The Denver Broncos lost in the AFC title game against the New England Patriots, and it was a sloppy outing from the offense. That should have been expected without Bo Nix in the lineup, and that is the main reason why this year feels so disappointing now.
The Broncos got this far, only to lose Bo Nix to a broken ankle. Denver likely wins this game, in my opinion, with Nix in the lineup, but that's not how life works sometimes. The good thing is that the recovery for Nix is in the 3-4 month range, so he's likely going to be completely healthy when the bulk of the offseason programming begins for Denver.
Well, before we get there, the front office has some work to do in the offseason, as the roster itself isn't perfect, and while it's one of the best in the NFL, there are clear areas of improvement going forward that GM George Paton has to prioritize.
George Paton has to bring in reinforcements at all three playmaking positions on offense
If the 2025 NFL Season told us anything as Broncos fans, it's that the playmaking weapons on offense just were not good enough. The team was on the right track with the run game, but they also perhaps wrongly trusted JK Dobbins to be the RB1. Dobbins has a lengthy injury history, and that unfortunately plagued him this year.
But when you look at the wide receivers and tight ends, there is unfortunately a lot of 'average' all over the place. The Broncos don't really have a consistent, go-to weapon at wide receiver or tight end, and when Dobbins went down, the overall efficiency of the run game took a huge hit.
It's a harsh reality that George Paton has to reverse in the offseason, and the time to be aggressive is now. With Russell Wilson's contract totally off the books for the Broncos, the team could dip into the free agency pool frequently.
The Broncos could also have multiple extra NFL Draft picks, perhaps giving them a bigger chance to trade one or more of those for an immediate upgrade on the offensive side of the ball. No matter how you might envision it, what is clear is that the unit needs a refresh, and Bo Nix himself was masking a lot of these issues during the season.
Let's hope that George Paton brings in notable help at WR, TE, and RB in the 2026 offseason.