Broncos Reload With One Goal: Take Down the Chiefs and Reclaim the AFC West

While we are still months and months away from the Denver Broncos taking the field in Week 1 in an attempt to dethrone the Kansas City Chiefs and take back the AFC West, the majority of roster math is complete. The Broncos, further unburdened by the colossal cap hit of releasing Russell Wilson and with a full hand of draft picks, were able to make aggressive yet calculated moves to improve upon last season’s surprise Wildcard squad.

With the key additions of tight end Evan Engram, safety Talanoa Hufanga, and linebacker Dre Greenlaw in free agency and defensive back Jahdae Barron and running back RJ Harvey in the draft, the Broncos have been lauded for their offseason in comparison to their NFL peers.

While toppling the reigning nine-times-in-a-row AFC West champion Chiefs may be a tall task, doing so is the goal of this Broncos team, as head coach Sean Payton mentioned winning the division as a necessity, both immediately following Denver’s Wildcard loss to the Buffalo Bills and at the end-of-season press conference the following week.

This wasn’t the most star-studded crop of free agents this offseason, but based on the talent that was available, the Broncos emphatically addressed a majority of their biggest needs. With the team desperate for a mismatch middle-of-the-field weapon, Denver landed the top free-agent tight end to land Payton his beloved 'joker' in Engram and fortified the spine of the defense with Greenlaw and Hufanga.

Addressing positions that are historically not ideal first-round selections from a return-on-investment perspective, with a longer learning curve from college to the league, should give the Broncos a more immediate boost than had they relied on adding a tight end, linebacker, or safety in the draft. It was likely a better allocation of resources.

And while the post-draft analysis of Denver’s 2025 draft haul has been somewhat of a mixed bag, the additions of both Harvey and Barron should play major roles for the upcoming season in Denver. Given that the Broncos have a very strong run game infrastructure in place and rookie running backs tend to hit the ground running if they're to amount to much, Harvey will likely be named a darkhorse contender for Offensive Rookie of the Year by many as the season approaches.

Barron plays a premium position and offers versatility and ball skills to raise both the floor and ceiling of what was already a top 10 defense in the NFL last season.

Did the Broncos address every single thing this offseason and now have a perfect roster with no questions? No, of course not.

The depth at linebacker, given that both Greenlaw and future starting partner Alex Singleton coming off a season-ending injury, is concerning. Can Denver replicate last season’s sack production, setting a new franchise record and leading the league with 63, especially a unit that boasts no first-round picks? Maybe.

Did Denver do enough to add weaponry around second-year quarterback Bo Nix to allow Denver to win in shootouts? Or will the offense be more reliant on the scheme of the coach, the control allowed by the offensive line, and a quarterback savvy enough to avoid backbreaking plays on the field?

The Broncos undoubtedly look improved compared to where the roster was at the end of last season. A given team's defensive production tends to be extremely volatile year-to-year, but the Broncos added pieces that should allow them to remain one of the better units in the league in 2025.

The offense may not have overwhelming star power, but key pieces are there under Payton's watchful eye. Sports Illustrated gave the Broncos' offseason haul a B+, and that feels like a fair grade.

Depending on the health of the team's free-agent acquisitions and the plan for Denver's top rookies, even a B+ could be considered too low when looking back after the conclusion of next season.