For all the positive vibes surrounding the Denver Broncos this offseason, most of the optimism has been local. Nationally, less plugged-in pundits have pounced on the Broncos, and as if to cut them down to size once again.
Major slights via Pro Football Focus have been directed at the Broncos in recent days, including All-Pro defensive lineman Zach Allen and reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year Patrick Surtain II. Still, we can dismiss such seemingly uneducated hot takes.
After all, splitting hairs on how you rank individual players during the offseason is the low-hanging fruit in early June. Nevertheless, NFL.com's Judy Battista has indulged in pondering more seriously over a potentially far more considerable roadblock for the Broncos to overcome in 2025.
Battista reminded everyone that, amid all the optimism, the Broncos still have to vanquish the Kansas City Chiefs in the uber-competitive AFC West. She questioned seriously whether the AFC West is still a "one-team race."
"The Chiefs won their ninth straight division title last season -- taking the 2024 crown by four games -- but the Broncos and Chargers both made the playoffs and both were far ahead of schedule in their respective rebuilds, so this narrative is already wilting. Can those two teams bury it once and for all? Jim Harbaugh is in Year 2 with the Chargers (he took the 49ers to the Super Bowl in his second year in San Francisco), and he just loaded up on running backs, signing Najee Harris and drafting Omarion Hampton, leaning into how he wants to play. Los Angeles also drafted receiver Tre Harris, addressing a major offensive need," Battista wrote. "The Broncos added key pieces on offense (running back RJ Harvey, tight end Evan Engram) and defense (linebacker Dre Greenlaw, safety Talanoa Hufanga, defensive back Jahdae Barron), and quarterback Bo Nix is coming off an impressive rookie season. Both teams already have good defenses and very smart, proven coaching. This is as much competition as the Chiefs have faced since their reign began."
Cutting the head off the Kansas City snake is always easier said than done. For far too long, Patrick Mahomes and company have always seemed to find a way to prevail in the AFC West.
Degrees of uncanny good fortune have often followed the Chiefs around ever since Mahomes landed in town, but making excuses over and over again is futile. That good fortune has frequently arrived via a friendly whistle in timely moments for Kansas City. Still, no matter what team or player it is, Lady Luck eventually turns her attention elsewhere.
In 2025, at least the Broncos can very likely rely upon the Los Angeles Chargers to soften the Chiefs up a little bit, as could the Las Vegas Raiders under new head coach Pete Carroll. Even so, it's on Nix and the host of new talent on this roster to take the bull by the horns and dethrone the Chiefs.
If the Chiefs were to win a 10th-straight divisional title, it would mean that those costly offseason reinforcements the Broncos brought in would have come up short, and in a rather deflating manner. It's way past due that the Chiefs finally take a fall, but for that to ultimately happen, the Broncos have to viciously target the AFC West crown like there's no tomorrow.
