The Denver Broncos enter the 2026 NFL season with real Super Bowl expectations, but ESPN’s latest under-25 ranking is a reminder that the long view looks a lot less comfortable.
Aaron Schatz ranked every team’s players under 25, and Denver landed at No. 31, second worst in the league. Schatz wrote, "31.
Denver Broncos. Last year's rank: 32.
Blue Chips: None," and added, "... Otherwise, the Broncos are way down here in part because they didn't have a pick in 2026 until the third round."
That placement matters because it points to a roster that is built for the present more than the future. Denver traded its 2026 first-round pick for Jaylen Waddle, a move that made the team’s all-in approach for 2026 pretty clear.
The Broncos may not have gone as far as the Los Angeles Rams, who finished 32nd in the same ranking, but their offseason choices have not exactly helped the age profile of the roster. Jahdae Barron gives them a defensive piece who turns 25 in December, and the receiver group of Pat Bryant, Troy Franklin and Marvin Mims Jr. adds some young talent. Still, that’s not enough to change the bigger picture.
The issue is simple: Denver does not have many under-25 players, and the ones it does have are not all high-impact pieces. That makes the future look thinner than the present.
For now, the Broncos should be fine in 2026 and 2027, and maybe even into 2028 if Bo Nix keeps developing into a star quarterback. But beyond that, the window starts to feel less certain.
It is not a reason to panic. It is, though, a clear sign that Denver will need to think carefully about future offseasons if it wants to keep this contender run alive.
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A few familiar names sit in the middle of that squeeze, where special teams value, positional flexibility and practice-squad logic can matter as much as raw talent. Denvers staff will have to decide how much room to leave for a third quarterback, whether extra receiver depth is worth a roster spot, and how to balance the back end of the line and front seven before the final cuts turn those debates into answers. [Read more 🡒]
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The cornerback room, the wide receiver rotation, left guard and the receiving tight end role all have some uncertainty attached to them, and not every decision will be made purely on last seasons status. Contract situations and possible legal complications are part of the backdrop, which only adds to the pressure on veterans who assumed they would be safe. By the time camp opens, the Broncos may already know which jobs are truly up for grabs, but the bigger question is how far theyre willing to go if the competition doesnt break the way those incumbents expect. [Read more 🡒]