The Broncos have the roster, quarterback and coaching staff to chase a title in 2026. That much is clear. What’s just as clear is that getting to the Super Bowl won’t be a straight line, because a few very real roadblocks could stand between Denver and the finish line.
Start with the AFC itself. Last year’s playoff field didn’t even include Kansas City, Cincinnati or Baltimore, and the conference still had plenty of teams pushing for space.
New England and Jacksonville were on the rise, while Los Angeles, Houston, Buffalo and Pittsburgh all won double-digit games in 2025. Even the Indianapolis Colts were 7-1 at one point.
If the Chiefs, Bengals and Ravens get back on track and the rest of those contenders stay strong, Denver could end up stuck in a brutally crowded conference with no easy route to the big game.
The AFC West could be just as unforgiving if Kansas City bounces back. The Chiefs won 15 games in 2024, and even with Denver finishing 10-7, the Broncos were third in the division because the Chargers also won 11 games.
There’s a real chance Kansas City rebounds into something close to its usual level of success, and Denver should not be expecting the Chiefs to bottom out at six wins. The Chiefs had won the division every year from 2016-2024, and a return to form would make life difficult again.
Then there’s the NFC side of the equation, where the Los Angeles Rams loom as a massive problem. If Denver makes it to the Super Bowl, the Rams could be waiting after adding Myles Garrett in a trade this offseason and also trading for Trent McDuffie to strengthen the secondary.
Even before those moves, Los Angeles was already a top-3 team in the sport and had the reigning MVP in Matthew Stafford. The Rams look like the favorite to win it all, and it would be a major surprise if they weren’t the NFC representative in the Super Bowl.
And finally, there’s the kind of margin that can swing a season in a hurry: one-score games. Denver went 11-2 in those contests last year, including seven wins by five points or fewer.
Seven. That kind of run is hard to repeat, even for a good team.
The Broncos were awful in one-score games in 2024, then became one of the league’s best in 2025, and a middle ground in 2026 would not be shocking at all. That kind of swing has already happened in the division, too, with the Chiefs going 1-7 in one-score games in 2025 even if you remove the games Patrick Mahomes missed because of his torn ACL.
Denver can absolutely dream big in 2026. But the path is lined with a deep AFC, a likely Kansas City rebound, a loaded Rams team and the kind of close-game luck that rarely stays the same forever.
In Other News...
Broncos Face A Risky Roster Decision Before Their Window Fully Opens
The Broncos are bumping up against the hard part of building a contender: keeping the roster intact long enough for the window to fully open. John Franklin-Myers already has walked, and that departure has sharpened the conversation around how many key pieces Denver can realistically hold onto as more of its core gets expensive and closer to the market. It is the kind of problem winning teams eventually face, but it also forces some uncomfortable choices before the front office would prefer to make them.
Riley Moss sits right in the middle of that debate because he has become too useful to dismiss lightly, even with the usual young-corner blemishes. He started all 17 games and tied for the league lead with 19 pass breakups, which is exactly the sort of production that makes moving him feel dangerous, even if the roster math is getting tighter. Marvin Mims Jr. is a different case, since a changing receiver picture could alter his role, but Denver also has to think about a group that includes Moss, Brandon Jones, Ja'Quan McMillian and Mims all lining up for free agency in 2027. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos Could Make A Defensive Move Fans Never Saw Coming
After a 2025 run that carried Denver to the AFC Championship Game, the Broncos entered the offseason with a relatively quiet approach, highlighted by the addition of wide receiver Jaylen Waddle. Most of the attention has been on keeping that momentum going, but one of the more interesting roster questions is on the other side of the ball, where the secondary suddenly has some moving parts.
Riley Moss has been a steady presence for Denver, and first-round pick Jahdae Barron gives the Broncos another talented option to work with if they choose to reshape the depth chart. The idea of moving a starting corner would not be the kind of aggressive swing fans expected after such a strong year, but it reflects the kind of roster balancing act teams face when they have to weigh present value against future flexibility. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos Linked To Tough Call On Beloved Weapon Amid Win-Now Push
The Broncos offseason move for Jaylen Waddle changed the shape of their receiver room, and it may be forcing another uncomfortable conversation as the team tries to balance present-day depth with a win-now roster. Marvin Mims has been one of the more useful pieces in that mix because of what he brings on special teams, but Denver also has to weigh how many snaps there really are to go around with Courtland Sutton, Troy Franklin and Pat Bryant in the picture.
Bleacher Reports Moe Moton floated the idea that Denver could use Mims as a trade chip to help address another roster need, which is the kind of move that makes sense on paper and still feels risky in practice. The Broncos are chasing a Super Bowl window, and dealing away a player who can change field position every week is not the sort of decision a contender makes lightly, especially when there are still other ways to clear the logjam at receiver. [Read more 🡒]