Hovering near the bottom of most power rankings entering last season, the Broncos overcame a record-setting Russell Wilson dead money anchor to make a surprising playoff berth. Viewed as a reach by many, Bo Nix played the lead role in the Broncos snapping an eight-year postseason drought. Nix’s strong finish to his rookie year also provided a ray of hope Denver has finally solved a quarterback issue that had lingered since Peyton Manning‘s retirement.
The Broncos did benefit from drawing the NFC South last season, sweeping the division en route to a 10-7 record. Denver went 2-7 against teams with winning records, and while the team’s showing in Kansas City pointed to the eventual AFC champions having a tough assignment in Week 18 even had they played starters, Sean Payton‘s third Broncos squad has questions to answer about navigating over-.500 opposition. But addressing deficiencies in free agency and the draft have moved the Broncos into a better place roster-wise, creating considerable optimism compared to where they stood entering the past two seasons.
Extensions and restructures:
The Broncos did well to pay Sutton before the 2022 wide receiver market transformation, locking down one of their key pass catchers on a four-year extension worth $60MM in November 2021. Sutton did not approach 1,000 yards in 2021 or ’22, but Denver’s offensive struggles as a whole dragged down its receivers in those years. Jerry Jeudy did not make a step forward in Payton’s offense in 2023, but Sutton reestablished himself as the team’s top target by hauling in 10 touchdown receptions — a few of which of the acrobatic variety — to help Wilson (to a degree, at least) bounce back from a career-reshaping 2022. This came during an endless run of Sutton trade rumors, buzz that did not stop until after the 2024 deadline.
Denver discussed Sutton in 2022 deals and dangled him during the ensuing offseason, with Baltimore talks nearly producing a March 2023 swap. Odell Beckham Jr.‘s Ravens interest may have changed the Broncos’ WR plans, as the AFC North team backed off Sutton. The Broncos had sought a second-round pick for the 2018 second-rounder and a first for Jeudy, but they ended up selling low on Jeudy (fifth- and sixth-rounders) in March 2024. The Broncos stuck with Sutton and prioritized him to the point they declined a third-round offer from the 49ers, who would have added Sutton as part of a three-team Brandon Aiyuk trade with the Steelers in August 2024.
The Beckham and Aiyuk what-ifs behind him by Week 1 of last season, Sutton posted his second 1,000-yard year to help Nix to the second-most rookie-year TD passes (29) in NFL history. The 6-foot-4 WR had sought a true raise from the Broncos during the 2024 offseason, but only an incentive package emerged.
With 1,081 receiving yards and the Broncos improving on their 2023 offensive standing, Sutton maxed out that $1.5MM package. After the Broncos had informed him 2025 would be his true negotiating window, his camp informed the team the wideout would not play out a contract year on the $15MM-per-year deal. That set the stage for another round of Sutton rumors.
Although an offseason report listed Allen and Nik Bonitto as higher extension priorities, Sutton did not need to wait much longer. The Broncos locked down their No. 1 target at a team-friendly rate but one, illustrating how far the WR market has climbed since Sutton was last extended, that provided a considerable raise. At $23MM per year, Sutton’s AAV matches Calvin Ridley‘s for 18th among wideouts. Ridley, who used free agency to his advantage, received more fully guaranteed ($46MM); still, Sutton’s $40MM there ranks 14th at the position.
Sutton, 29, admitted he left a bit on the table to help the Broncos extend teammates. It is unlikely he left too much, but the Broncos had a complex task in completing a fair deal with a player 2-for-7 in 1,000-yard seasons — with QB play largely contributing on that end. Sutton also observed the Broncos pass on adding a No. 1-type wideout this offseason, strengthening his leverage. But a compromise figures to benefit the Broncos, who only guaranteed $1MM of Sutton’s money beyond 2026. It would cost the Broncos $15.85MM (due to two void years) to escape the contract in 2027; that number drops to $9.78MM in 2028 — which would be Sutton’s age-32 season.
