Broncos' Offense Still has Much to Prove Based on New Position Rankings

When it comes to the Denver Broncos' offense, the biggest questions surround how a lot of younger players will fare at the skill positions. The likes of quarterback Bo Nix, running back RJ Harvey, and wideouts Devaughn Vele and Pat Bryant will all be expected to contribute to some degree — and in some cases, to show improvement from last year.

As far as how the Broncos will fare compared to the rest of the league, that remains to be seen, but how that turns out depends on the contributions of those younger players. But it stands to reason that, given the youth at the skill positions, analysts won't rank those positional groups highly going into the 2025 season.

Sharp Football Analysis wasn't high on the positional groups as you might expect, but there is something positive to note about one position. And when it came to the offensive line, SFA thought highly of the unit.

Offensive Line

We already covered SFA's focus on the Broncos' defense. When it comes to the offense, we'll start with offensive line, which SFA's staff ranked second overall, behind the Philadelphia Eagles. The staff saw plenty to like about the unit.

"The offensive line landed in the top four on every ballot and should be the unit that holds together an otherwise talent-limited offense. Garett Bolles anchors the unit at left tackle. He ranked third at his position in pressure rate allowed last season," SFA staff wrote.

Along with Bolles, the Broncos return nearly every offensive lineman who saw playing time last season, with their starting five intact, their top two swing tackles back and a couple of interior offensive linemen from last year. It's not surprising SFA would be bullish about the offensive line.

Quarterback

When it comes to quarterback, SFA isn't as high on Nix and the backups, but the good news is that the Broncos moved up from the 2024 rankings.

The Broncos tied for 19th overall with the Las Vegas Raiders. However, a positive is that the Broncos jumped 10 spots from SFA's 2024 rankings. It's a sign that, while Nix has plenty to improve upon, he did win over the staff to some degree.

"Nix still didn’t rank higher than 16th on any ballot," SFA staff wrote. "On a positive note, Nix handled pressure well 一 he took a sack on just 13% of his dropbacks under pressure, the ninth lowest rate. That bodes well for his continued development."

It's easy to get frustrated with analysts who still aren't sold on Nix, but the reality is that he had a lot to prove last season, and to expect him to be viewed as a top 10 quarterback entering Year 2 wasn't realistic. But he did improve over the 2024 season, and if he keeps it up, he might get himself into the top 10 conversation by season's end.

Wideouts & Tight Ends

The wide receiver and tight end room drew more skepticism from SFA, as the unit ranked 24th overall. 

"On throws 10 or more yards downfield, Broncos pass catchers only caught just 70% of their catchable targets last year, ranked 27th," SFA staff wrote. "And yet, Denver decided to just run it back with the same crew, only adding third-round pick Pat Bryant and journeyman Trent Sherfield."

To be sure, SFA didn't mention Evan Engram, but even his addition isn't enough to raise the ranking of this positional group without more improvement from other players. Marvin Mims Jr. needs to contribute more in the receiving game, and players such as Vele and Bryant need to demonstrate they can be contributors.

Running Backs

And when it comes to the running backs, nobody should be surprised that this positional group ranks low on SFA's list, with the Broncos ranked 30th.

"The Broncos appear to be putting a lot of faith in rookie RJ Harvey making an immediate transition from UCF’s friendly rushing scheme to the NFL, though the late signing of J.K. Dobbins could suggest some concerns about the rookie," SFA staff wrote.

It's fair to say that the Broncos' running backs have much to prove. While rookie running backs can make an impact, it may be expecting too much for Harvey to dominate right away. Dobbins does provide experience, but he's not an every-down back, and incumbents like Jaleel McLaughlin and Audric Estime may be limited as situational players.

The Takeaway

Overall, it's fair to say that the O-line is the strength of the offense, that Nix has made strides but still has room for improvement, and that the young backs and receivers have a lot to prove this coming season.

If things do come together, though, the Broncos will get more respect from analysts. Until then, while it's fine to believe the offense will do better than some may expect, the Broncos have to demonstrate that on the field to be ranked higher by analysts.