When the Broncos get to 2026, the cleanest version of their offense might look a lot like what they already had in 2025 - only with more help around Bo Nix and fewer reasons to lean on the run game.
That’s the twist here: Denver would actually be in a good place if Nix ended up leading the NFL in passing attempts again. He did it in 2025 with 612 attempts, up from 567 as a rookie, and the number was driven as much by circumstance as design.
J.K. Dobbins gave the Broncos efficient production through the first 10 weeks, when Denver won eight of those games and Nix averaged 35 passing attempts per game.
Then Dobbins went down with a season-ending foot injury, the ground game lost its punch, and Nix’s workload jumped to 37.4 attempts per game over the final seven regular-season games.
That extra volume wasn’t exactly a luxury. It was a necessity.
Denver wasn’t getting the same return from rookie RJ Harvey after Dobbins went out, so the offense tilted more heavily toward Nix. Even so, he handled it.
He didn’t crack 4,000 passing yards, but he never looked buried by the job, and the Broncos’ 14-win season showed he was doing plenty to keep things moving.
There’s also a good reason to think 2026 could be different in a better way. Nix dealt with a heavy dose of drops in 2025 - Pro Football Reference had his playmakers at 43 dropped passes - and he averaged 10.1 yards per completion.
That’s part of why Denver went out and added Jaylen Waddle, Justin Joly, and Dallen Bentley. Those moves say the front office knew the offense needed more help.
With Waddle in the mix, plus added support at tight end and running back, the Broncos are hoping the passing game can finally become the thing that drives the offense instead of the thing that has to carry it. Waddle is supposed to be the missing piece at receiver, pairing with Courtland Sutton at the top of the depth chart, and Davis Webb is now calling the plays.
That opens the door to a different kind of offense - one with shorter calls, more time to break the huddle, and maybe a little more tempo. The ideal version of this group is not one where Nix is throwing because the Broncos have no other choice. It’s one where he’s throwing because the passing game is finally the team’s best weapon.
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Riley Moss Is Forcing A Broncos Decision They Cant Ignore
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That kind of production does not stay cheap for long, especially at a premium position, and Moss is already moving into the class of corners who can force a front office to think ahead. Denver has to weigh what it wants the secondary to look like beyond this season, with Moss not set to reach free agency until 2027 and the future shape of the room tied to how the younger pieces behind him develop. [Read more 🡒]
Dolphins Just Got Dragged Into A Wild NFL Scenario Again
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Denvers path in the simulation included a tight knockout win over the 49ers before the run ended in the quarterfinals, which is exactly the sort of what-if that can make a fan think twice about how much a single matchup can change in a tournament setting. Bahns exercise ultimately had the Rams lifting the trophy, but the Broncos place in the bracket was enough to make the whole idea feel like more than a gimmick. [Read more 🡒]
Jaylen Waddle Just Sent A Strong Message About Denver's Receivers
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Courtland Sutton is part of the appeal, too, because the Broncos now have the kind of top-end talent that can make a defense pick its poison. Waddle has clearly noticed the chemistry in the room, and the early signs suggest Denvers offense may be getting a much cleaner fit than most outside observers expected. The real question now is how quickly that connection turns from offseason optimism into something the Broncos can lean on when the games start counting. [Read more 🡒]