The Denver Post Broncos Preview | 2025

2025 BRONCOS SEASON PREVIEW

NEXT LEVEL

NEXT LEVEL

A er surprising the NFL with a run to the playo s, are Bo Nix and Sean Payton ready to take the Broncos to the next level as Super Bowl contenders?

Next Level

The Broncos bega n the 2024 season with a rook ie st ar ting quar terback and zero expect ations. Then head coach Sean Payton, QB pupil Bo Ni x and the rest of the team went on a surprise run that crested with them ending an eight-season playoff drought. Now, the Broncos have their eyes on the next step. Their second-yea r quar terback, outfitted with new weapons and a sturdy offensive line, is look ing to join the NFL’s elite. Their defense, led by reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year Pat Surt ain II, is already there. And their ow nership group is sprinting towa rd the completion of a new $175 million training facility that will soon be the envy of the league. The Denver Post ’s prev iew ma ga zine examines a team, and a franchise, on the rise.

TROY RE NCK

Manning doesn’t see sophomore slump coming for Nix

Bo Ni x is the best Broncos quar terback since Peyton Ma nning. And no one is happier about this than Ma nning himself It took eight aw ful years before Ni x fina lly ended the post-Manning ma la ise. Pages 4-5

COVE R STORY

Inside Nix’s quest to make Year 2 leap, propel Denver to NFL’s elite Quar terback Bo Ni x beca me a beacon of hope for Broncos fa ns who have seen a revolv ing door at the position He beca me the pupil who will ma ke or muddy the second act of Sean Payton’s ca reer and, eventually, his Ha ll of Fa me ca ndidac y. He beca me the most recognizable ingredient in a mi x of ma ny that put Denver on the map as a contender this fa ll. Pages 6-10

RE ED BU RCKH ARDT

Assistant GM is a rising star in the Broncos’ organization

Reed Burckhardt is a connector with a disa rming Midwestern gr in, alig ned st ably behind GM George Paton and head coach Sean Payton That ’s why he ha s ascended to one of the most prominent decision-mak ing roles in the Broncos’ front office. Pages 16-18

TH E OW NE RSHI P

Walton-Penner Ownership

Group building rising NFL power

Led by CEO Greg Penner and Ca rrie Wa lton Penner, the Wa lton-Penner Ow nership Group hired coach Sean Payton and reta ined GM George Paton, sett ing the ta ble for the kind of st abilit y and cont inuity the orga nization ha s lacked for years. And they are moving ever closer to deciding whet her (a nd where) to build a new st adium. Page 19

TEAM HEADQUARTE RS New headquarters reflects commitment to franchise

By next year, this $175 million project at Dove Va lley will be complete, and the new team headquar ters the Broncos have touted since 2023 will be buzzing with the work ings of an at tractive NF L franchise. “We’re building a monument . We’re building someth ing that ’s going to be, for decades, pa rt of a changing orga nization.” Pages 20 -21

NIK BONI TTO

Broncos All-Pro OLB adds finesse, power to speed-rush

Entering a cont ract year, Nik Bonitto is poised to become one of the highest-pa id pa ss-r ushers in the league. Ever yone suggests Bonitto ha sn’t approached his ceiling. His four th season as a Bronco now br ings a con fluence of factors. He’s st ill ex plosive. He’s the heav iest and st rongest he’s ever n been. And he’s lear ning to play chess. Pages 38-39

20 GA ME S TO WATCH Eagles, Jets, Steelers and more, oh my ...

Twenty ga mes to watch on the 2025 NF L slate, from Aa ron Rodgers’ host ing the Packers, as well as his return to the Meadowla nds, to anot her potent ia l Russ Bowl at Empower Field at Mile High. Pages 46-47

AFC, NFC PR EV IEWS

Chiefs still tops in AFC West. See how the rest stack up

The Chiefs have Patr ick Ma homes and, a fter seven years, the 31 ot her teams st ill do not. That ma kes the odds 8-1 for the Ma holm ies to win the Super Bowl.