Shortly after that long-rumored deal was finalized, the Broncos paid one of their three first-time All-Pros from 2024. Allen had proven a value on a three-year, $45.75MM deal, going from J.J. Watt sidekick to interior disruption force as a D-line’s anchor. The career-long Vance Joseph pupil led the NFL with 40 QB hits last season; that ranked second among all 2020s performances and eighth over the past 10 years. Basically, that list is Aaron Donald, the Watts and Allen’s 2024.
Allen’s extension path was not nearly as complicated as Sutton’s. The Broncos paid their top D-lineman in his contract year, tabling talks until after the draft. Thanks to Allen’s dominant 2024, the process ended with the seventh-year veteran becoming the NFL’s third-highest-paid interior D-lineman. Only Chris Jones and Milton Williams (who used free agency to land a monster Patriots deal) sit higher than the late-blooming Bronco.
In addition to his $44.5MM guaranteed at signing, Allen will see $15.75MM of his 2027 base salary shift from an injury guarantee to a full guarantee in March 2026. This contract structure reminds of Mike McGlinchey‘s, which provided the right tackle a Year 3 guarantee that vested early in Year 2. The deal effectively locks Allen in through at least his age-30 season, and this partnership will probably extend beyond Sutton’s due to age.
Since June 2024, the Broncos have extended six starters (Sutton, Allen, Quinn Meinerz, Patrick Surtain, Jonathon Cooper, Garett Bolles) on deals worth at least $13.5MM per year. Backloading the deals via void years has helped the franchise, which cannot reap the usual benefits of a rookie-QB contract thanks to part two of Wilson’s dead money apocalypse still coming in at $32MM.
Wilson’s money comes off the books next year, but the relief will be short-lived. Although a Nix extension stands to be backloaded as well, a deal will be likely to commence in 2027. Having plenty of players worthy of extensions is a good problem, though this spree of upper-crust contracts will create challenges down the road. The past year also represents quite the comeback tour for GM George Paton, who evaded firing rumors after his Wilson contract and Nathaniel Hackett hire to form an effective duo with Payton.
Free agency additions:
- Talanoa Hufanga, S. Three years, $39MM ($20MM guaranteed)
- Evan Engram, TE. Two years, $23MM ($16.5MM guaranteed)
- Dre Greenlaw, LB. Three years, $31.5MM ($11.5MM guaranteed)
- Trent Sherfield, WR. Two years, $6MM ($3.25MM guaranteed)
- J.K. Dobbins, RB. One year, $2.07MM ($2.07MM guaranteed)
- Sam Franklin, S. One year, $1.34MM ($1.34MM guaranteed)
- Sam Ehlinger, QB. One year, $1.34MM ($468K guaranteed)
- Adam Prentice, FB. One year, $1.17MM
Denver’s 2024 improvement aside, it came without much at linebacker and without any reliable skill-position talents outside of Sutton. While Nix’s strong second half occurring with limited weaponry naturally creates Year 2 optimism, the Broncos needed to aggressively target upgrades to help their QB. One came in free agency, while two more ex-49er staples — to join D.J. Jones and Mike McGlinchey — preceded the Engram signing.
Hufanga and Greenlaw brought difficulty when compiling this year’s PFR Top 50; injury issues clouded both ex-San Francisco stalwarts’ markets. Hufanga (No. 30 in our annual value-based rankings) received more interest; Greenlaw (No. 40) still commanded plenty despite missing almost all of last season with the Achilles tear that may or may not have swung Super Bowl LVIII.
The 49ers did well to lock down Greenlaw on a team-friendly deal in 2022, giving the longtime Fred Warner sidekick a two-year extension worth just $16.4MM. Greenlaw outplayed that contract, but his seminal Achilles tear sustained trotting onto the field in Super Bowl LVIII re-routed his career. The all-around LB talent played just 34 snaps last season, running into Achilles soreness shortly after being activated from the reserve/PUP list in Week 15. The Broncos are betting on upside, but Greenlaw’s injury-plagued 2024 — which came three years after groin surgery sidelined him for 13 2021 games — influenced a lighter commitment.
