The Denver Broncos roster, as built by GM George Paton and head coach Sean Payton, is widely regarded as one of the most complete in the NFL. Not only did NFL.com's Eric Edholm recognize the Broncos as a top 10 roster, but they were also identified as a top 10 roster by Pro Football Focus.
PFF's Max Chadwick and Dalton Wasserman reviewed every roster, ranking each and identifying teams' biggest strengths, weaknesses, and X-factors. The Broncos roster checked in at No. 9 in the rankings.
When it comes to PFF's three Broncos superlatives, let's examine that strength, weakness, and X-factor.
Biggest Strength
When it came to the Broncos' biggest strength, PFF pointed to the defense.
“Denver’s defense was one of the best in the NFL this past season. Only the Eagles allowed a lower EPA per play figure and fewer yards per play than the Broncos in 2024. They also ranked second in the league with a 39.9% pressure rate, and Patrick Surtain II became the first cornerback to win Defensive Player of the Year since Stephon Gilmore in 2019," PFF wrote. "After drafting cornerback Jahdae Barron in the first round of this year’s draft, the Broncos are on the short list for having the best defense in football.”
For as good as the Broncos defense was last year, it had some issues, including some injuries that caused the unit to falter. The Broncos also became less effective as the season progressed, struggling against tougher quarterback competition, such as Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow, Justin Herbert, and Josh Allen. It was important for Denver to improve its defense this offseason and it did.
Free-agent safety Talanoa Hufanga and linebacker Dre Greenlaw are injury risks, but they directly address areas the Broncos needed to improve. The two former San Francisco 49ers help in coverage, especially Greenlaw, in an area of the field where the Los Angeles Chargers were able to attack consistently with excellent results, sweeping the Broncos last year. Hufanga adds more playmaking in the secondary to help generate takeaways and a big physical downhill force to alleviate some of the issues Denver had against the run.
The Broncos also had significant injuries at cornerback last year, including a game without Patrick Surtain II and a long stretch late in the season without Riley Moss. Their absences led to some of the unit's worst defensive performances, even if the Broncos managed to win one of them, but they addressed the cornerback depth.
The Broncos improved their depth in the secondary by adding Hufanga in free agency and Barron with their first-round pick. Those two moves put P.J. Locke and Ja’Quan McMillian, 2024 starters, into a depth role where their starting experience can help them make a difference when called upon.
Biggest Weakness
When it comes to the Broncos' biggest weakness in 2024, we switched to the other side of the ball. PFF named Denver's offensive weaponry as the weakness.
"While the Broncos gave quarterback Bo Nix the highest-graded pass-blocking unit in football (83.5), they didn't provide ample skill-position weapons. The Broncos earned the fifth-worst PFF receiving grade and the fifth-worst PFF rushing grade in 2024. Denver is hoping the following two players will fix that issue," PFF wrote.
I have no counterargument here. The Broncos' offensive weapons last year weren't great, and while Courtland Sutton had a great season, he was a one-person show. Sure, Devaughn Vele, Marvin Mims Jr., and Troy Franklin had their moments, but they all lacked consistency. The Broncos also didn’t get much help from the tight end position, and their running back room was among the worst last year, led by Javonte Williams.
X-Factor(s)
Nix elevated the supporting cast, even as a rookie, but what is going to change? PFF’s X-Factor is tight end Evan Engram for this season, and their rookie to watch is running back R.J. Harvey.
“The only major change to the Broncos' receiving corps is tight end Evan Engram. Over his three years with the Jaguars, Engram ranked fourth among tight ends with 1,163 yards after the catch," PFF wrote. "That’s even more impressive when considering he played in only nine games in 2024 due to a torn labrum. If he can bounce back, he should be a dangerous weapon in Denver’s offense.”
Engram gives Denver another proven weapon to pair with Sutton. Even if Engram is listed as a tight end, he's more of a big slot receiver. His ability to create mismatches was sorely missed last season, in addition to his ability to make plays, especially on third down.
The question is whether Engram can stay on the field, but when he is out there for the Broncos, he should make a clear and significant positive impact on offense. Denver just needs him to stay available because the team didn’t do much to improve the tight end position behind Engram, so any injury could be devastating.
Here's what PFF said about Harvey.
“The Broncos will rely on second-round pick RJ Harvey to lead their ground game in 2025. He was one of the most productive rushers in college football during his time with UCF, placing eighth among FBS running backs with a 94.2 PFF rushing grade since 2023 and ranking fourth with 2,995 rushing yards in that span," PFF wrote.
Harvey was the second-most-explosive back in college football behind Ashton Jeanty, and he did it behind one of the worst offensive lines in the nation. With Harvey joining the Broncos, a team with a high-quality offensive line, the infrastructure is in place for him to make an immediate impact this season. He is Denver's top back, and the team believes in his ability as a receiver. Although his college usage was questionable, he can also make an impact on passing downs.
The Takeaway
If the Broncos offense isn’t improved over last year, with the expectation that Nix will take the next step in his development and the additions of Engram, Harvey, and even third-round wideout Pat Bryant, it will be a disappointment.
The same is true for the Broncos defense, even though 2024 was an exceptional year, leading the league in sacks (63) and finishing as a top-10 defense in scoring and yardage. If the Broncos aren’t better this year, it would be a surprise.
The Broncos have a roster built to compete now, and while it's way too early to tap them as a Super Bowl contender, they are in a position to take the next step toward it. The Broncos need to win at least 11 games and add a playoff victory.
