The Broncos enter the season with plenty of buzz, and NFL.com’s latest power rankings backed it up by slotting Denver at No. 2 overall and first in the AFC.
That’s a notable perch for a team that was one win from reaching the AFC last year before Bo Nix’s injury changed the picture and opened the door for the New England Patriots to take the conference crown and advance to the Super Bowl. Now Nix is healthy again, and Denver has also made a major coaching change, moving on from offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi and handing the job to former NFL quarterback Davis Webb.
NFL.com’s top 10 had Seattle at No. 1, followed by Denver, the Los Angeles Rams, Buffalo Bills, Philadelphia Eagles, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Dallas Cowboys, Jacksonville Jaguars and Houston Texans.
Denver was the only AFC West team to crack the top 10, and Nick Shook’s note on the Broncos pointed to a quiet but productive preseason.
"No change to Denver's standing in this hierarchy after a successful, largely quiet preseason. WR Marvin Mims Jr. seems to be working his way back from a foot injury, and it's fair to expect CB Riley Moss (ribs) to be ready in time for the Broncos' Monday night showdown with the rival Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium."
The Broncos also upgraded their offense in a big way by landing Miami Dolphins receiver Jaylen Waddle in a blockbuster trade, a move that gives the unit a much different look heading into 2026.
Denver stayed at No. 2 in the preseason rankings, even as some wondered whether Aaron Donald’s return might have pushed Los Angeles ahead of the Broncos. That didn’t happen.
The biggest challenge for Denver isn’t what it has on the roster or on the sideline. It’s the division. The AFC West remains a brutal road, with the Chiefs bringing Patrick Mahomes back and adding Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III, while the Chargers still have Justin Herbert and also brought in offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel along with some new tight ends.
Even with that pressure, the Broncos have a chance to look even more dangerous on offense with Waddle in the mix and Webb running the plays. Those two changes alone could make Denver far more explosive.
The schedule won’t give them much breathing room. The Broncos open with a stretch of six games that will test them immediately, and if they can come through that run at 4-2, it would give them a strong early foundation for the rest of the season.
In Other News...
Broncos Rookie RB Is Already Pressing A Bigger Role
Jonah Coleman arrived in Denver with the kind of profile that tends to earn immediate trust from coaches: a fourth-round pick with a balanced running style, the size to handle a physical workload and the pass protection chops to stay on the field in more than just obvious rushing situations. For a Broncos backfield that has already dealt with injury concerns elsewhere, that versatility gives him a real path to playing time before long.
What makes Coleman even more intriguing is how broad that path could become as the season unfolds. Scouts and executives see a runner who can contribute in multiple ways, and that kind of skill set usually leads to a role that grows by the week if the player handles the early opportunities well. The Broncos do not have to force it, but they may not be able to keep him in a small package for very long either. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos Still Have One Defensive Concern Entering Week 1
Less than a week before their regular-season opener, the Broncos were still looking around for defensive help, bringing in four players for tryouts as they worked through the final stretch of roster decisions. Dean Clark, Jack Henderson, Jack Dingle and Emany Johnson all got a look as Denver continued to assess the back end of the defense and the middle of the field, two spots where the team has more questions than answers.
The fact that none of the four had been signed by the time of the report suggests the Broncos are not rushing into a move, even with safety and inside linebacker still standing out as relative depth concerns. It is the kind of late-August roster housekeeping that can say plenty about how a team feels about its current group, and for Denver it leaves one defensive subplot worth monitoring as Week 1 approaches. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos Cap Flexibility Just Raised The Stakes For Their Next Core Decisions
The Broncos enter the next phase of roster building with real breathing room, and that matters because the choices coming over the next year are no longer being made under cap stress. Denver currently has about $23.99 million in space for the 2026 season, good for fifth in the league, a position that gives the front office more options as it weighs extensions, free agency and the kind of move-by-move housekeeping that can shape a contenders window.
There is still some drag on the books, including roughly $5.984 million in dead money tied mostly to former linebacker Dre Greenlaw, along with smaller cap hits from players on the practice squad, injured reserve and the commissioners exempt list. The bigger point is what comes next: Denver is also projected to be in a healthy spot for 2027, and with that kind of flexibility, the stakes only rise for how aggressively the Broncos choose to lock in their core before the market starts pushing harder. [Read more 🡒]