Although the 49ers made an 11th-hour push to flip Greenlaw’s Broncos commitment during the legal tampering period, the seventh-year LB did not waver even after San Francisco upped its offer beyond where Denver went. It is not clear if that means a bigger overall package or a higher guarantee. It is safe to assume the Broncos’ $11.5MM at signing compared closely to the 49ers’ last-ditch pitch. The Greenlaw contract contains a $2MM salary guarantee on Day 5 of the 2026 league year; nothing else is locked in beyond 2025, giving the Broncos an early out.
Not featuring much in the way of reliable linebacking play since the Super Bowl 50 Danny Trevathan–Brandon Marshall combo, the Broncos will hope they do not have to consider escaping that 2026 Greenlaw guarantee next March. Greenlaw, 28, would fill the key need on Denver’s defense; he graded as Pro Football Focus’ No. 9 overall off-ball LB in 2022 and 23rd in 2023 (247 combined tackles, eight TFLs).
A plus coverage ‘backer, Greenlaw has already missed offseason and training camp time. Considering Alex Singleton is 31 and coming off an ACL tear, the Broncos’ ILB situation brings risk. That is about the only worrying area on a strengthened defense, however.
The Broncos fended off a late Jets push for Hufanga, who will replace P.J. Locke alongside 2024 FA addition Brandon Jones. Had Hufanga stayed healthy in 2023 and ’24, his market probably would have topped Tre’von Moehrig‘s $17MM-per-year deal in March. But Hufanga, 26, suffered a November 2023 ACL tear — the Broncos cornered the market on 49ers defenders absent during Patrick Mahomes‘ late-game surge in Super Bowl LVIII — and missed much of last season due to a concussion and a wrist injury. Before he missed 20 games from 2023-24 (counting playoffs), the former fifth-round find delivered one of the decade’s top safety seasons.
Hufanga’s 2022 brought six turnovers (four INTs, two forced fumbles) to go with two sacks, five TFLs and nine pass breakups. That first-team All-Pro season — Hufanga’s first as an NFL starter — produced the $20MM guarantee necessary to sign him. PFF also graded Hufanga as a top-30 safety in 2023 but was much lower on him last year, slotting him 74th at the position. As they have with Greenlaw, the Broncos are rolling the dice. Hufanga’s age presents greater upside. If the Broncos are right, having Hufanga on the NFL’s 12th-most lucrative safety contract will be a bargain.
Tight end probably loomed as Denver’s biggest need; fortunately, Jacksonville sent a proven option to the market during Liam Coen‘s first weeks on the job. The Broncos have been unable to replace Noah Fant since his inclusion in the Wilson trade. Greg Dulcich did not pan out, and over the past two years, no Bronco tight end has eclipsed 205 receiving yards in a season. Last year, top TE Adam Trautman accumulated just 188. Engram is set to turn 31 in September, but he will be a massive upgrade on what the Broncos had been deploying post-Fant.
Engram set the Jaguars’ single-season tight end receiving yardage record in 2022 and broke it in ’23. After a 766-yard showing in 2022, the ex-Giants first-rounder tallied 963 in ’23. Engram’s 2023 season included 114 catches, which trailed only Jimmy Smith‘s 1999 in Jags history, and it had proved the team right for extending a player who had been inconsistent in New York.
A two-time Pro Bowler as a Giant, Engram fell back to earth in 2024. The agile chain-mover missed eight games due to two separate injuries, with a labrum tear the lead culprit. The Jags’ new regime bailed on Year 3 of Engram’s $13.75MM-AAV extension.
