The Denver Broncos were riding high after their thrilling 33-30 overtime win against the Buffalo Bills in the Divisional Round. The path to the Super Bowl looked wide open-especially with the AFC Championship game set to be played in the thin air of Mile High. But just as quickly as the celebration started, reality hit hard.
Bo Nix, the rookie quarterback who had helped lead Denver’s resurgence, had suffered a broken bone in his ankle during the win. The injury ruled him out for the AFC title game, leaving the Broncos to turn to Jarrett Stidham, who hadn’t thrown a pass in a regular-season NFL game since 2023. It was a tough break, and the timing couldn’t have been worse.
Stidham was thrust into the spotlight against a battle-tested New England Patriots team, and the conditions didn’t do him any favors. Snow began falling late in the second quarter and turned into a full-on blizzard in the second half. Visibility dropped, footing became treacherous, and any semblance of offensive rhythm was buried under inches of snow.
The Patriots managed to break a 7-7 tie with a field goal early in the third quarter, and that was all they needed. The Broncos couldn’t muster any more points, and their season ended with a 10-7 loss in front of a stunned home crowd.
Despite the heartbreak, head coach Sean Payton wasn’t in the mood for excuses. After the loss, he made swift changes to his coaching staff, parting ways with offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi, wide receivers coach Keary Colbert, and cornerbacks coach Addison Lynch.
It was a clear signal: Denver exceeded expectations in 2025, but Payton isn’t content with “solid.” He wants this offense to be elite.
And to get there, changes are coming.
Offensive Overhaul on the Horizon
Let’s start with the numbers. Denver finished 14th in the league in points per game, averaging 23.6.
Not terrible, but not exactly the kind of output you expect from a Sean Payton-led team. The run game?
Middle of the pack-16th overall, with 118.7 rushing yards per game.
J.K. Dobbins led the team in rushing, but his season was cut short by a Lisfranc injury in Week 10 against the Raiders.
He still managed 772 yards and 4 touchdowns on 153 carries in just 10 games. That’s solid production, but durability remains a concern.
RJ Harvey stepped in and played all 17 games, racking up 540 yards and 7 touchdowns. He proved to be a capable contributor, but the Broncos may need more firepower in the backfield.
That’s where Breece Hall enters the conversation.
Hall has been a bright spot on a struggling Jets team that limped to a 3-14 finish. Despite the chaos around him, he ran with purpose and consistency, piling up 1,064 yards on 243 carries with 4 touchdowns.
He also added 350 receiving yards and a touchdown on 36 catches. Fifty-seven of his runs moved the chains.
That’s the kind of reliability and explosiveness Denver could use.
Hall is set to hit free agency, and if the Broncos want to take the next step offensively, pairing him with Dobbins-or even replacing Dobbins outright-makes a ton of sense. He’s a three-down back who can handle a heavy workload and make plays in the passing game. In short, he’s the kind of player who can elevate an offense.
Another potential target is Kenneth Walker III, but if the Seahawks win the Super Bowl and Walker plays well, it’s hard to imagine Seattle letting him walk. Hall, meanwhile, looks like a more realistic-and potentially game-changing-option for Denver.
Adding Firepower Out Wide
The Broncos already have a bona fide No. 1 receiver in Courtland Sutton. He caught 74 passes for 1,017 yards and 7 touchdowns this season, and he was a constant headache for opposing defenses. But even with Sutton’s production, the offense lacked consistent big-play threats outside of him.
That’s why Alec Pierce could be a name to watch.
Pierce, coming off a breakout season with the Colts, brings serious vertical speed and a knack for making contested catches. He hauled in 47 passes for 1,003 yards and 6 touchdowns, averaging a whopping 21.3 yards per reception.
Forty-one of those catches went for first downs. That’s efficiency and explosiveness rolled into one.
What makes Pierce intriguing is his ability to stretch defenses. He’s not just a deep-ball guy-he runs sharp routes and isn’t afraid to battle for the ball in traffic.
Pairing him with Sutton would force defenses to pick their poison. Double Sutton, and Pierce will make you pay.
Focus on Pierce, and Sutton eats underneath. Either way, it opens up the field for the run game and gives Bo Nix-when healthy-a much more dynamic arsenal.
And that’s the point. This team believes in Nix.
They saw enough in his rookie season to know he can be the guy. But to get the most out of him, they need to surround him with weapons.
That means adding a reliable, explosive running back and a wide receiver who can take the top off a defense.
Looking Ahead
The Broncos weren’t supposed to be in the AFC Championship game. Not this soon. But they got there, and that taste of success is going to drive the offseason.
Sean Payton has already shown he’s not afraid to make bold moves. With a young quarterback, a strong defense, and a fanbase hungry for more, the next few months could shape Denver’s trajectory for years to come.
They’re close. But in the NFL, close doesn’t cut it.
The Broncos know that. And based on the early signs, they’re gearing up to make the leap.