The Broncos may have started last season as the kind of team Raiders fans hoped would fade back into the AFC West pack. That didn’t happen. Denver kept pushing, and by 2025 the Sean Payton-Bo Nix combination looked less like a hot streak and more like a fixture.
That reality matters in Las Vegas, because the division already gives the Raiders enough problems without Denver turning into a steady contender. The Broncos’ offseason didn’t look loud from the outside, but one move in particular changed the conversation: the trade for Jaylen Waddle.
To get a clearer read on where Denver stands heading into 2026, Sayre Bedinger of Predominately Orange broke down the Broncos’ outlook and what the Raiders are up against in the two meetings.
Bedinger said Broncos fans are not treating another playoff push as a nice bonus. The bar has moved. After Denver reached the AFC Championship and “proving they belong last season,” he said the expectation now is that “anything less than the Super Bowl is underachieving for this team in 2026.”
Bo Nix’s ankle remains part of the discussion, but not in a way that sounds alarming in Denver. Bedinger said Nix was a limited participant in mandatory minicamp and told reporters he would have been full go if the team had allowed it.
The Broncos held him back so he could be ready for training camp, and that is the expectation right now. The long-term concern, Bedinger added, is mostly tied to the pain of last year’s Divisional Round win.
Even without a first-round pick, Denver’s draft class has created some buzz. Bedinger pointed to Tyler Onyedim as a player who should compete for meaningful snaps with John Franklin-Myers now with the Titans.
He also said Jonah Coleman is expected to have a real role in the run game and on third downs. And there are several Day 3 picks who could develop into starters, including Kage Casey at left guard, Justin Joly at tight end, and maybe even Red Murdock at linebacker.
The Broncos did not make a big splash in free agency, which Bedinger said makes it feel like the organization is counting on its young players to deliver.
Waddle, though, is the move that changes the ceiling. Bedinger called him an “offense creator” and said Denver has not had a receiver who separates like that. He also said Waddle’s speed and acceleration give Bo Nix something the offense had been missing, and that his presence should lift the rest of the passing game while also helping the run game.
There was another change Bedinger flagged as just as important, even if it has not gotten nearly as much attention outside Denver: Davis Webb taking over offensive play-calling. Sean Payton has rarely handed that responsibility away, and the shift is a major one.
Bedinger said the Broncos needed “some fresh eyes on the offense,” because the unit lacked balance and efficiency. Webb called plays in one preseason game last year, and it went well.
Now, with Payton in more of a CEO role, the setup will be one of the more interesting things to watch.
For Las Vegas, the most obvious opening might be at linebacker or tight end. Bedinger said those are Denver’s biggest weak spots, and linebacker is where the Raiders could go after them with Brock Bowers and Ashton Jeanty. He noted that the Broncos can match up with Bowers using Pat Surtain II, but Jeanty could be the tougher problem for Justin Strnad and Alex Singleton if he takes the step Denver is worried about.
On the other side of the ball, Bedinger sees Denver’s offensive line as the clearest edge in the matchup. He said the Broncos’ front has had the same starting five for three years, while the Raiders’ defensive line still lacks clarity in its rotation, even with Maxx Crosby back.
Bedinger also said he wants to see Denver face both Cousins and Mendoza this year, though he would prefer Mendoza early. He pointed to Vance Joseph’s track record against rookie quarterbacks since returning to Denver and said Cousins could be vulnerable in the pocket to the Broncos’ pass rush. He added that Denver overwhelmed Cousins in a game against Atlanta two seasons ago.
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