Nearly matching that per-year number on this Broncos deal, Engram received a comparable offer from the Chargers. Although Justin Herbert (and a Los Angeles landing) would certainly seem an enticing combo, Engram said Nix proved a driver for his Denver commitment. Landing in Payton’s offense will likely help as well. Denver naturally pursued ex-Payton Saints charge Juwan Johnson, driving up his market ahead of a New Orleans re-signing, but Engram is a more accomplished player. Not a proven red zone threat (nine total TDs in three Jacksonville seasons), the ninth-year vet could still profile as Denver’s de facto WR2 this season.
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Dobbins, 26, quietly set a career high with 905 rushing yards last season. Quickly usurping two-time teammate Gus Edwards, Dobbins played a central role in the Chargers’ reemergence. Of course, the ex-Raven’s checkered injury history depressed his market.
Having missed a whopping 47 regular-season games from 2020-24, Dobbins did not generate much free agency interest. Although the Chargers offered him a deal to stay, the Broncos had him on their radar since March. After a June visit, Dobbins joined a team that had already drafted a running back high.
ACL and Achilles tears derailed three Dobbins seasons, and he missed four games due to an MCL sprain last year. Dobbins’ rookie-year breakthrough brought a 6.0-yard average per carry, and his eight-game 2022 — after the ACL tear — produced a 5.7-yard mark. That came in a Lamar Jackson-piloted offense, but Dobbins’ Bolts season included a 4.6-yard average and a 12th-place finish in Next Gen Stats’ rush yards over expected metric (115). Injury absences should be expected, but Dobbins will see regular work alongside second-rounder RJ Harvey.
Re-signings:
- D.J. Jones, DT. Three years, $39MM ($26MM guaranteed)
- Jarrett Stidham, QB. Two years, $12MM ($6.99MM guaranteed)
- Matt Peart, T. Two years, $7MM ($3.25MM guaranteed)
- Justin Strnad, LB. One year, $2.88MM ($2.88MM guaranteed)
- Mitchell Fraboni, LS. Three years, $4.18MM ($1.7MM guaranteed)
- Michael Burton, FB. One year, $1.42MM ($125K guaranteed)
While not technically among the Broncos’ above-referenced extension contingent, Jones joined Allen and Sutton in receiving a lucrative third contract. The former 49ers starter played out a three-year, $30MM deal — one agreed to before Sean Payton‘s arrival — but collected a nice raise ahead of his age-30 season. Jones has been a durable player in Denver, missing only three combined games in three seasons. His interior presence has helped the likes of Allen, Nik Bonitto and Jonathon Cooper.
Not many Broncos regulars exited last season out of contract; Jones led the way and expressed interest in staying. Denver locked its nose tackle down the night before the legal tampering period, presenting him with an offer viable enough to preempt a second free agency foray.
Jones ranked second among interior D-linemen in run stop win rate last season, helping the Broncos morph from a defense that had given up 70 points to the Dolphins in 2023 to a No. 3-ranked unit last year. The Broncos will place a bet on Jones’ early 30s bringing more of the same.
Stidham has been one of the NFL’s most productive players during the preseason, and although he does not have a path to unseating Nix, the Broncos have liked what they have seen from their backup. Stidham has been with the team since Payton’s 2023 arrival, backing up (and then awkwardly replacing) Russell Wilson 
before serving as Nix’s QB2 throughout last season. Zach Wilson showed more arm talent during training camp last year, but Stidham held the backup job during the regular season.
A former Patriots fourth-rounder who briefly received consideration to succeed Tom Brady, Stidham is best known for replacing contract-related bubble-wrapped starters (Wilson, Derek Carr) in back-to-back seasons. The 29-year-old passer has generated internal praise and should again be a capable backup.
Strnad became Alex Singleton‘s fill-in last season, logging 676 defensive snaps after seeing zero from 2022-23. The special-teamer fared reasonably well, considering his lack of seasoning, and made 73 tackles (eight for loss) to go with three sacks. A fifth-rounder in John Elway‘s final draft as GM (2020), Strnad gaining experience last year may prove pivotal due to the health questions Greenlaw and Singleton bring.
