The Denver Broncos were seemingly another year or two behind where they ended up during the 2024 season at this time a year ago. In 2023, the Broncos had to make some difficult decisions including cutting quarterback Russell Wilson (and taking on a massive dead cap hit), cutting safety Justin Simmons, and trading wide receiver Jerry Jeudy.
The decisions the Broncos made at the time were not well-received, to say the least. The Broncos were projected to finish with five wins or less by most media outlets, and they certainly weren't being considered a legitimate playoff contender by many people. But the Broncos overcame nearly $90 million in dead cap as well as having one of the youngest rosters in the NFL and earned the 7th seed in the AFC.
Going forward, this team has clearly "outkicked the coverage" when it comes to how well the roster is built and how well they are set up to compete going forward. Yes, this roster has needs, but plenty of players emerged at crucial positions in 2024 and have given this team some key building blocks moving forward.
So what lies ahead for the Broncos? What are the top areas of need that, if addressed, could legitimately push this team into Super Bowl contender status?
5 areas of the roster the Broncos need to address to be Super Bowl contenders
1. TE with ball skills and YAC ability
The number one area of this Denver Broncos' roster that needs to be addressed this offseason is a go-to pass-catching option. The tight end position for the Broncos has been a disappointment in the passing game over the last couple of years, mainly thanks to the fact that Greg Dulcich was a bust of a third-round draft pick.
Injuries contributed to Dulcich being cut in the middle of last season, and what may come as a shock to every Denver Broncos fan out there is that Lucas Krull actually led the tight end position in receptions (19). Adam Tratuman ended up leading the unit in receiving yards (188) while Nate Adkins paced the group with three touchdowns.
Those players all do a handful of things really well, but none of them are threatening options in the passing game. To think of the Broncos having a weapon of the caliber of a Brock Bowers, George Kittle, Sam La Porta, or even remotely close to that would be such a game-changer. Sean Payton talks about the "Joker" position in his offense all the time, and that role is filled by either a tight end or running back.
This year's tight end class in the 2025 NFL Draft looks spectacular, but the Broncos could bring in someone like Juwan Johnson or Tommy Tremble in free agency as well.
2. RB who can be featured weekly and play all 3 downs
Yes, Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton said recently that he wants to "stack" the running back position. Yes, Payton has pretty consistently had a committee of backs in his time as an NFL head coach.
No, that doesn't mean the Broncos will avoid making a substantial investment at running back this offseason. Until proven otherwise, running back has to be considered among the positions on the table in the 1st round of the 2025 NFL Draft and while Payton may not have a "bell cow" back in his offense, he always has backs he can feature.
Alvin Kamara is the latest shining example of that as a player who never ran for 1,000 yards but was always racking up 1,500 yards from scrimmage consistently. That is the type of back Payton needs -- someone who can be relied upon on all three downs and someone who can be featured in the offense every single week.
Payton went after Josh Jacobs in free agency last year and whiffed. What will he and George Paton do this offseason with Javonte Williams hitting free agency?
3. Inside Linebacker with range (maybe two)
One of the glaring weaknesses of the Denver Broncos' roster defensively, and something that was exposed more and more consistently as the year went along, was the inside linebacker position. The Alex Singleton injury didn't immediately sink the ship, but the Broncos felt the effects of his absence over the course of the year with missed tackles and guys getting wiped out at the second level far too easily.
And even with Singleton, you could argue the Broncos really need to be more dynamic at the off-ball linebacker position. I have a whole write-up about what other teams who were still standing after the Wild Card Round of the NFL Playoffs have done to invest at the middle linebacker position, while the Broncos have largely just tried to go budget-friendly/conservative and hope it works.
This should be the offseason where we finally see them invest at the position and get someone with some range and playmaking ability. Maybe even two guys.
4. Safety with ball skills to pair w/Brandon Jones
The Denver Broncos found themselves an absolute gem in 2024 free agency when they signed Brandon Jones to replace Justin Simmons. Shout out to the pro scouting department and analytics guys for pegging that free agent fit.
Will the Broncos go after someone else in 2025 NFL Free Agency to pair up with Jones? They should. PJ Locke has been serviceable the last two seasons but he only has one career interception and he had a passer rating allowed last year of 125.8. That's not acceptable when you have a pass rush getting home more than literally anyone else in the NFL.
The Broncos need another safety who can help shrink the field for opposing quarterbacks. They need another safety with the kind of ball skills that can elevate the pass rush in front of them.
5. Interior DL (ideally every down, but will settle for someone who can stuff the run)
The Broncos have made a concerted effort to upgrade the defensive line over the last couple of years, and it has paid off. Additions in the last two years like Zach Allen, John Franklin-Myers, and Malcolm Roach have been huge for this team.
But with DJ Jones hitting free agency in 2025 (I think he's likely to come back, personally), the Broncos could look to some longer-term answers on the defensive line. This also just so happens to be a very good defensive line class in the NFL Draft, and that position group is a potential area for the Broncos to address in the 1st round.
Denver has just about everyone coming back this season, but the majority of the defensive line will be a free agent after the 2025 season. It would not be the worst thing if they had a young, cost-controlled stud to build around.
Wild Card/Bonus: A true WR1
I know I said this would be a top five list, but here we are throwing a sixth and wild card option into the mix. And this is a "need" that could be as high as #1 on the list depending on what the team believes about the guys currently on the roster.
I don't think any of Courtland Sutton, Marvin Mims, Troy Franklin, or Devaughn Vele are going anywhere. I think Sean Payton is going to let those guys continue to develop and grow within the offense. With that being said, I wouldn't rule out the Broncos potentially trying to upgrade over Sutton with one of Tee Higgins or Chris Godwin in free agency.
The Broncos are on the hook for over $13 million of Courtland Sutton's deal this year, which is why I really do believe he's coming back to Denver and possibly on a renewed contract. While the team may not go after big-money free agent options at receiver, they could easily take one early in the 2025 NFL Draft.
A true go-to target is needed. The Broncos don't have one currently, but with the way Bo Nix plays the position, spreading the ball around is going to continue happening. The Broncos could use another mid-round pick on a receiver and continue to hope someone out-plays their NFL Draft status.
I don't think any option at receiver is off the table and the aggressiveness in upgrading the group will depend entirely on the brain trust's thoughts on the young guys they have already.