AFC, pages 48-51

NFC, pages 54-57

‘THE RIGHT STUFF’

Mannin g doesn’t see sophomore slump coming for Ni x

Peyton Ma nning cr ied when he retired, but his tears pa led in compar ison to those shed by Broncos Countr y over his successors.

It took 14 at tempts for the Broncos to find his long-term replacement.

The Broncos knew it would never be the sa me when Ma nning left the building, but they ha d no idea his ex it would become the curse of incompetence.

As aw ful as those eight years were in cementing a sobering realit y, it only took one season for a new tr uth to become ev ident.

Bo Ni x is the best Broncos quar terba ck since Peyton Ma nning. And no one is happier about this than, well, Ma nning.

“Bo is ma de of the right st uff He’s a little bit older, ca rr ies himself the right way. And all of it should help as he moves forward in his ca reer,” Ma nning sa id. “I am just happy that Bo is the established st ar ter. For a number of years, they ha d quar terback competitions. That ’s ha rd on the receivers, the coaches, the play-c aller, and the quarterback. Now, they ’ve got their guy.”

As impressive as Ni x wa s as a rook ie, throwing for 29 touchdow ns and lead ing the Broncos to their first playoff berth since You Know Who, now comes the ha rd pa rt Doing it again.

The sophomore slump rema ins pa rt of the Amer ic an lexicon, with examples sc at tered across spor ts, music and cinema

When Ni x disappointed in the ex hibition opener at Sa n Francisco, it fed into the na rrative that his follow-up will riva l Hootie and the Blow fish’s “Fairweather Johnson.”

Ma nning knows the challenge of living up to loft y ex pect ations, but from what he ha s seen of Ni x, he is not buying a regression

“I just don’t see that as being a big fa ctor for him. Rook ie quar terbacks are supposed to struggle, and then the ga me slows down. But, it sure looked like it slowed down a lot for him la st year,” Ma nning sa id “L ike with C. J. Stroud, Bo didn’t play like a rook ie… I believe ex perience is the best teacher, and he got great ex perience la st year.”

Ma nning struggled in his rook ie

tight end,” Ma nning sa id. It also helps that the 25 -yea r- old Ni x gets it

Just as Ma nning accelerated his grow th through obsessive at tention to deta il, st udying defenses and the sleight of ha nd of play-a ction ar tist s like Boomer Esia son, Ni x is more than willing to get blea ry-eyed in the film room or pick the brain of future Ha ll of Fa mer Drew Brees.

“For him to spend time with Brees ma kes a lot of sense as fa r as lear ning Sean’s offense and the ment al side of things That is an example of him not being satisfied,” Ma nning sa id. Ma nning and Ni x hoped to ta lk over rounds of golf before training ca mp, but scheduling conflic ts arose. But Ma nning knows Ni x. They met at the Ma nning Pa ssing Ac ademy a few years ago as Ni x wa s prepar ing to transfer to Oregon And Peyton’s two-time Super Bowl champion brother, Eli, hung out with Bo and his father, Patr ick, this summer Ni x and Eli helped set a Guinness World Record alongside Auburn fa ns as they tossed more than 7,000 rolls of toilet paper into the trees at Toomer ’s Corner.

“Eli ta lked about how they are great guys. I know Bo wa s great at the (passing ac ademy). You spend three days with them He wa s so mature,” Peyton Ma nning sa id. “Event ua lly, we will get together. But I have told Bo, I am always around as a resource whenever he needs me.”

season, setting the record with 28 interceptions, before finishing second in the MV P voting in his sophomore year. His situation wa s worse because his team wa s.

But he identified the most important simila rity in his shared ex perience with Ni x.

“T he continuity, more than anything else There are times when guys go into their second year, and they are going on their third coordinator,” Ma nning sa id “. He ha s an ex perienced head coach in Sean, who is his playca ller Hav ing that sa me voice and verbiage is so cr itic al We ex pect Sean to be here for a long time, so Bo will use that to his adva nt age.”