Notable losses:
Williams’ October 2022 knee setback — ACL and LCL tears — represents an unfortunate line of demarcation in the former second-rounder’s career. After delivering an impressive rookie season (1,219 scrimmage yards, seven TDs despite primarily being Melvin Gordon‘s backup), Williams has not been able to recapture that form since that knee injury in Las Vegas.
Although Williams spent the past two seasons as Denver’s nominal starter, he has not reminded of his rookie-year form. Yards-per-carry numbers south of 3.8 followed Williams’ rehab effort, and the Broncos were viewed as likely to move on after he led last year’s team with just 513 rushing yards. While the Broncos ranked first in run block win rate last season, Williams and Co. were unable to take advantage. After expressing interest in staying, Williams joined the Cowboys on a one-year, $3MM deal.
Barton competed with Jonas Griffith for a starting job last year but saw his run as the team’s three-down ‘backer, post-Singleton, lead to a significant raise. The Titans are Barton’s fourth team in four years; he has gone from Seattle to Washington to Denver to Nashville. Barton played for just $2.5MM last year. He became a more valuable piece as a three-down player, tallying 106 tackles and two interceptions. Barton earned a 
three-year, $21MM deal ($13.3MM guaranteed) off that season.
Zach Wilson fell out of Denver’s QB competition fairly early last summer, though his practice work did show arm talent neither Nix nor Stidham possess. Almost nothing else from Wilson since his NFL entrance as the 2021 No. 2 overall pick has indicated starter-level capabilities, and he spent the season as Denver’s third-stringer.
The ex-Jets starter still commanded an interesting contract, fetching a $6MM guarantee to be Tua Tagovailoa‘s backup. That is a positive development for Wilson, whom the Jets had to keep paying last year — as part of a salary split — to induce the Broncos to send them a sixth-round pick in a trade.
Draft:
- Round 1, No. 20: Jahdae Barron (CB, Texas) (signed)
- Round 2, No. 60 (from Lions): R.J. Harvey (RB, Central Florida) (signed)
- Round 3, No. 74 (from Panthers): Pat Bryant (WR, Illinois) (signed)
- Round 3, No. 101 (from Rams through Falcons and Eagles)*: Sai’vion Jones (DE, LSU) (signed)
- Round 4, No. 134 (from Eagles through Lions and Eagles): Que Robinson (OLB, Alabama) (signed)
- Round 6, No. 216 (from Browns through Texans)*: Jeremy Crawshaw (P, Florida) (signed)
- Round 7, No. 241 (from Texans): Caleb Lohner (TE, Utah) (signed)
Going as far as to guarantee they would draft a running back, the Broncos did not end up making that their centerpiece pick. The team was interested in Ashton Jeanty, but a climb that far north from No. 20 would have presented a difficult cost for a team that had already traded three first-round picks (for Russell Wilson and Sean Payton) since 2022. Denver had not made a first-round pick since Patrick Surtain, and although steady rumblings of interest in moving up emerged close to the draft, the team stuck and addressed a position most viewed as a previous strength.
The team did show interest in potentially moving down. Payton’s HC career has never included a first-round trade-down, but the Broncos eyed TreVeyon Henderson — a player who would have been available late in the first round (the Patriots landed the multipurpose Ohio State product at No. 38). The Broncos were also connected to Ohio State slot Emeka Egbuka, but after Tampa Bay came away with the high-floor prospect at 19, Denver bolstered its secondary.
Employing the 2010s’ All-Decade slot cornerback (Chris Harris), the Broncos have observed the impact a dynamic corner can provide. Barron roved across the secondary at Texas, primarily playing in the slot from 2022-23 before a shift outside last season. Also seeing safety work with the ascending Longhorns, Barron (five 2024 INTs) won the Thorpe award given to Division I-FBS’ top DB. Ranking 10th on Daniel Jeremiah’s NFL.com big board, Barron brought a profile the Broncos viewed as too unique to overlook at 20.
