HC Sean Payton was searching for specific pieces and he attacked this draft to add the kind of weapons he plans to fit into the offense he's putting together. After not having traded back since the 2006 draft with the New Orleans Saints, a Payton-led team moved back three times this year.

Given the results of the draft and time to digest the picks, it appears the Broncos are in extraordinarily good and stable hands moving forward. But "draft" is only the first part of "draft and develop." It's incumbent on the coaching staff to maximize each player and each new Bronco to put in the work and become the best football player within their abilities. The combination of Paton's more gathered approach with Payton's desire to push things might be creating some sort of harmonious balance between the two, resulting in the best of both worlds and ushering in a new golden era of Broncos football.

Ownership

Greg Penner is his third offseason, which for an owner, ends up being just as vital to success as the actual season itself. In his first offseason he navigated a coaching charge, a cultural shift with Sean Payton's arrival and a dearth of draft capital that forced them to spend heavily in free agency to patch up the roster. Penner's second offseason saw the Broncos have their first-round pick but also possess the second-highest single-season, team-wide dead-money figure in NFL history. It forced them to be intentional in their moves and insert more financial discipline into the process.

Offseason No. 3 is the first "normal" one for Penner. But "normal" is always shifting. His message now is: "Nobody should be feeling comfortable with where we are just because we made the playoffs, because our expectations are much higher." "The good thing is, Sean and I are totally on the same page with that approach," Penner said. "We need to be competing for Super Bowls, not making the playoffs."

The role of ownership to provide resources fostering a successful organizational culture, while ensuring accountability, like financial discipline But of greater importance is leadership tailored to people within the organization. Penner knows it's part of his job to understand them and promote their success.

Draft

Even though the Broncos 'reached' against public opinion, they trusted their board, and only time will tell whether they were right. However, adding another talented cornerback in Barron proves that the Broncos understand what they have to do to win in a quarterback-loaded AFC West. They also climbed the power rankings following free agency and again after the NFL draft.

Several 2025 draftees could find their way into starting roles this season: CB Jahdae Barron gives DC Vance Joseph a strong complementary corner back opposite DPY CB Pat Surtain, Jr.. Barron is the type player who can make a key, clutch play while the offense tries to avoid Patrick Surtain II. RB RJ Harvey. Head coach Sean Payton has a great track record of developing his running backs, and he singled out RJ Harvey. The quarterback-turned-ball-carrier could be a home-run hitter. Payton hopes to see a jump in a player's production after at least one year in the system, but RBs Audric Estime and Jaleel McLaughlin's outlook takes a hit. P Jeremy Crawshaw can do everything: punt for distance, directionally, controlled hang, really good holder, good teammate.

With the release of TE Thomas Yasmin, Crawshaw becomes the Broncos International Player and will not count against their 90-man roster. Other players with a chance include Savion Jones and Pat Bryant. DE Savion Jones has the tools although defensive linemen typically take a year or two to become NFL defenders. He knows he has a lot of veterans ahead of him and plans to learn and soak up everything he can from them. DT Franklin-Myers is looking for a new contract extension and will skip at least the first voluntary OTA session. Franklin-Myers is a pass rusher coming off a career year and may price himself out Denver's pay range. Jones can be groomed as his replacement. WR Pat Bryant could find his way into a starting role because of his work ethic, route-running prowess, and above all else, his elite run-blocking. Bryant is a vertical threat, providing utility in contested catch situations and high-pointing the ball. He lacks top-end speed, but he is a reliable catcher and averages 6.9 yards after the catch.

Denver has depth at the wide receiver position: Courtland Sutton, Marvin Mims Jr., Devaughn Vele and Troy Franklin. Sutton was the only player with over 60 targets with 135 in 2024. Mims and Franklin offer dynamic speed ability, while Sutton and Vele offer size. Bryant can compete with Franklin and Vele for a roster spot. TE Caleb Lohner will bring developmental upside to Denver, per head coach Sean Payton. Denver has a weak tight end room and Lohner's size and athletic traits could put in play during the season.

UDFAs to watch: Georgia OL Xavier Truss's $20K signing bonus and $130K guaranteed salary point to at least a practice squad spot, leveraging his versatility as a former tackle and guard projected as an NFL interior lineman. Kansas LB JB Brown's $10K bonus and $150K guarantee similarly suggest at least practice squad placement. C Clay Webb (Cleared in lawsuit) $15,000 signing bonus and $225,000 in total guarantees may be less of a longshot than others. Other practice squad contenders: WR Joaquin Davis 6 '4 195 4.40/40; WR Jerjuan Newton 5' 11 192 4.6/40; Edge Johnny Walker Jr. 6' 3", 255.

Rookie Mini Camp

Denver selected the oldest draft class in the league, (average age over 23) and an emphasis on leadership qualities. Then they invited an extensive list of veteran/first-year players, their draft picks/college free agents, pro tryouts and rookie tryouts to participate in the camp "on a tryout basis." Finally, they quickly released P Matt Haack and handed the starting punter job to rookie punter Jeramy Crawshaw. In the low-contact, no-pad practices, RJ Harvey's burst, speed and pass-catching ability were apparent. Jahdae Barron: "I would say [he is] exactly what we saw on tape: smart, savvy," Payton said of Barron on Saturday. "If you're watching closely, some people transition and stop very quickly. He has really quick twitch. I'd say he's sticky in coverage." WR Pat Bryant impressed onlookers during Saturday's minicamp practice, especially in a winning rep vs. first-round cornerback Jahdae Barron. Bryant: "That was great coverage by Jahdae. Of course, we're teammates and take care of each other, but those are the catches that I have to make to be successful at this level." Undrafted free-agent WR Kyrese White (Utah State) was impressive; he's a quick receiver on underneath routes.