Reflecting on his years with offensive coordinator Tom Moore, Manning

ex plained how they could fix things quickly and seamlessly add new wr inkles. He ha s watched Patr ick Ma homes prog ress in a similar fa shion with Andy Reid, while others like Alex Smith and Ba ker Mayfield bounced from team to team and system to system

“W hen you look around the leag ue at guys who play well, they of ten have the sa me coordinator. It is not automatic, but it ma kes a difference,” Ma nning sa id “L ea rning the la ng uage of a new playbook and getting on the sa me page with a new coach is ha rd.”

This season represents the first time since 2016 that the Broncos have ha d the sa me st ar ting quar terback and play-c aller in ba ck-to-ba ck seasons. Comfor t matters. So does “Bo having more weapons in the run ga me and at

As the unofficial amba ssador of footba ll, Ma nning is of ten diplomatic But he doesn’t prov ide his st amp of approval to just anyone He knows Ni x is different and recognizes that this season feels specia l in Denver.

Sophomore slump? Quite the opposite. Ma nning ca nnot wa it to see what Ni x does next .

“I signed in Denver as a free agent af ter play ing for 14 years. Being draf ted here, that ’s an even different kind of pressure I wa s cert ainly aware of the responsibility that comes with it , and I believe Bo is as well It is import ant. People ca re so much, and you feel that ,” Ma nning sa id. “T hat’s the kind of environment you wa nt , where they ta lk about your team during the season, free agency and the draf t. It ’s an unbelievable place to play I believe Bo understa nd s it and embraces it . I only see him getting better.”

MA KING THE LEAP

Inside Ni x’s quest to propel Broncos into league’s elite

By Pa rker Ga br ie l

pgab ri el@d enve rpost

.c om

Bo Ni x ca n see the future. He ca n feel a moment months ahea d through his fingertips.

Or in the way his feet shuffle and settle.

Or the way his hips flip to the ex ac t angle his brain intuited

In the Alabam a su mmer swelter or under the ba king Colora do sun, Ni x ca n be transpor ted from a solo training session to an all- eyes, nationally televised moment deep in the year.

A cr isp autumn Sunday at Empower Field or a fr ig id Christma s night in Kansa s City.

“We ca ll it ‘c re at in g futu re memories ,’ ” Ben Neil l, a long ti me Ni x qu arterback trainer, told The Denver Post recently “L ike, when you’re training and you’re on the field and you ma ke th is great play and you move and you rip it in there and you just kind of fla sh in your head, ‘Man, that ’s going to happen in a ga me this year.’”

Ni x cr eate d ma ny ac tu al memories du ri ng a hist or ic ro ok ie se ason as the Broncos’ quar terback.

He won the st ar ting quar terback job for coach Sean Payton and almost just as quickly won over the locker room with a combination of confidence, authenticity and play ma king

He st ar te d al l 17 re gu la r- se as on ga me s, generate d 34 touchdow ns and helped lead Denver to it s first post season appearance in nearly a deca de Along the way, Ni x beca me a beacon of hope for Broncos fans who have seen a revolv ing door at the position since Peyton Manning retired. He became the pupil who will ma ke or muddy the second ac t of Payt on’s ca re er and, eventu al ly, his Ha ll of Fa me ca nd idac y.

He beca me the most recognizable ingred ient in a mi x of ma ny that put Denver on the map as a contender this fa ll Now the ex pect ations are ma ssive. So, how did Ni x set about prepar in g to raise both himself and his team to the ne xt level? To elevat e hi msel f into the ra refied air Payton thin ks he ca n reach, and also ba ck up his coach’s ardent belief in th is te am as a Super Bowl contender?

Denver quar terback Bo Nix rushes for a gain agains t the Buff alo Bills during the four th quar ter of the Bills’ 31-7

playo ff win at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, N.Y., on Jan. 12

By doing less.

By slow ing down, at least in pockets.

By tr usting a process he’s never ac tual ly followed be fore , at le as t not qu it e like this

By betting that a move or two he ma stered in the thick, southern summer will help Denver when the NF L herd st ar ts ge tt in g th in ned in December and Ja nua ry.