Barron gives the Broncos options, as he could replace two-year contributor Ja’Quan McMillian in the slot or rotate between that position and the boundary. Riley Moss impressed before a late-season knee injury last year, pointing Barron to the slot in Year 1. Barron already being 24 — just one year younger than Surtain — is an underdiscussed catch here. How his age affects a path toward a second contract will be interesting, but for the foreseeable future, the Broncos will have two first-rounder corners rostered.
Regularly mocked Omarion Hampton at 20, the Broncos — as their reported Henderson interest conveyed — were interested in a more versatile option. Although Harvey was not viewed as a consensus Day 2 value, the Broncos made the Central Florida prospect their centerpiece RB move this offseason. Following Javonte Williams as a second-round RB drafted by George Paton, Harvey has a disparate skillset from the rugged four-year contributor. Harvey profiles as an Alvin Kamara-type prospect, and Payton — from Kamara to Darren Sproles to Reggie Bush — has frequently coaxed game-altering form from this genre of running back.
Ranked 99th on Jeremiah’s big board and 93rd on Dane Brugler’s The Athletic board, Harvey dominated mid-major competition with the Knights. He combined for 2,993 rushing yards from 2023-24, adding 38 rushing TDs in that span. Harvey will be asked to do more as a pass catcher — after not exceeding 270 yards in any college season — but he did average more than 12 yards per catch in each of his two dominant college slates.
Harvey will start his career as the Kamara to J.K. Dobbins‘ Mark Ingram, in the absolute best-case scenario, but his age is also notable. Like Barron, Harvey will play an age-24 season as a rookie. With RBs regularly entering drafts after their third college seasons, Harvey spending five years in college is atypical — especially for a second-round pick.
After hosting higher-profile receiver prospects, the Broncos added Bryant. The Illinois alum’s stock dropped after a 4.61-second 40-yard time at the Combine, but the rookie has impressed — to the point it influenced a trade at the position — during camp and in preseason games. Bryant caught 54 passes for 984 yards and 10 touchdowns last season and will have a bigger role post-Devaughn Vele. Possessing size Payton prefers at receiver (6-foot-2, 204 pounds), Bryant is the fourth wideout the Broncos have drafted under their current HC.
Two trade-down moves — swaps that allowed a third-round move-up (via the Panthers) and supplied an extra fourth (via the Lions) — preceded Denver trading up (via Philadelphia) for Jones, who is set to work as a backup D-end in Vance Joseph‘s 3-4 scheme. Jones arrives as a potential replacement for John Franklin-Myers come 2026; the 2024 trade acquisition has not engaged in extension talks yet. Backup D-lineman Malcolm Roach is also on track for 2026 free agency. Jeremiah ranked Jones 80th on his big board; the 280-pound defender tallied 4.5 sacks and eight TFLs at LSU last season.
Trades:
Vele became a surprising rookie-year contributor in Denver, going from seventh-round pick to the team’s second-leading receiver (475 yards). The 6-foot-5 prospect played far more than Marvin Mims and logged more 2024 snaps than Troy Franklin despite going off the board three rounds later. An anticipated Mims usage increase to go with the Bryant draft choice and Franklin’s impressive camp showing led to the Broncos dealing Vele — even as three years remain on his rookie contract.
For a team that saw just one pass catcher eclipse 505 yards last season, this is somewhat risky. It highlights a belief Bryant’s arrival and Franklin’s improvement would marginalize Vele, whose skillset differs from Mims’ considerably.
The 6-5 target is also older than most players on rookie contracts. Vele, who served a Mormon mission while at Utah, will turn 28 before season’s end. As Vele will be 30 before his rookie contract expires, his NFL career stands to be shortened. Fetching a fourth-round pick for a player chosen 235th last year represents good value, and Vele will head to a Saints team with significant QB questions.
Other:
Chosen with one of the picks obtained in the 2021 Von Miller trade, Bonitto has become Denver’s best pass rusher since parting with the Super Bowl 50 MVP. After a 13.5-sack season produced a second-team All-Pro honor, Bonitto became a clear extension candidate. It has been a few weeks since the Broncos paid Courtland Sutton and Zach Allen, but Bonitto buzz persists as the season nears.
