncos last year and would play less than a quarter in the AFC Divisional Round before leaving the game with injury and missing the remainder of the postseason. It was a mess of a month and a half for the Broncos' rookie, and adding that with the addition of Waddle, it feels as though Bryant is flying under the radar heading into his second season. If anything, he should be viewed as a major piece of what the Broncos are trying to build in 2026 and beyond.
Bryant made it very clear that he is a reliable option for Nix when on the field and is a nice complement to Franklin as a secondary receiving threat. The Broncos are going to rely a ton on Sutton and Waddle this year, and then Evan Engram at tight end, but the duo of Franklin and Bryant could be what makes or breaks how successful Denver's air attack can be.
It's easy to get down on playmakers when they miss significant time, especially during a playoff run, but Bryant is still a key piece to what the Broncos want to do this year. Fans better make sure not to sleep on him, and you shouldn't be surprised when he is making big plays in pivotal games this season.
Add us as a preferred source on Google