The Denver Broncos could end up being a surprise team in the 2024 NFL Season, but there are still some clear roadblocks to their success. I personally think the Broncos are going to be better than people think, but perhaps I am too optimistic. It's hard to argue that this roster did not get better this offseason at several positions, including quarterback.
The Broncos feel like a team that could be one year away from truly being competitive, and the 2024 NFL Season will tell us a lot about the future of the Denver Broncos. While the team may struggle to finish with a winning record, they could still finally break their losing-season streak.
Let's look at three massive roadblocks to the team's success in 2024.
3 massive roadblocks to the Denver Broncos success in the 2024 NFL Season
The insane amount of good teams in the AFC
Like, there are a TON of good teams in the AFC. The Denver Broncos might not be one of them in 2024, but they could be. Frankly, Denver's chances at winning in 2024 look a lot better if they're in the NFC, but alas, they are not.
They have to deal with a ton of young QB talent and rosters that are strong, up and down. You've got divisions with four competent, playoff-caliber teams, and other divisions that could have up to three. Three of the four AFC North teams made the playoffs in 2023, for example.
In the AFC East, Aaron Rodgers returns to a New York Jets roster that is loaded, and the AFC East already has the Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins. The AFC South has an up and coming team in the Houston Texans, a team that made a deep playoff run two years ago in the Jacksonville Jaguars, and a team that won nine games with a backup QB in 2023 with the Indianapolis Colts.
The AFC West also has the two-time defending Super Bowl champions, and a team in the LA Chargers that may have finally hired the right head coach. Denver could end up getting drowned out in the AFC this year.
Broncos not having a clear WR1
Courtland Sutton is fine and all, but he's not a week-to-week WR1 in the NFL anymore. His breakout 2019 season provided hope that he could indeed be that player for the long-term, but his 2020 ACL injury seems to have held him back in that regard.
Catching 10 TD passes in 2023, Sutton was a circus-catch just waiting to happen. Beyond Sutton, the departed Jerry Jeudy provided modest production, and then-rookie Marvin Mims Jr was a frustrating player to follow.
With the WR room getting a bit of a makeover this offseason, there could be some players like Troy Franklin or Mims himself who can take the step and be that consistent WR1 for the Denver Broncos, but until it happens, Denver will be without one, and while the play-makers on offense seem like a deep unit overall with a ton of mouths to feed, another broad concern here is that Denver just does not have a true star in the backfield, at tight end, or at WR.
And I personally worry that not having a consistent go-to player in 2024 is really going to make substantial success difficult for the Broncos. Obviously I hope I am wrong here, but there is still a glaring hole in this unit.
No clear alpha along the defensive front
The Denver Broncos did do some reinforcing along the defensive front this offseason, trading for DE John Franklin-Myers, signing two DTs in Malcolm Roach and Angelo Blackson, and drafting EDGE Jonah Elliss in the 2024 NFL Draft. Players already along the defensive front include Zach Allen, DJ Jones, Baron Browning, Nik Bonitto, and Jonathon Cooper.
While the front seven could end up being a plus unit in 2024, like the play-makers on offense, there is no clear alpha in this unit, and I again worry that the Broncos may lose the battle in the trenches on defense, like they did almost weekly in 2023.
Games and Super Bowls in the NFL are still won in the trenches, and while Denver should field a better defensive front in 2024, the unit is unproven until they can establish themselves otherwise. It would be neat if the Broncos were in the playoff mix when the trade deadline rolls around, perhaps giving them a reason to add a stud player along the defensive front.
But if the Broncos are again losing the line of scrimmage, it'll be a long season.