If unpaid by Week 1, the former second-rounder would be tied to a $5.35MM base salary. While Bonitto may be OK waiting until Micah Parsons and Trey Hendrickson (and perhaps Aidan Hutchinson) make final alterations to the top of the market, seeing a guarantee influx — rather than Year 4 of a rookie contract — will be alluring. Bonitto, 26 next month, will not be a candidate to compete with Parsons or Hutchinson on a second contract, but the deals given to Myles Garrett and T.J. Watt raised the ceiling already. This market’s rise will boost Bonitto, who can command at least a high-second-tier extension.
The George Paton years have also not set Week 1 as a deadline for extension talks. The team paid Sutton and Tim Patrick during the 2021 season and extended Garett Bolles and Bonitto OLB wingman Jonathon Cooper last fall. Optimistic about an extension, Bonitto could be on that track as well. If the sides cannot agree on terms before season’s end, Bonitto will be one of the NFL’s best bets for a 2026 franchise tag.
It seemed for a while the Broncos would benefit from a veteran presence, particularly in the slot, as the team does not have a proven target there. However, it will likely be Evan Engram working regularly in this capacity in Nix’s second season. The team showed interest in Samuel but did not make an offer. The Broncos also did not see Kupp’s eventual $15MM-per-year price align with their valuation. Barring a pre-deadline trade, it will again be on rookie-contract WRs to complement Sutton this year.
Considering where the Broncos were in 2022, the team losing this much front office talent in one offseason highlights the climb the franchise has made in the years since. Mougey joined the Broncos early in John Elway‘s GM tenure (2012) and climbed the ladder during Paton’s two years atop the personnel pyramid, later staying in place as assistant GM once Payton arrived. The Jets have paired the 13-year Broncos with Aaron Glenn. Burckhardt, who has been with the team four years, will replace Mougey as Paton’s top front office lieutenant.
Denver lost two staffers to NFC North OC positions. This comes after the 2024 team jumped to 10th in scoring offense despite modest skill-position talent around last year’s sixth QB drafted. Doyle becomes an OC before 30, though the short-lived Denver tight ends coach will not call plays in Chicago. Both Doyle and Morton spent two years in their respective positions.
Morton, 55, will be tasked with replacing Ben Johnson in Detroit. Morton has one season — with the 2017 Jets — of OC experience. Davis Webb‘s quick coaching ascent now includes a pass-game coordinator title. Nix building on his rookie-year success will probably garner the third-year Broncos QBs coach OC interviews come 2026.
Rizzi, 55, coached the Saints’ ST units under Payton from 2019-21. He joins OC Joe Lombardi, senior offensive assistant Pete Carmichael and O-line coach Zach Strief as ex-Saints staffers in prominent Broncos roles. Rizzi held an outside shot at the Saints’ full-time HC position, especially as candidates (Kliff Kingsbury, Joe Brady, Mike McCarthy) dropped out of the running. Kellen Moore taking the job, however, led Rizzi to Denver.
Top 10 cap charges for 2025:
- Mike McGlinchey, RT: $23.78MM
- Ben Powers, G: $17.43MM
- Zach Allen, DL: $14.35MM
- Courtland Sutton, WR: $13.9MM
- John Franklin-Myers, DL: $10MM
- Brandon Jones, S: $9.05MM
- Patrick Surtain, CB: $8.37MM
- Jonathon Cooper, OLB: $8.15MM
- Alex Singleton, ILB: $6.91MM
- D.J. Jones, DT: $6.6MM
Even as the Broncos have set themselves up as a playoff contender again, the AFC’s Chiefs-Bills-Ravens fortress remains imposing for outside challengers. A host of second-tier threats — the Texans, Chargers, Bengals and Steelers among them — also present challenges in a loaded conference, but the Broncos added talent in key areas and did not lose much this offseason.
