The Denver Broncos were a surprising team this season. Despite dealing with the egregious cap hit from Russell Wilson’s contract, the team strung together a quality season with a postseason appearance under rookie quarterback Bo Nix.
However, in that playoff game, it became clear that the offense needed some upgrades before the team could truly take the next step. One analyst believes the team will have the perfect opportunity thanks to a class loaded with positions of need for the Broncos.
Denver Broncos Predicted To Fix Offense in the 2025 NFL Draft
The genius of Sean Payton was on full display on the defensive end. Not only did Denver have the Defensive Player of the Year in Pat Surtain, but it also managed to finish with the best defense in the league by PFSN’s Defense+ metric.
On the other hand, the offense left a lot to be desired. Nix was an incredible long-ball threat with impressive athleticism, but his snap-to-snap game wasn’t fully refined. As a result, he ranked 18th on PFSN’s QB+ metric.
In turn, that took a toll on the offense that relied heavily on making plays through the air. On the year, Denver finished exactly in the middle, ranking 16th on PFSN’s Offense+ metric. Now, establishing a ground game is its priority.
Conor Orr of Sports Illustrated believes that could be an easy fix given the depth of talent in the 2025 NFL Draft. “The Broncos will draft multiple running backs in this year’s draft. For once, need meets availability.”
He believes it is a necessary change for a Broncos offense that was far too reliant on Nix’s arm, leading to a lot of risky plays on the regular. “We’ve already seen how a team can convert its offense to more of a low-risk, rush-heavy scheme that takes pressure off a quarterback.”
MORE: Simulate the NFL Offseason With PFSN’s Offseason Manager
He believes the 2025 NFL Draft will offer Payton a ton of options to choose from and the solution will be all about the fit. “Sean Payton will get his fill of a deep and versatile running back class on tap.”
He believes adding offensive weapons could truly unlock the Broncos and allow Payton to express his genius on the field. “This can be a major asset to a creative play-caller and schematic thinker such as Payton, who still needs personnel help to put opposing defenses in uncomfortable situations.”
However, according to PFSN’s latest mock draft, the Broncos aren’t going to wait around for RBs to add to their squad. Instead, Anthony Pasciolla believes Denver will select the best running back available this season, Heisman Trophy finalist Ashton Jeanty from Boise State.
For the collegiate Broncos, Jeanty was a revelation in his final season. He tallied an unimaginable 2,601 rushing yards, in addition to 29 touchdowns, almost singlehandedly leading them to a CFP appearance.
His season-low was 104 yards, with six 200+ yard games scattered in throughout the year, including a game-high 267 yards in the first game of the year, alongside an astonishing six touchdowns.
While he might not immediately achieve those same lofty standards, Jeanty would alleviate some of the pressure off of Nix and give a dynamic edge for the Broncos and Payton to work with.