Ni x to ok wh at he’s come to believe ab out hi msel f th at he do esn’ t have to be anyt hi ng ot her th an hi ms el f to

catch ever ything he’s af ter and put it to work for the first time in a tr ue NF L offseason He channeled confidence and doubt, fa miliar it y and new method s, laser focus on the moment and a broa der sense of where he’s headed and came out of the most unique offseason of his career to date ready to ta ke the Broncos to new height s in 2025

“T here ’s th is ki nd of al mo st in -b etween mi nd se t of th at genu ine confidenc e that , ‘I ca n play and I ca n compete,’” Neil l sa id. “But at the sa me time,

‘I’ve got a lot of improvement to do and a lot of getting better to do.’”

A unique offseason

For al l but one te am ea ch ye ar, the NF L season ends with blunt force. One day you’re play ing, the next you’re clea ning out your locker

Nix, who had a minor ankle procedure af ter Denver ’s Wild Ca rd loss to Buffalo and thus wa s around the team’s fa cility, ha d trouble downshif ting af ter play ing

ginning the ra ce to tr y to digest a playbook and win the st ar ting job.

PAGE 7

in 20 games two preseason, 17 regular season and the 31-7 playoff loss “T he first couple weeks, you could tell he wa s st ill it chin g,” Broncos quar terba ck s coach Davis Webb told The Post . “I wa s like, ‘No, no, buddy. It ’s done.’ “Now it ’s ti me to debr ie f. You ne ed to go to Aspen or Va il for a we ekend and then go somewhere else. Get away.”

One of the underrated factors for NFL rook ies is the long road they travel before they ever get to play ing in a ga me Nix’s senior year at Oregon began in August 2023 and didn’t end until Ja nuar y 2024 Then he went stra ight into draf t prep and training for the NFL combine.

Me et in gs , pr o day, pr iv at e workouts . Zo om ca ll s and Payt on’s al l-ni ghte r quar terback te st . Two week s af ter the draf t, he wa s at rook ie minica mp, be -

Af ter that came 20 games, transverse process frac tures in his ba ck , an an kle injury and the accumulating wear and tear of what amounted to an 18 -month sprint

Ni x knew he ne eded the re covery ti me He also, thou gh, know s hi msel f well. He’s wired to always work. Always throw. Always do a little bit more. He headed himself off at the pa ss by putting a plan in place well in adva nce.

When Ni x fir st go t dr af te d, Webb gave him an ex tensive guide to the NFL that included offseason schedules used by hi s old te am mate s and pupi ls li ke Patr ic k Ma homes , Jo sh Al len, Ba ker Mayfield and Eli Ma nning. Webb then reiterated those idea s in a 3-page postseason to -do list for Ni x.

The No. 1 thing: “T his is your first big boy off se ason ,” Webb sa id “You don’t need to throw 10,000 throws in Febr uar y and Ma rch.”

Ni x took some of the advice and then molded it into a schedule tailored to his liking

“I wa nt ed a go od foundation , go od idea s and then I wa nted to ma ke it my ow n,” Ni x told The Po st “D o th in gs that I’ ve been comfor table with in the pa st , but unders ta nd I’m al so new to the NF L, new to the offseason, new to the schedule.

“I wa nted to see what other guys ha d done , what ot her guys ha d found success with.”

Ni x anticipa te d th at he ’d wa nt to pu sh the envelope qu ic kly, but could also feel that he needed the chan ge in pa ce

“It wa s di ff ic ult at the be gi nn in g be cause what I’ ve always done is ju st thrown,” he sa id “But as I got into it , I felt better, my body felt better, I felt myself getting stronger without throwing. So I just tr usted the process and understanding that a lot of other guys around the leag ue use the same process. So see -

in g that it ’s been done before, I didn’t have to press or wonder if I wa s doing something that I wa sn’t supposed to be doing or over work ing.

“O ur na tu re , so me ti me s yo u ca n over work and you’re not really getting any be tt er You’re ju st spin ni ng your tire s. For me , it wa s tr usting the guys around me, tr usting my plan that I ha d put in place already and don’t make any decision out of emotion because of what I wa nt now.”

