The Broncos left Week 4 with more than just a loss to the 49ers. They walked off the field with a familiar offensive problem, a defense that still isn’t getting home, and a growing injury list that could force real changes next week. At 2-2, Denver is still hanging around, but the way this team is playing has made every game feel harder than it should be.
The biggest immediate hit came on the health front. Patrick Surtain II, Riley Moss, and Pat Bryant all exited with injuries and did not return.
Surtain had to be helped off by two trainers after a non-contact ankle injury. Moss suffered a rib injury, though it wasn’t clear exactly when it happened.
Bryant’s ankle got twisted up on a big gain, and he was carted off. If any of those three are forced to miss time, Denver’s depth at cornerback and wide receiver is going to be tested in a big way.
And then there was the offense, which once again disappeared early. The Broncos were basically invisible in the first half, and that has become too familiar through four weeks.
The unit finally managed a touchdown drive after halftime, but that doesn’t erase how sluggish the start was. The run game still isn’t getting traction, and Denver’s reluctance to push the ball downfield early continues to limit what this offense can do.
The questions around play-calling aren’t going away, even if the team isn’t looking to make a change with Davis Webb.
One bright spot stood out above everything else: RJ Harvey. He played with juice all game, and for a player listed at 5-8 and barely over 200 pounds, he kept showing the kind of toughness that makes defenders pay.
Harvey finished with 25 rushing yards on seven carries, 68 receiving yards on 10 catches, and 64 more yards on two kick returns. In a loss, he looked like Denver’s most valuable player.
It’s fair to wonder whether he should be the lead back going forward, especially with J.K. Dobbins looking like a shell of his former self.
On the other side of the ball, the Broncos still aren’t producing the pressure they need. Brock Purdy wasn’t sacked, and Denver’s front never really looked like the disruptive group that has defined this defense over the past two seasons.
The absence of John Franklin-Myers and Jonathon Cooper is showing. So is the lack of impact from the linebackers as rushers.
That edge rush used to be a defining trait for this team, and without it, the Broncos are losing one of the things that made them dangerous in the first place.
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Broncos May Have Found A Backfield Answer In A Tough Loss
A tough loss to San Francisco did not keep RJ Harvey from giving the Broncos something to build on. The second-year running back was busy in every phase of the Week 4 game, handling carries, catching passes and even contributing in the return game, finishing with 157 all-purpose yards as Denver tried to keep pace before George Kittles late touchdown put the game away.
With Jonah Coleman on injured reserve and J.K. Dobbins still looking for a rhythm, Harveys workload could be headed in one direction. Denver may not have found the answer it wanted in the standings, but the way Harvey was used against the 49ers suggested the Broncos have at least one backfield option they can lean on as the season moves forward. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos Run Game Struggles Are Fueling One Obvious Trade Debate
The Broncos early-season offensive issues have been hard to ignore, and the run game has been right at the center of it. Through four games, Denver is averaging just 81.3 rushing yards per game, a number that has left the backfield looking far less dependable than the club would like as it tries to settle into the season.
That has helped fuel an obvious trade conversation, with Tony Pollard emerging as a name worth watching if the Titans decide to move him. Pollard has built a reputation for steady production, while J.K. Dobbins has seen his performance dip this season, leaving Denver with a familiar question: whether a proven runner could give the offense the spark it still seems to be missing. [Read more 🡒]
Dre Greenlaw Just Reopened An Ugly Broncos Storyline
Dre Greenlaws return to the 49ers brought him right back into a familiar kind of spotlight, and this time it came with a pointed message for the Broncos sideline. During San Franciscos game against Denver, Greenlaw was recorded telling Sean Payton that he made a mistake releasing him, a blunt reminder of how quickly an uneasy personnel decision can turn into a public sore spot. Greenlaw spent the 2025 season in Denver, but injuries limited his availability enough that the Broncos moved on.
Back with San Francisco on a one-year contract, Greenlaw has settled back into a starting role and looked like a player with something to prove. For Denver, the exchange only reopens an ugly storyline around a defender the team once hoped would be a difference-maker, then couldnt keep on the field long enough to find out. It is the kind of scene that can linger, especially when the player making the point is back performing like he never left. [Read more 🡒]