The Denver Broncos surprised many in the NFL this year by nabbing the seventh seed in the AFC playoffs. Bo Nix steadily improved throughout the year and led the team to a 10-7 record. The defense dominated at times, making things easier on the rookie quarterback. Head coach Sean Payton once again showed why he is one of the best in the game, taking a team with limited talent to the postseason. The challenge now is to build on this season and improve. Here are three questions for the Broncos this offseason.
1. Was This Year Fool’s Gold Or A Sign Of Things To Come?
There is a lot of variance in the NFL. We’ve seen teams make the playoffs one year and then fall flat the next. The Cleveland Browns are a perfect example of this. They were the playoff darlings last year but had the second-worst record this year. The Denver Broncos hope this is not the case for them. There are signs that it was not a fluke.
Nix improved throughout the year, confidently making downfield throws in the season’s final weeks. Patrick Surtain II has solidified himself as one of the best corners in the game. Courtland Sutton, a player who was in hundreds of trade rumors last offseason, looks like he will stay with the team. However, there are some concerns.
There were not many statement wins this year. The Denver Broncos faced Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, Justin Herbert (twice), Joe Burrow, and Josh Allen this year. They lost all six of those games. Their week 18 victory against the Chiefs was against the backups. The lone impressive victory was against the NFC South champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers in week 3. To be fair, the Broncos were in a lot of these games. The Chiefs blocked a field goal to win their matchup, and the Bengals needed overtime to come out on top. They now need to show they can beat the AFC’s elite and not just hang with them.
2. Can The Offense Be More Efficient Next Season?
The Denver Broncos had some good moments on offense but also struggled with efficiency. Their running game was non-existent. Fantasy managers pulled their hair out all year trying to figure out which running back Payton was going to feature on a week-to-week basis. Javonte Williams was the team’s leading rusher in 2024, but he only had 513 yards on the season. Furthermore, the Broncos offense was plagued with three-and-outs. 26.3% of their possessions ended in three plays, which was the third-highest in the league.
This will be an area of focus for the team this offseason. Even if drives don’t end in scoring, sustaining a drive for more than three plays gives the offense some rhythm while also giving the defense a rest. A big part of this will be finding a dynamic running back that we have been used to seeing in the Sean Payton offense. Alvin Kamara feasted for years with Payton and it would also help make defenses respect the run more. If teams can ignore the run and focus on Nix, the offense will continue to struggle.
3. Is An Extension Incoming For Nik Bonitto?
Denver Broncos edge Nik Bonitto had a career year at the right time. He racked up 13.5 sacks and was one of the best defensive players in the entire league. Last season, he was a rotational player and has blossomed into a premier pass rusher. He was rewarded with a Pro Bowl nod and was named Second-Team All-Pro. He is entering the final year of his rookie deal. If the Broncos don’t want him to hit free agency, they should get a deal done this offseason.
GM George Patton made it clear the team “would love to have Nik here long term,” but as of this moment, talks have not begun. This isn’t surprising, as the season just ended, and the Denver Broncos may play it cautiously. We’ve seen many players have one good season, get paid, and then never live up to the contract. However, it is important to pay good players. This will be one to watch this offseason. The Broncos will likely try and get a team-friendly deal done and keep the former second-round pick in Denver for the foreseeable future.
Final Thoughts
Not many people will be picking the Denver Broncos to return to the playoffs next year. They are out to prove people wrong. Next year is also the last year the team will be burdened with the Russell Wilson salary cap hit. If they can continue to build next year, this team could have a lot of cap room in the coming years to build a dynasty.
