In 2024, Sean Payton and the Denver Broncos made the decision to draft Oregon quarterback Bo Nix in the first round of the draft. Nix was called “the worst quarterback of the first round class” and yet he was able to experience immediate success.
Payton and Nix were able to get the Broncos back to the playoffs for the first time since the Super Bowl-winning season in 2015. It was a nine year drought for Denver and during those nine years they didn’t even sniff the playoffs.
Despite getting blown out by the Buffalo Bills in the first round, Denver fans will look back fondly at the 2024 season as it symbolized a re-birth for the Broncos and maybe even laid the foundation for future success.
Getting to the playoffs was the first goal, now it’s time to experience playoff success. It’ll be an uphill battle for Denver to achieve playoff success as the Broncos play in a conference with star-caliber talent such as Joe Burrow, Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson.
Not only will they have trouble in their own conference, but in their division as well. The Broncos play in the AFC West division and besides the Las Vegas Raiders, it’s one of the most competitive divisions in the NFL.
Along with the Broncos, the Los Angeles Chargers also made the playoffs and finished ahead of Denver. The Kansas City Chiefs won the division in 2024 and made it all the way to the Super Bowl before losing to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Denver will have to battle within their division year in and year out if they want to experience playoff success in the near future. However, they made a few splash free agent signings in the 2025 offseason that’ll give them a better chance in 2025.
In the secondary, the Broncos signed former San Francisco 49er and safety Talanoa Hufanga to a three-year $45 million contract. Denver prioritized a major hole in their secondary and Hufanga appears to be their guy for the next three years.
Another 49er that the Broncos picked up in free agency was linebacker Dre Greenlaw. The Broncos signed Greenlaw to a three-year $35 million deal and will provide some relief for fellow inside linebacker Alex Singleton.
Another big free agent signing for Denver was Evan Engram. Engram signed a two-year $23 million contract to be another target for Bo Nix. Engram will be a good safety net for the young QB and signing a tight end gives Denver flexibility in the upcoming NFL draft.
However, all of these signings are short term deals which implies that Denver is in “win-now” mode. They’ll have their hands full with the Chiefs, Chargers and even the Raiders, who just hired Pete Carroll and acquired Geno Smith.
If Nix and Payton continue to build chemistry and if the Broncos build around Nix then Denver could be a serious contender for years to come. We’ll see if Denver drafts well in the upcoming 2025 NFL draft.
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