The 2026 Denver Broncos are being talked about like a team with one destination in mind, and that’s the Super Bowl. But even with a strong roster, there are still some real questions hanging over this group as Week 1 approaches.
The biggest one might be the simplest: can they stay healthy enough to keep the whole thing on track? Last season, Denver didn’t lose a ton of key players for long stretches, but the injuries it did absorb were crushing.
Ben Powers and J.K. Dobbins both missed significant time, and the Broncos’ run game never fully recovered.
Powers went down early and the ground attack took a noticeable hit. When Dobbins got hurt, the drop-off became even more obvious.
And then there was Bo Nix’s injury in the playoffs, the one that directly led to Denver missing the Super Bowl. That one was impossible to overcome.
Injuries are part of the deal every year, but the Broncos need better fortune and fewer extended absences from critical players.
Another major swing factor is takeaways. Denver nearly tied a franchise low in 2025, and only the 17th game kept that from becoming a new record.
The defense was strong, but it left a lot of turnovers on the field, especially interceptions that were dropped. The staff has made takeaway production a point of emphasis, with defensive linemen working to get their hands up and create tipped balls.
The secondary has also been pushed to keep grinding on the Jugs machine, with Talanoa Hufanga singled out in particular. On top of that, the pass rush needs to do more to chase strip-sacks.
The run game itself still needs answers, even beyond the injuries. Denver was better before Powers and Dobbins were sidelined, but the consistency still wasn’t where it needed to be.
The tight ends’ blocking is the first thing that has to improve. They were a problem last year and made the job harder for the backs.
The other area is RJ Harvey, who did show progress as a receiver and in pass protection during the preseason, but his work as a runner did not look significantly better. His vision remains a concern.
There’s also the matter of starts, and that applies both to the season and to individual games. Under Sean Payton, the Broncos have often begun slowly and then found their rhythm later.
That pattern showed up again in 2025, when Denver became comeback kings because it kept needing to rally after sluggish openings. The offense did turn things around after the bye week, but it still spent too much time digging out of holes.
If the Broncos can start seasons and games faster, and keep that level going, they have a chance to become one of the NFL’s best offenses.
That would only raise the stakes for the defense, which was dominant before the bye week last season and still solid afterward, even with a clear drop-off in performance. Special teams also have to be part of the conversation.
That unit was awful to begin last season, and if Denver wants to put everything together, it needs all three phases working at the same time. If that happens, the Broncos will be a complete team and very difficult to beat.
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Broncos Fans Have One Big Reason To Watch Mahomes Closely
Patrick Mahomes surgically repaired left knee has become one of the first big AFC West storylines of the season, and it has plenty of attention in Denver. Mahomes recently spoke at a press conference about the knee, and while he appeared to walk normally, some fans have latched onto video clips and tried to read more into his movement than the Chiefs are saying publicly.
For Broncos fans, the key detail is simple: there has been no official sign of a setback, and Mahomes is still expected to start in Week 1 against Denver. Even so, his recovery will be watched closely all the way up to kickoff, because any concern about his mobility changes the tone of a divisional opener that already carries plenty of weight. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos Super Bowl Hopes Rest On A Core Under Real Pressure
The Broncos are heading into their 2026 season with the kind of expectations that come with believing the window is open, and a big part of that belief rests on a core they are counting on to carry them there. Bo Nix is being treated as the franchise quarterback, while the trade for Jaylen Waddle gives Denver a more dynamic passing element than it has had in recent seasons. Around them, the Broncos are leaning on a group that has to hold up on both sides of the ball, from J.K. Dobbins and Harvey in the backfield to Garett Bolles and Quinn Meinerz up front.
There is pressure in that kind of plan, because so much of Denvers Super Bowl talk depends on established pieces doing what the team expects rather than merely what it hopes. Zach Allen, Nik Bonitto and Alex Singleton are central to the defenses stability, and the Broncos need that unit to stay disruptive while the offense finds its rhythm. It is the sort of roster built with a clear purpose, but also one that leaves little margin if any of the key parts wobble. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos Still Weighing A Linebacker Concern Before Chiefs Opener
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Inside, the Broncos are comfortable with their starting linebackers, but the search for more options has not stopped there. Depth at the position and contributions in the kicking game remain part of the conversation as Denver puts the finishing touches on its roster before a divisional test that will demand clean depth across the board. [Read more 🡒]