So of ten, what Ni x wa nt s in the moment is to feel like he’s doing enough. Sprint s. Throws Playbook study. Nutr it ion opti mi zation . Le ad in g. Opponent sc out. Self-scout Weig ht s. Fi lm An NF L quar terback ha s a broa d constellation of disciplines to master before ever thinking about marketing, community involvement or any of the countless other endeavors that fill up a ca lendar. None of it can ever be truly conquered. There is always another tendency to sniff

FROM PAGE 8

out, another set of shoulder strengthening to do, another spin through the rolodex of play calls, checks and signals lurking.

They lo om cons ta nt ly, espe cial ly in the relative qu ie t of the off se as on , as remi nder s th at fa ilur e could be ri ght around the corner.

“For me, I thin k it ’s more of the fear of not being ready, not being enough for the te am ,” Ni x sa id ea rl ier th is off se ason. “T hat’s what continues to dr ive me.”

Neill ca lls it “the burden of being hyper- competitive.”

It ’s a comm on tw o-way st re et for high-level perfor mers, but Broncos right ta ck le Mike McGlinchey says Ni x’s abilit y to navigate the tra ffic st ands out.

“You wa nt to be able to cont rol th at to wh er e it ’s no t a de tr im en t to yo u be ca us e your gr ea te st st reng th someti me s, if you’re undi sc ipli ne d, ca n beco me yo ur gr ea te st we ak ne ss ,” McGl in ch ey sa id “B ut Bo ha s ha nd le d th at li ne so well .”

Process and processing

Ni x th ro wi ng le ss th is su mm er should n’t be conf used with st asis

In st ea d, he cont inue d re fin in g hi s know le dg e of Payt on’s pl ay bo ok . He linked up with former Sa ints QB Drew Bree s, the foremost ex pert on quar terba ck ing for Payton, to ta lk shop and life as the fa ce of a franchise.

The ti me he sp ent with Neil l at QB Countr y in Alabama over the course of the off se ason zero ed in on the ment al side of the ga me.

“We ta lk ed ab ou t se ei ng th e fie ld and how the fie ld is ma de up of individu al pl ayer s who have individu al assi gn ment s and zone s,” Neil l sa id “But as you ge t us ed to se ei ng ce rt ai n defe ns es , yo u ca n ki nd of st ar t se ei ng the bi g pict ur e of the de fens e in st ea d of se ei ng individu al pl ayer s. Th at ’s an ar ea of impr ovement th at he fe el s li ke he ’s gr ow in g in and ma de but wa nt s to ke ep goin g. …

“Menta ll y, he know s the st uf f, he knows the offense, he knows the defenses and he knows how to put the pieces together It ’s just a matter of seeing the big pict ure so you ca n see it fa ster.”

Th at ’s be en the bo ok on Ni x so fa r through training ca mp and the preseason.

He didn’t show up with overhauled me ch an ic s or a bi g weig ht ch an ge or more horsepower on his fa stba ll. In st ea d, the chan ge is about tempo. It ’s about feel

“In and out of the hudd le, you ca n see how good it is compared to what we’ve ha d,” genera l ma na ger Ge or ge Paton told The Post this summer. “He was good la st ye ar with it , but ju st ac celerati ng those things will be huge for his grow th.

“He’s ma ster ing that , and he’ll grow and bu ild off th at . It ’l l be fu n to se e where it goes.”

Nix, though, still ventures too far into perfec tionist mode sometimes.

“He’s got to fix some of his self-t alk. That ’s pa rt of my deal with him,” Webb sa id “But ye ah , he ca re s, and th at ’s awesome. You’d rather have it that way than the other way. Ever yone struggles with that at some point; all athletes do, whether it be self-talk or being too hard on yourself.”

Webb tell s Ni x frequent ly, “I’m not goin g to be th in ki ng about th is when I go to bed, so you should n’t, either.”

The pa ra dox: That trait isn’t fa r removed from one that those who know Ni x best say ma kes him specia l. One of his tr ue superpowers.

Once Nix does something, feels someth in g, ma ke s a corr ec tion on something, he’s got it locked away Period

So one play, he might be cursing himself out for a mist ake, but then the next might generate a future memory

“He ca n dial it in and put it in his librar y for later,” Webb sa id “We’ ll ta lk about it enough to where there’s a cue or a word with th at play that he ca n qu ickly come ba ck to it , go od or ba d. The bad ones are fun because that never leaves your brain, but that ca n be in a good way.

