Though some of these numbers have been worn again since the player that made them most famous stopped playing, the team should give strong consideration to shelving them for good. In 2021, the league expanded its rule regarding what jersey numbers a particular player could wear, giving them more options than they had before.
Players are also now permitted to wear the number zero.
With that said, these numbers should not be worn again unless it's completely unavoidable, which should almost never be the case. These seven former did so much during their careers and some of them are even in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
The Broncos have only retired three jersey numbers in their team history. One of those was worn by the same player.
No. 7: John Elway
No. 18: Frank Tripucka and Peyton Manning
No. 44: Floyd Little
Manning was granted permission to wear No. 18 when the team signed him as a free agent in 2012 by Tripucka, who was the team's quarterback during its birth in the AFL from 1960-63. After Manning's retirement, the number was once again retired.
These seven numbers should join that list.
Broncos jersey numbers that should never be worn again: No. 30, Terrell Davis
Terrell Davis is the best running back the Broncos ever had and comes up right behind John Elway as the second-most important player in team history, by most accounts.
Davis only played from 1995-2001 and that short career was one of the knocks against him going into the Hall of Fame. But he made that happen on the strength of his success in that short amount of time, which included a 2,000-yard rushing season in 1998 that led to him being named MVP of the league as well as a key role in back-to-back Super Bowl championships, one that led to him being named MVP of the game.
Davis was an incredibly great player and a huge reason the team finally got over the hump and won the Super Bowl. Injuries caused his career to end sooner than it should have, but his No. 30 jersey should not be worn anymore.
Yet, it's been worn by a handful of players since Davis' playing days ended.
Mike Bell, another running back, was the first to wear it. Cory Boyd had it for a short time before David Bruton, a safety, wore it for seven seasons, or as long as Davis did.
When Phillip Lindsay entered the league as an undrafted free agent, he sought Davis' blessing to wear his old number, and he received it.
The number is currently being worn by third-year safety Caden Sterns.