Bills fans got a useful peek behind the curtain on Denver’s offseason moves, and the biggest takeaway is simple: the Broncos may look different in a lot of ways when these teams meet again on Christmas Day.
That rematch in Denver already carries plenty of baggage after last season’s playoff meeting, when Buffalo watched a controversial finish swing in the Broncos’ favor in overtime. The calls that went against the Bills, along with the interception ruling that broke Denver’s way, helped send Buffalo home and ended Sean McDermott’s final game in Buffalo. Now the teams are set to cross paths again, and both sides have made notable changes since that January showdown.
One of the more interesting developments is the coaching shuffle. Pete Carmichael Jr. and Jim Leonhard both left Denver to join Buffalo’s staff under Joe Brady, and Broncos insider Sayre Bedinger of Predominantly Orange said the reaction in Denver has been mixed, with Leonhard’s departure carrying more weight than Carmichael’s.
“ The loss of Pete Carmichael isn't something Broncos Country has talked much about this offseason. Although he's one of Sean Payton's more trusted assistants through the years, the big storyline was keeping Davis Webb this offseason, and the Broncos did that.
Carmichael is a veteran voice, but the team probably won't miss his presence as much as he can benefit a young head coach like Joe Brady. ”
On Leonhard, Bedinger was more direct about the impact.
“ Losing Jim Leonhard stings a bit. There was some thought for a while that he could be the heir apparent to Vance Joseph as Denver's defensive coordinator, but nobody has hired Vance.
Leonhard knows what he's doing and is really sharp when it comes to player development. He even helped the Broncos in the pre-draft evaluation process on wide receiver Pat Bryant.
”
Denver’s headline move this offseason was the addition of Jaylen Waddle, but Bedinger pointed to another move that could matter just as much once the season gets rolling: the Broncos’ decision to keep linebacker Justin Strnad in a bigger role.
“ The most underrated move the Broncos made during the 2026 offseason has to be keeping linebacker Justin Strnad and planning to start him within their defense. Strnad has started 16 games over the past two seasons, playing in almost all of them, but he hasn't been a full-time starter going into training camp ever as an NFL player.
He is the team's best all-around linebacker and after being drafted in 2000, he's finally getting his shot to do it on a full-time basis. He's never even played 60 percent of the defensive snaps.
”
There’s also a new voice running the offense. With Davis Webb taking over as the Broncos’ offensive coordinator, Bedinger expects the operation to change in noticeable ways, even if the personnel stays familiar.
“ I'm expecting the offense to look substantially different, if only from an operation standpoint. Having Webb in charge of the offense should mean quicker calls into the QB, more pace, seamless personnel changes, and hopefully more balance.
Webb saw what didn't work over the past few years for Denver's offense, and now has a chance to change that. I expect him to really emphasize the players' skill sets as opposed to trying to make the offense the priority.
”
And if Buffalo is looking for the Broncos’ most overlooked threat, Bedinger said the backfield deserves more attention than it’s getting. JK Dobbins, he noted, was producing at a high level before injury hit last season.
RJ Harvey is coming off a rookie year with 12 total touchdowns and is expected to take on more. Denver also added Jonah Coleman in the fourth round, and Bedinger pointed to the rookie’s numbers in several key areas, including yards after contact per rushing attempt, yards after the catch, and pass protection.
For Bills fans, that’s the part worth filing away. The Broncos aren’t just changing faces; they’re changing how they want to operate, and the pieces Bedinger highlighted suggest Denver could be more dangerous in ways that don’t always jump off the page.
In Other News...
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Kilgore's appeal is not just about where he was taken, but how he might fit into a safety room that gives a rookie some room to grow. With C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Geno Stone on short-term deals, the Bills may not have a long-term answer locked in at the position, which leaves open a path for Kilgore to begin on special teams and work his way toward a bigger role sooner than expected. [Read more 🡒]
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The Bills have since waived Strong with an injury designation and moved him to the Non-Football Injury list, a sign that this is no ordinary camp battle or depth-chart wrinkle. For a player who looked like he might carve out a role right away, the bigger question now is simply whether he can get back on the field and rejoin the mix at all. [Read more 🡒]
Why Bills Fans Suddenly Have Real Hope In This Defense
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The bigger question is whether that optimism can translate into something sturdier against the run and more disruptive overall. Buffalo was gashed too often last season, and the hope now is that coaching changes and player development can help the unit look less vulnerable in the trenches while the pass defense grows into one of the rosters real strengths. [Read more 🡒]