“You al re ad y li ve d th e wo rs t, so you’re ready for the next .”

The possibilities

What ’s next for Ni x?

Payton sees his quar terback’s trajectory arcing towa rd the stratosphere.

He ha d no qu al ms te ll in g Ya ho o Spor ts he thin ks the No. 12 overall pick in the 2024 draf t will be in the “top four or five” among NFL quar terbacks in the next two seasons.

Of cour se , ther e ar e four qu ar terba ck s in the AFC alone who are on Ha ll of Fa me tracks in Ma homes, Allen, Ba ltimore’s La ma r Ja ck son and Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow That ’s before defending Super Bowl champion Ja len Hu rt s in Philadelphia and Wa shin gt on’s rook ie of the ye ar Jayden Da niels, Los An gele s Ch ar gers st alwa rt Ju st in Herb er t and any number of other ta lent ed signa l- ca llers.

Asked to defend that ground recently, Payton pointed to Nix’s preparation and work et hic and sa id , “T here’s not one specific thing. I thin k he’s wiser to red zone, wiser to third down, the ca dence. There are some nuances that , when you get real comfor table maybe in Year 1, your snap count is this, and then pret ty soon it ’s more of a weapon.

“A number of things like that .” Neill sees the possibilit y, too. He said the fir st ti me he worked out with Ni x

years ago, the thought crossed his mind th at th is could be an al l- ti me gr ea t player There are countless fa ctors that ca n brea k in countless direct ions, but one worth ha ng ing the future of a franchise on

“I thin k if you ha d to na il it on one thing that gives Bo the abilit y and probably give s Sean Payt on the confidenc e that he’ll improve in all of those things, it ’s hi s ment al it y,” Neil l sa id “… He ta kes it that seriously and he work s that ha rd. He ha s that Tom Brady mind set. I ca n see Bo eating avoc ado ice crea m one day.

“He’s not goin g to do anyt hing that would je opardi ze the succ es s th at he wa nt s to have , and he’s goin g to not leave any stone unturned. If he thin ks something ca n give him a competitive ed ge, he’s going to do it .”

Now the ques tion is how fa st th at translates on the field

We bb’s theory : For mo st qu ar te rba ck s, the bi ggest di fference be tween Year 1 and Year 2 is consistenc y.

“T hen Year 3, in my opinion, is more of a player ju mp,” Webb sa id “T hat’s just my ex perience personally and with my fr iends. Ever ybody ta lk s about Year

2, but I thin k that ’s just the world rushing like we do with ever ything. We have seen Year 2 ju mps, but Rich Ga nnon’s wa s at 36 (yea rs old). So ever yone ’s di fferent. It depend s on the situ at ion you’re in, the village you’re around, the play-c aller, your defense play ing good, your o-li ne’s prot ec ti ng you, guys are catching it and you’re executing. There’s a lot of domino effec t there.

“I thin k (Nix) is doin g good for his Year 2 development, and then next year will be another set of teaching that we’re not going to worr y about right now.”

We bb is bi g on “t he vi ll ag e.” He th in ks fa r to o much is ma de ab out the quar terback himself. But he’s been around a lot of franchise- ca rr iers, too. He knows what it look s like.

“T he great ones are consistently good ever y year,” Webb sa id. “So this is Bo’s first opportunit y to go back-to-back and grow His first year, it wa s great for his first year. But there’s st ill some thin gs he ca n work on.”

Ni x ha s a lot going for him.

A good village. Terr ific defense. Veter an of fe ns iv e li ne St abil it y in the coaching ra nk s.

No t ever y youn g qu ar terb ac k ha s

it so nice . Two of Ni x’s fellow 2024 first-rounders, No. 1 pick Caleb Williams in Chicago and No 3 pick Drake Maye in New England, are already on their second head coache s. No. 8 pick Michael Peni x, Jr in Atlanta only star ted the fina l three games of la st year, and No. 10 pick J. J. McCarthy in Minnesota missed his whole rook ie year due to injury Ni x, like 2024 No. 2 overall pick Da niels in Wa sh in gt on, le ad s a te am that ha d no idea ex ac tly what to ex pe ct a ye ar ago and now finds it self ge tt in g Super Bowl buzz

Vi llage or not, that come s with rema rk able pressure.

