The Denver Broncos went 8-9 in 2023 with quite the tough schedule. Can they improve on that record with the NFL schedule set to be released soon? The NFL schedule is typically released within the first couple weeks of May, so this year's schedule should be coming soon. Last year, Denver actually did benefit from a halfway-decent schedule.
They had nine home games, no international games, and a bye week right in the middle of the season. This year might be a bit different, though, and beyond that, Denver's opponents will not be exactly the same. Besides the six AFC West games that Denver will have, there are 11 others that will be on the slate.
We do know the opponents and the home/away splits as of now, so let's look into those a bit more before the official schedule comes out.
Broncos 2024 schedule: Everything you need to know before it's released
Home Games
Here are the eight home games that the Denver Broncos will play in the 2024 NFL Season:
- Kansas City Chiefs
- Los Angeles Chargers
- Las Vegas Raiders
- Atlanta Falcons
- Carolina Panthers
- Cleveland Browns
- Pittsburgh Steelers
- Indianapolis Colts
OK, so this could be a very tough slate. Right now, the weakest teams appear to be the Las Vegas Raiders and Carolina Panthers, but every other opponent is tough in their own way. The Chiefs and Chargers are familiar faces, so there isn't much to say about them. The Atlanta Falcons added Kirk Cousins this offseason to an already talented roster, so they could be a problem.
The Cleveland Browns got trounced by the Broncos in 2023 in Denver, but they were also without Deshaun Watson. The Browns might be a huge threat in 2024 if Watson can return to his Houston form. The Pittsburgh Steelers always seem to be good, but they did upgrade at QB this offseason with Russell Wilson, and this comes after a 10-win 2023 season. Pittsburgh hasn't been a Super Bowl contender in ages, but they're always competent.
Lastly, the Indianapolis Colts might be a huge problem in 2024. They went 9-8 in 2023 with Gardner Minshew playing a majority of the snaps, and if second-year QB Anthony Richardson is legit, Indy is a dark-horse Super Bowl team in 2024, so they should be viewed highly. Denver's chances at splitting these eight home games even seems shaky.
Away Games
Here are the nine away games that the Denver Broncos will play in the 2024 NFL Season:
- Kansas City Chiefs
- Los Angeles Chargers
- Las Vegas Raiders
- Baltimore Ravens
- Cincinnati Bengals
- New Orleans Saints
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- New York Jets
- Seattle Seahawks
OK, so these aren't nearly as tough as the home games. The Denver Broncos will play the entirety of the AFC North and NFC South divisions in 2023. The NFC South was rather weak in 2023, so hopefully that carries over into 2024. The AFC North, however, might have been the best division in football.
The Broncos will have two brutally tough away games besides their divisional foes versus the Ravens and Bengals. However, their away contests versus the Saints, Buccaneers, Jets, and Seahawks aren't going to be a huge challenge, at least in my eyes. Of these nine away games, Denver coming away with five wins might not be a surprise.
Wins against the Seahawks, Buccaneers, Saints, Raiders, and Chargers would not surprise me. And if Denver split their eight away games, they'd finish with a 9-8 record. We can debate the Denver Broncos record in 2024 until we're blue in the face. It's going to be a tough schedule for sure, but only time will tell how the Broncos do.