Payton’s Super Bowl mentions notwithstanding, the Broncos winning a playoff game for the first time in 10 seasons would probably bring a successful season. Denver still has some time to build with Nix on a rookie contract, expanding options, but this roster features a host of veterans well into their careers. Sutton will join Bolles, McGlinchey and Engram as 30-something offensive starters this season. Part of a high-end O-line returning all five starters, Powers will play an age-29 season. While young standouts also appear on Denver’s roster, some of the age on the offensive side does create urgency for 2025.
If Payton and a better weaponry cadre boost Nix’s growth, the Broncos should have a more talented offense — on a defense-oriented roster. The Greenlaw, Hufanga and Barron additions on defense probably make it — should the ex-49ers shake off recent injury issues — the most talented Broncos unit since their Super Bowl-winning 2015 defense. Will this enhanced formula be enough to threaten the Chiefs in the AFC West and perhaps infiltrate the conference’s top tier come January?
Denver discussed Sutton in 2022 deals and dangled him during the ensuing offseason, with Baltimore talks nearly producing a March 2023 swap. Odell Beckham Jr.‘s Ravens interest may have changed the Broncos’ WR plans, as the AFC North team backed off Sutton. The Broncos had sought a second-round pick for the 2018 second-rounder and a first for Jeudy, but they ended up selling low on Jeudy (fifth- and sixth-rounders) in March 2024. The Broncos stuck with Sutton and prioritized him to the point they declined a third-round offer from the 49ers, who would have added Sutton as part of a three-team Brandon Aiyuk trade with the Steelers in August 2024.
Sutton, 29, admitted he left a bit on the table to help the Broncos extend teammates. It is unlikely he left too much, but the Broncos had a complex task in completing a fair deal with a player 2-for-7 in 1,000-yard seasons — with QB play largely contributing on that end. Sutton also observed the Broncos pass on adding a No. 1-type wideout this offseason, strengthening his leverage. But a compromise figures to benefit the Broncos, who only guaranteed $1MM of Sutton’s money beyond 2026. It would cost the Broncos $15.85MM (due to two void years) to escape the contract in 2027; that number drops to $9.78MM in 2028 — which would be Sutton’s age-32 season.
In addition to his $44.5MM guaranteed at signing, Allen will see $15.75MM of his 2027 base salary shift from an injury guarantee to a full guarantee in March 2026. This contract structure reminds of Mike McGlinchey‘s, which provided the right tackle a Year 3 guarantee that vested early in Year 2. The deal effectively locks Allen in through at least his age-30 season, and this partnership will probably extend beyond Sutton’s due to age.
Hufanga and Greenlaw brought difficulty when compiling this year’s PFR Top 50; injury issues clouded both ex-San Francisco stalwarts’ markets. Hufanga (No. 30 in our annual value-based rankings) received more interest; Greenlaw (No. 40) still commanded plenty despite missing almost all of last season with the Achilles tear that may or may not have swung Super Bowl LVIII.
Not featuring much in the way of reliable linebacking play since the Super Bowl 50 Danny Trevathan–Brandon Marshall combo, the Broncos will hope they do not have to consider escaping that 2026 Greenlaw guarantee next March. Greenlaw, 28, would fill the key need on Denver’s defense; he graded as Pro Football Focus’ No. 9 overall off-ball LB in 2022 and 23rd in 2023 (247 combined tackles, eight TFLs).
Tight end probably loomed as Denver’s biggest need; fortunately, Jacksonville sent a proven option to the market during Liam Coen‘s first weeks on the job. The Broncos have been unable to replace Noah Fant since his inclusion in the Wilson trade. Greg Dulcich did not pan out, and over the past two years, no Bronco tight end has eclipsed 205 receiving yards in a season. Last year, top TE Adam Trautman accumulated just 188. Engram is set to turn 31 in September, but he will be a massive upgrade on what the Broncos had been deploying post-Fant.