Th e Br on co s’ ro ok ie qu ar te rb ac k window is open.

The roster is st acked.

The conf er ence is , to o, but te am s don’t get long runways in this leag ue.

Ca n Ni x ta ke hi s ga me to the ne xt level?

“I ’ve got a lot ahea d,” Ni x sa id . “A lot to lear n from A lot to transition to I’m just excited. It ’s a great opportunit y, and I’m really excited about where I’m at right now.

“I thin k Year 2 will be a lot of lear ning again, but it will be a lot more fun.”

Bo Ni x, Year 2» An alyz in g NFL QB development from fi rst to second season

After a rollercoas ter of a rookie year that ended with a thrilling de scent back into the station, quar terback Bo Nix is se t to further solidify himself as the Broncos’ face of the fr anchise in 2025 But quar terback development in the NFL is hardly linear, especially for dr aftee s who are tossed into the fire Here’s a look at both leaps and pitf alls for high-pro file quar terbacks from Year 1 to Year 2 in the NFL since the heralded 2012 quar terback clas s:

After a rough rookie year, the 2023 No 1 pick was benched a few game s into 2024, but showed notable grow th after winning his job back later in the season.

On the surf ace, Stroud dipped Beyond the numbers, his receiving corps endured a rash of injuries and he was actually be tter on intermediate throws over the middle

Jone s had a statis tically similar rookie year to Nix, but collapsed under pres sure his sophomore year and is now a backup in San Fr ancisco.

Lawrence took his lumps in his rookie year, but this is the ideal Year 1 to Year 2 tr ajectory for a No 1 over all pick

Justin Herber t, L. A. Chargers

The elusive Murr ay got significantly be tter at handling pressure in his second season, brought down just 27 time s after an NFL-leading 48 sacks as a rookie

Prescott’s accuracy on intermediate throws took a nosedive in Year 2, a worrisome trend that de spite an excellent NFL career has occasionally come back to bite him.

Wentz was terrible at handling pres sure as a rookie and took a massive leap in Year 2, but had a wholly unsustainable

ratio.

Another ideal point for Year 1 to Year 2 development, Carr’s deep ball was significantly be tter in his second year with the Raiders

Smith was terrible on shor t accuracy as a rookie and slightly improved his second year, but this is a far, far cr y from his current Raiders iteration a decade later.

Griffin self-admit tedly lost confidence in his second year after an o ff season procedure on his knee, se tting in motion a precipitous decline following his rookie of the year debut.

Wilson, Seattle

One of the most-hyped QB prospects of the last 25 years, second-year Luck dialed back on some of the risk-reward that muddied his rookie year.

Tannehill struggled notably as an intermediate thrower as a rookie, and still struggled in his second year, but later righted

across a solid

CHESS MATCH

Will defenses catch up to Ni x, Payton in Year 2?

By Pa rker Ga br ie l

The way some in NFL circles describe it , you might imag ine a da rk lab somewhere where defensive coaches have assembled to drea m up their most diabolic al idea s.

Video of Bo Ni x’s rook ie season plays on an endless loop until, at la st , someone cracks the code

That , of cour se , is not ac tual ly how defensive coordinators prepare for quarterbacks who have ea rly success in their ca reers.

“I he ar th at a lo t. Lo ok , we ’r e al l watching the film throughout the year, so there’s not this one off season where there’s a group of defensive coaches sitting in a room for two week s look ing at Bo Ni x film,” Broncos head coach Sean Payton sa id

“I mean the st udy and look ing at the system, the players in the system I’ ve he ard that , and I ki nd of cr in ge when I hear it .”

It is tr ue that the Los An gele s Chargers knew more ab out Ni x’s st reng th s and weak nesses when the teams played in Week 16 compared to Week 6 la st fa ll In the NF L, noth in g st ay s secret long. Even the smallest tendencies get sniffed out quickly.

