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The Denver Broncos went one and done in the playoffs after a promising 2024 season, falling 31-7 to the Buffalo Bills in the Wild Card Round.
Despite the disappointment, there are still some positive things to build upon. One of those is the play of Broncos quarterback Bo Nix, who has looked every bit the part of a signal-caller who can lead this franchise for years to come.
He finished out the season with an overall completion percentage of just over 66.3%, passing for 29 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. Nix, who was also praised for his mobility and escapability throughout his college career, has continued to carry that over to the NFL level.
That showed up on the stat line as well as he rushed for 430 yards and four touchdowns on 92 carries.
But the simple fact is that he cannot do it all himself. The Broncos are right there on the edge of really taking things to the next level, and they've got the chance to do just that with the 2025 NFL Draft and free agency on the horizon.
Not that every offseason is not important, but playing the cards right in this one could determine whether or not the Broncos have a real chance at making it into the Super Bowl for the 2025-26 season.
Fatal flaw Broncos must fix in 2025 NFL offseason
The Broncos do not exactly have adequate weapons surrounding Nix, with Pro Football Focus naming Denver's tight end room the worst in the nation ahead of the 2024 season. And, now that the season is in the books, most outlets have that position group for the Broncos ranked as either mid-tier or bottom-tier. The same applies for the Broncos' wide receiver room, which also lacks spark.
“A room that features Adam Trautman as the top tight end is concerning,” John Kosko of PFF wrote. “His 53.2 PFF grade in 2023 ranked 57th out of 72 eligible players, as he caught just 22 passes for 204 yards in 2023. The Broncos didn’t add a tight end in the draft nor did they make a move for one in free agency. Rookie quarterback Bo Nix will likely target the position very little in 2024.”
Some thought the criticism of Trautman here at the time was a little unwarranted, but that sentiment was disproven as Trautman finished the season with just 13 catches for 188 yards and two touchdowns.
In addition to not having any explosiveness at the tight end position, the Broncos also had far from an impressive run game. Denver finished out the season ranked 24th in the NFL in rush yards expected per play in comparison to actuality (-0.06), according to NextGen Stats. The stat sheet game in and game out also reflects that the Broncos did not have a consistent workhorse running back.
There were several different rushers that finished out games as the leader, with Javontae Williams finishing the season as the team's lead running back with a mere total of 513 yards on the season.
Broncos potential 2025 NFL Draft targets
While free agency, trading, and moves of the like are all possible remedies to some of the Broncos' offensive shortcomings, all eyes will be on what they do during the 2025 NFL Draft in terms of adding players on that side of the ball.
The Broncos hold the No. 20 overall pick in the first round of the event, and if they choose to not go defense-first (likely to be at outside linebacker in that case), there are few options better than selecting Heisman Trophy finalist Ashton Jeanty. The running back out of Boise State had a standout season that compared with some of the best college football running backs in recent history as he ended the year with 2,601 rushing yards and 29 touchdowns on 374 carries.
He also was effective in helping with the passing game, reeling in 23 receptions for 138 yards and a touchdown. And, with the type of versatility that he has displayed, Jeanty should appeal to Broncos head coach Sean Payton as a potential Alvin Kamara type of player.
Analyst Dane Brugler of The Athletic is one of the many who have pinned Jeanty to the Broncos in the first round. The only concern seems to be as to whether or not Jeanty will still be available for the taking by the time that the Broncos make their pick.
“Should Jeanty fall this far? Of course not,” Brugler wrote. “But if Dallas decides to pass, there aren’t many obvious landing spots for him in the top 18. From the Boise State Broncos to the Denver Broncos, Jeanty would add another level to Sean Payton’s offense and continue to help Bo Nix ascend as one of the league’s bright young quarterbacks.”
In the event that Jeanty is unavailable, Penn State tight end Tyler Warren could be a viable option, and the Broncos could also address their running back issue in the second round with a player like Tennessee running back Dylan Sampson.
It will be interesting to see just which exact route the Broncos take when the action gets underway in April.
