The Broncos may be good enough to chase a Super Bowl right now, but ESPN’s Aaron Schatz thinks the clock could be ticking faster than people realize.
Denver enters 2026 as one of the league’s top contenders, armed with an elite defense and an offense that has improved with Jaylen Waddle now in the fold. That alone makes the Broncos a real threat this season. But Schatz’s bigger point is about what comes after that.
“The Broncos are older than most people realize, which is why their Super Bowl window might be closing,” Schatz writes.
That warning comes with some numbers behind it. Denver’s starters on offense average 29.1 years old, which ranks second-oldest in the NFL, while the defense sits at 28.3, fourth-oldest in the league. So while the Broncos’ window is still open, it may not stay that way for long.
The concern is not just age in the abstract. Schatz pointed to an offensive line that is getting older, linebackers who are old, and the looming decision on Bo Nix, who will eventually need a massive contract extension on his rookie deal. If Denver pays him long term, that deal could make it much harder to keep building a loaded roster around him.
For now, though, the Broncos still have a path. As long as players like Nix, Patrick Surtain II, Nik Bonitto, and Waddle are in place, Denver should remain in the mix. But Schatz’s message is clear: the runway may be shorter than fans want to believe.
That’s why 2026 looms so large. The Broncos have a good offense, an elite defense, and what could be their best shot to win it all. If there was ever a season when Denver needs to cash in, this is it.
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Bentley now steps into a role that looks a lot like the early path once taken by Virgil Green in Denver, with blocking and special teams likely to define his rookie season. If he handles those jobs well, there is at least a lane to more snaps down the line, which says plenty about how Payton is willing to build a position group around reliability before production. [Read more 🡒]