The Denver Broncos might be right on the cusp of turning into a contender. Let's see where they stand in our AFC power rankings. The AFC, heading into 2024, did seem to be a very loaded conference, but some regressions did open the door up for the upstart Denver Broncos to make some noise.
And now, this team could be one of the better teams in the AFC, as they have made up a ton of ground over the last calendar year or so. Now yes, it's going to be quite hard for this team to rise to a contender, but the path is laid out for them.
Let's power rank the AFC. Where will the Denver Broncos fall?
NFL Power Rankings: Where do the Broncos fall in the AFC?
16. Cleveland Browns
There really isn't much to like about the Cleveland Browns for 2025. They've got no QB solution and are probably looking toward the 2026 NFL Draft, where the QB class is projected to be a lot better.
15. Tennessee Titans
If nothing else, the Tennessee Titans are trying to rebuild the correct way and took Cam Ward with the first overall pick. The Titans are in Denver to face the Broncos in Week 1 of the 2025 NFL Season.
14. New York Jets
Justin Fields and the New York Jets aren't going to win many games this year. There isn't a lot to like with Fields as a starting QB, and the Jets also have a first-year head coach in Aaron Glenn.
13. Jacksonville Jaguars
I do think the Jacksonville Jaguars can be a frisky team in 2025, but they are buried in these power rankings, as they really haven't proven much of anything outside of their breakout season all the way back in 2022.
12. Pittsburgh Steelers
With no clear QB solution in sight, the Pittsburgh Steelers are among the worst teams in the AFC, as the roster itself isn't even that good. If Pittsburgh were to sign Aaron Rodgers, does that even make them much of a threat?
11. Indianapolis Colts
One of Daniel Jones or Anthony Richardson will likely be the starting QB for the Indianapolis Colts in 2025, so their season might just be over before it even begins. The Broncos face the Colts in Indianapolis in Week 2. They blew them out at home in 2024.
10. Las Vegas Raiders
The new-look Las Vegas Raiders are still flawed and are still the worst team in the division. The duo of Pete Carroll and Geno Smith weren't able to make much headway in 2022 and 2023 in the weaker NFC, so why would they be able to do the same thing in the much stronger AFC?
9. New England Patriots
The New England Patriots are going to be a lot better than expected in 2025, but until they prove that, they'll be ranked lower in the AFC. In my eyes, they are the second-best team in the AFC East, but I can't get too ahead of myself here.
8. Miami Dolphins
When QB Tua Tagovailoa is on the field and healthy, the Miami Dolphins are a good team, but that has been a lot easier said than done. The Dolphins feel like a pretty frail team, and it's primarily due to their QB.
7. Houston Texans
Did the Houston Texans fix their offensive line this offseason? That unit was their undoing in 2024. The Broncos are at the Texans in 2025, so only time will tell if this team did enough to make a leap.
6. Cincinnati Bengals
Beating the Denver Broncos in the 2024 NFL Season, the Cincinnati Bengals still have huge defensive issues and may not have Trey Hendrickson in the picture when the 2025 NFL Season begins.
5. Los Angeles Chargers
While the Los Angeles Chargers did sweep the Denver Broncos in 2024, the Broncos may have added more talent, and I do believe Denver was also a bit better than their record indicated. I am also factoring in the fact that the Broncos may have a higher ceiling with the potential that Bo Nix makes a leap in year two.
4. Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos might be the first team on the outside of the 'big three' in the AFC. Denver did take their lumps in 2024 with a rookie QB, but they lost six of their seven regular season games by just one score and had nine wins in 2024 of nine points or more.
This team is absolutely legit and could be a problem in 2025.
3. Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs won all of their one-score games in the 2024 NFL Season, which simply does not happen. The roster isn't quite as good as you think, and there is reason to believe that a slight regression is coming, as the Chiefs slim margins can't keep continuing.
2. Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens have no issues winning a ton of games in the regular season, but that doesn't mean squat when the playoffs begin. The last time this team won multiple games in the postseason was all the way back in 2012. Despite this, no one disputes that the Ravens are among the best in the conference.
1. Buffalo Bills
Will this year be the year for the Buffalo Bills? It seems like every other year or so, the NFL landscape props up the Bills and convinces us that this is the year that they'll make a Super Bowl run, and the 2024 NFL Season was proof of that.
Buffalo is the best team in the conference and has the reigning MVP in Josh Allen. However, they, like most other teams, have failed to get past the Kansas City Chiefs in the postseason. The last two postseason losses from the Chiefs were in Super Bowl LIX to the Philadelphia Eagles and back in 2021 against the Cincinnati Bengals.