First OTAs

RB RJ Harvey's quickness and explosion was on display against veteran players on the third day of Denver Broncos OTAs as was his jump-cut and his ability to adjust to an off-target pass. WR Troy Franklin seems to be off the roster bubble. WR Devaughn Vele leads the competition for wide receiver three. RB Jaleel McLaughlin won't give up his roster spot easily. TE Evan Engram is fast, runs good routes and is the best tight end that Denver's had in the last decade. He is arguably the second-best tight end Payton has ever had. QB Bo Nix is in total command of the offense and executing plays without having to think.

PK Wil Lutz and P Jeremy Crawshaw had good days; Lutz was accurate on his placekicks, and Crawshaw demonstrated good hang time on his punts.

LB Drew Sanders is settled at inside linebacker. Edge rushers Dondrea Tillman, Que Robinson and Andrew Farmer generated pressures throughout the day. ILB Justin Strnad made a pair of outstanding plays against passes CB Kris Abrams-Draine impressed early in the day. DE John Franklin-Myers was not present this week at the first session of OTAs. HC Sean Payton made it clear that RB Audric Estime is going to factor greatly into the offense.

Broncos 2025 Schedule

The Broncos have secured five primetime games, including Christmas night against the Kansas City Chiefs and in London vs. the New York Jets. They have a manageable schedule but will need seven or eight wins before their Week 12 bye. Their biggest challenge will be figuring out how to win close games. W1: Titans at Broncos W2: Broncos at Colts W3: Broncos at Chargers W4: Bengals at Broncos (MNF) W5: Broncos at Eagles W6: Broncos at Jets (London) W7: Giants at Broncos W8: Cowboys at Broncos W9: Broncos at Texans W10: Raiders at Broncos (TNF) W11: Chiefs at Broncos W12: BYE W13: Broncos at Commanders (SNF) W14: Broncos at Raiders W15: Packers at Broncos W16: Jaguars at Broncos W17: Broncos at Chiefs (Christmas Night) W18: Chargers at Broncos Toughest Non-Conference games in 2025: Week 5 at Philadelphia Eagles; Week 13 at Washington Commanders; Week 4 (MH) vs Cincinnati Bengals; Week 9 at Houston Texans

Transactions

Lost Brian Stark director of college scouting to Raiders. Released P Matt Haack and long snapper Zach Triner. Signed all their CFAs before the rookie minicamp. Signed tryout players WR Kyrese White, LB Jordan Turner and veteran TE Cole Fotheringham after minicamp. Resigned LS Zach Triner. Waived TE Thomas Yassmin, LB KJ Cloyd, NT Christian Dowell and DB Kendall Bohler. Hired Cam Williams as its new co-director of player personnel (NE). Named Reed Burckhardt Assistant GM (promoted from Director of Player personnel). Named Jordan Dizon Director of Pro Personnel (returned after three years as national scout for Philadelphia).

Orangeman's Take

2025 seems to be the opening of Denver's Super Bowl window. Denver will field another top-3 defensive unit and a potentially top-7 scoring offense. The offense needs to score at least 28 points per game to be Super Bowl contenders. The Broncos are projected to have just under $70 million in cap space for the 2026 NFL Offseason which puts them in a healthy cap position for the future which is a huge advantage. The Denver Broncos look towards the 2025 season with genuine aspirations of capturing the AFC West crown.

With the continued development of QB Bo Nix, and the perceived advantages over the Kansas City Chiefs: a superior offensive line, a quarterback on a rookie contract, and a more talented secondary, Denver appears ready to challenge the reigning division champions. However, realizing this potential depends on the significant development of several key players: QB Bo Nix's continued upward trajectory, OLBs Jonah Elliss and Dondrea Tillman being consistent disruptors off the edge and CBs Jahdae Barron and Riley Moss solidifying the secondary, and offensive weapons like WR Devaughn Vele and RB Audric Estime must elevate their production.

Additionally, DL Sai'vion Jones faces the challenge of contributing meaningfully in his rookie season. Many experts believe the foundational run-blocking infrastructure is strong, so the arrival of rookie running back RJ Harvey injects an intriguing element into the backfield. Touted as a dual-threat option, Harvey possesses the power to run through contact and handle a significant workload, complemented by the lateral agility and straight-line speed to break off big plays. His versatility extends to the passing game, where he's expected to run combination routes, release on choice routes for Nix, and be a key component in Payton's screen game.

Uncertainty remains at TE with Evan Engram and the wide receiver corps. Can third-round rookie Pat Bryant leapfrog established players to become the crucial No. 2 wide receiver target for Nix? Will Marvin Mims Jr. continue the electrifying plays he showcased at the end of last season and refine his route running, or will he primarily be utilized as a gadget player? The potential for second-year receiver Troy Franklin to take a significant leap forward also remains a key factor in the offense's overall potency.

The Denver Broncos enter the 2025 season as legitimate contenders for the AFC West title. However, questions remain regarding the long-term solutions at key positions like inside linebacker and tight end, and the development of their young offensive playmakers will be crucial. Navigating future cap constraints while continuing to build a complete roster will be the challenge for the Broncos as they aim to return to the top of the highly competitive AFC West.

Fantasy Outlook

QB Bo Nix is a top 10 fantasy quarterback. RB RJ Harvey is a top 36 fantasy running back. WR Courtland Suttonis a top 24 fantasy wide receiver. TE Evan Engram projects to second in team target share and is a top 10 tight end. Denver's defense is the #1 fantasy defense. PK Wil Lutz is a top 10 fantasy kicker.

End.