A great accomplishment shouldn’t be the end of the road, just the starting point for the next leap forward.
-Harvey Mackay
After snapping an eight-year playoff drought last season, the Denver Broncos head into 2025 with a taste for something bigger. The reasons they think they can? Continuity in successful pieces, leadership in every phase of the game, additions that should play beautifully into what was helping them win last year, and a core that believes it’s built to last — and built to win.
At this time last year, Bo Nix was the possibly over-hyped rookie, and one of three quarterbacks vying for the starting job. Today, he’s the unchallenged QB1, a second-year guy who turned out to be UNDER-hyped in his rookie campaign, a team captain, and a player head coach Sean Payton says has clearly taken the leap from year one to year two.
“Less pause, less hesitation with the play call in the huddle. Less pause, less hesitation in the pocket,” Payton noted at the conclusion of minicamp. “He’s playing fast… and protecting the ball.”
That increased confidence has been evident in practice, and Nix himself acknowledges how much more comfortable he is. “Just spitting out play calls a lot easier and just processing,” Nix said. “It’s a lot better and a lot more enjoyable not thinking right now as opposed to what I was doing last year.”
Nix is not alone. Fellow second-year players Troy Franklin and Devaughn Vele have reportedly taken noticeable and positive steps forward as well — a testament to the foundation Denver began laying in 2024 despite a roster hampered by an unprecedented $85 million in the Russ Wilson Memorial Dead Cap Sweepstakes.
Now, with most of that financial burden behind them —only $32 mil left to go in 2025 — and Nix looking more and more like a franchise quarterback, the Broncos are finally positioned to buy more building blocks.
Nix’s first-year development was aided by one of the NFL’s most cohesive — and underrated — offensive lines. And with 2025, they only have cause to be even more in synch this season.
Every Bronco who played a snap on the offensive line in 2024 is back for 2025. That kind of continuity is rare in the NFL, and it’s a big reason Denver allowed the third-fewest sacks in the league last year. Led by left tackle Garett Bolles and All-Pro guard Quinn Meinerz, the Broncos’ front five has not only stabilized — it has become the identity of the offense. The Broncos are so committed to protecting Nix and shoring up their run game, they’ve committed to the third-most expensive Offensive line in football.
“Obviously, we’re one of the best O-lines in football,” Bolles said this offseason. “The stats don’t lie.”
Bolles, now entering his ninth season, is embracing his role as the group’s anchor and elder statesman. Once better-known for holding penalties than pancake blocks, Bolles has transformed himself into a model of discipline and consistency — and a mentor to the younger linemen and defensive players alike. Garett now treats his game and his body like a finely-tuned machine.
“You’re not going to put bad gas in a Ferrari or a Lambo,” Bolles said, explaining his meticulous offseason regimen. “That’s just what it takes.”
The offensive line’s steadiness and abilities were a big reason running back J.K. Dobbins chose to sign with Denver this offseason. Dobbins called the line “amazing” and cited it as one of the six reasons it was a “no-brainer” to join the Broncos.
Dobbins arrives in Denver as one of the league’s most efficient backs (5.2 yards per carry over his career), looking to bolster a run game that was merely average last year, a fact Payton acknowledged held them back from progressing further last year.
More importantly, Dobbins brings postseason experience and hunger.
“I’ve been in the playoffs every year I’ve played, so I’m tired of losing in them,” Dobbins said. “That’s my goal. Bring a Super Bowl to the city.”
The running back room also has a possible star in rookie RJ Harvey, whom Dobbins hopes to mentor and described as “special” after just one practice together. “It’s my job to help him grow and pass the game along to him,” Dobbins said. “Hopefully he has a great career.”
If the Broncos’ offense truly takes a step forward in 2025, it will in no small part be due to the fusion of Dobbins’ vision, Harvey’s promise, Nix’s growth, and the line’s cohesion.
While most thought Denver would lean heavily into offense this offseason to support Nix, the Broncos doubled down on defense — and it’s not hard to see why. Stout defenses are a hallmark of past Super Bowl Champions, the Broncos included, and a special defensive unit is brewing in the Mile High City.
Denver’s 2024 defense led the league in sacks (63), finished first in defensive EPA, and featured the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year in cornerback Pat Surtain II. Edge rusher Nik Bonitto finished third in the NFL with 13.5 sacks. Jonathon Cooper added 10.5. Zach Allen was a force inside. This wasn’t just a good unit — it was elite.
Still, defensive coordinator Vance Joseph has made one thing clear: last year’s stats don’t count in 2025.
“That was last year,” Joseph said. “We have to continue to improve.”
To that end, Denver added linebacker Dre Greenlaw and safety Talanoa Hufanga — both former 49ers with Pro Bowl-caliber résumés and deep playoff experience. First-round pick Jahdae Barron, winner of the Thorpe Award at Texas, joins a secondary that suddenly looks deep, fast, and versatile.
“It’s always great to add Pro Bowl-type players,” Joseph said. “Both guys (Greenlaw and Hufanga) bring an attitude of being on great defenses… that’s an attitude, and that’s practice, that’s meetings, that’s every day.”
Still, Joseph tempers expectations. “Being your best in the first month is not always important. It’s just constantly improving each week that is,” he said.
The Broncos will need that growth. Their 2025 schedule includes Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert, Joe Burrow, Jalen Hurts, C.J. Stroud, and Dak Prescott — a murderers’ row of quarterbacks. And despite the defensive dominance of 2024, late-season cracks (like allowing 497 passing yards to Jameis Winston and 210 rushing yards to Buffalo in the playoffs) revealed areas for improvement.
If Hufanga, Greenlaw, and Barron click, Denver may have the depth and experience to not only maintain their 2024 defensive level — but exceed it.
Each of those building blocks is important. In concert, it may mean building something bigger. Not just taking that next step, but that next big leap. Across the roster, from rookies to veterans, from the offensive line to the back end of the defense, a theme is emerging: belief. Not in hype. In each other.
Garett Bolles. Bo Nix. J.K. Dobbins. Vance Joseph. Sean Payton. They’re all saying the same things in different ways — that after a decade of collapses, this Broncos team has finally found something stable to build on.
As Payton put it: “You hope that we’re further along because we played a lot of young players a year ago… so, you hope quite naturally that those guys are further along.”
They are. And if the second-year leap for players like Nix and Franklin continues, and veterans like Bolles and Hufanga can lead by example, the Broncos won’t just be further along — they might finally be ready to make that leap. Do they have any more moves up their sleeve before training camp officially starts? Denver seems to be pressing every button they can to take that next big leap.
If they can, it will be because of every last block they put in place to bring this team up another level. Check out Zac, Henry, and Ryan’s thoughts below on any moves the Broncos may have left…
