The Jarrett Stidham hype train came to a screeching halt in the AFC Championship Game after the first quarter. All he had was a 52-yard pass to set up Denver’s only score of the game of note as the Broncos came up short of a Super Bowl appearance. Of course people will try to put an asterisk on this season with Bo Nix’s untimely injury in the Divisional Round against the Buffalo Bills.
Now their attention is on getting healthy, keeping this defense elite and building around Nix. The Broncos won’t have a lot of moves they need to make, but they will need more offensive production next year if they want to go on another playoff run in 2026. Here’s everything they need to do this offseason, in free agency, the NFL Draft, or otherwise, to find their way to a Super Bowl next year.
Make a big splash free agent signing at receiver
There’s no shortage of receiver names that could be intriguing for the Denver Broncos this offseason. It’s clear Nix needs more than Marvin Mims and Cortland Sutton in this offense. They have some potential in the backfield with RJ Harvey, but they still need more. Romeo Doubs is a name the Broncos should keep an eye on.
The Green Bay Packers probably aren’t resigning Doubs, even though they will probably want to. He should be in demand for quite a few teams, and the Broncos would be wise to be in the mix. Doubs is a big play guy that could really grow into being a No. 1 option in Denver. This will take the pressure off building through the draft completely, while still getting depth and developmental projects to build on in the future.
Be very strategic in the NFL Draft addressing needs, depth
Here’s a look at the first four picks I selected for the Denver Broncos in a mock draft simulator:
- Round 1, Pick 31: Kayden McDonald, Ohio State, DL
- Round 2, Pick 63: Omar Cooper Jr. Indiana, WR
- Round 3, Pick 95: Brian Parker II, Duke, OT
- Round 4, Pick 108: Harold Perkins, LSU, LB
These aren’t just addressing needs, but they’re also high value players, considering where the Broncos draft. I don’t expect Kayden McDonald to be there, but if he is, Denver can’t pass on him. I’m really high on him and they’ll need to replenish Jonathan Franklin-Meyers, assuming they don’t re-sign him.
With the Omar Cooper Jr. pick, they have a chance to get a good receiver without putting the pressure on him to be an instant impact, thanks to filling out their receiver room with a high-priority target in Doubs. I then selected Brian Parker II with the third round pick and Harold Perkins with the fourth round pick.
Those are more depth/developmental players than anything. Perkins is a great value in the fourth round. I think he’s going to be a gem, considering he was a top draft pick before LSU’s season went haywire.
Pinpoint a tight end that could take this offense to the next level
Along with adding some running back depth and improving the receiver room, the Broncos have to find a serviceable tight end. The Baltimore Ravens re-signed Mark Andrews, which all but sealed Isiah Likely’s fate. If he does hit the free agency market, he’d be the perfect swiss army knife for this offense. He can play on the line or in the slot, which is just another weapon for Nix to find.
If they want more of a true tight end build, maybe David Njoku is a name they pocket as well. They need a true vertical threat at tight end and they can’t fail to improve there this offseason. When you look at how much a good tight end can change your offense, the Broncos have to seriously think about improving that position group.