But teams don’t need an offseason to build a book on a player when they are cons ta nt ly addi ng pa ge s and chapters throughout a season.

“To me it’s a lazy narrative to say, ‘Now they ca n st udy him and this is why guys kind of fa ll off in Year 2,’” ESPN analyst Louis Ridd ick sa id “It’s not that ea sy of a correlation. There’s usua lly some kind of other things that go into it .

“T hi s ye ar, pe ople point to the idea th at (Hou st on QB) C. J. St roud to ok a st ep ba ck in his second year (in 2024). Well, hi s offen sive li ne wa s (bad). Hi s best receiver got hurt . It wa sn’t that all of a sudden C. J. didn’t pr og re ss , and ever yb ody caug ht up to hi m. Inju ries caught up to them. At tr ition caught up to the footba ll team.”

De fensive coache s do st udy player s, trends, teams and surprises throughout the offseason That much is tr ue There’s more time than the normal ga me week to get into the weeds and tr y to hone in

ha rd to do,” Ba ld inger sa id. “T hat’s Tom Br ady- esque. So ca n de fenses forc e hi m, in any way, whet her it ’s sp yi ng hi m or the way they ru sh hi m tr ying to trap him and keep him in ca n they limit some of those runs and keep him in the pocket and get more ha nd s and bodies around him and the ba ll to shake it loose? ”

Ba ldinger thinks teams will test Ni x’s abilit y to consistent ly beat them down the field and outside the numbers in the pa ssing game, too. Ni x showed that abilit y at times, but finished the season tied for 23rd in air ya rd s per at tempt (7.4). Ridd ick, simila rly, sa id defenses will need to operate with more urgency to tr y and complicate Ni x’s thought process.

“You wa nt to ch an ge pict ur es pr esnap and post-snap and you have to do it consistently. … That ’s No. 1,” he sa id. “No. 2, I wa nt to knock him off rhythm and off time. I don’t wa nt the timing aspect of his ga me to be something he ca n rely on because Sean is so good at spacing and route distribution.

“S o, de fe nd th e fo ot ba ll fi el d inside -out . Ta ke away the midd le -of-thefield th rows . They have bi g, phys ic al wide receivers that ca n at ta ck between the nu mb er s. Ma ke hi m pu sh the ba ll outside and outside down the field.”

Defenses will likely do all of that Tr y to take the ball away from Nix, keep him in the pocket and make him prove he can consistently push the ball down the field

on not just what a player does or doesn’t do well, but the minutiae as to why.

“T here’s something to be said for that. That ’s a real thin g,” Ridd ick sa id. “But at the sa me ti me , Bo Ni x ha s be en in the film room, too. He’s been with Sean Payton, too.

“… There’s things that Sean will prepa re him for that he knows teams will tr y to th row at hi m ba se d up on wh at happened la st year.”

Payton and Ni x seem energized by the challenge of st ay ing ahea d of the curve.

It to ok Ni x a fe w we ek s to se tt le into his rook ie year. Then he went on a tear.

In Decemb er, he ha d perhaps the on ly downtick in efficiency, and that wa s pr ima rily due to a spate of turnovers.

Ea rlier in the offseason, Payton noted that one of Ni x’s best traits is his feet

“He ca n move,” Payton sa id. “It’s not always a clea n pocket . I th in k when it gets a litt le muddy, he ma ke s good decisions.”

Th at , NF L Ne tw ork an al ys t Br ia n Ba ld in ger sa id , is one of the area s defenses wi ll tr y to ta ke aw ay fr om Ni x this fa ll

“T he one thin g that st ood out to me last year is he didn’t lose a fumble. That ’s

“People are goin g to re al ly pres s on those pressure points that you’ ve identified for him la st year and see if he ha s answers,” Riddick said. “A nd at the same time he’s going to do a lot of self-scouting to see that and tr y to anticipate where that ’s going to be coming from. …

“In Year 2, he’s goin g to be bett er at decipher ing what ’s happening.”

That ’s where Ni x’s ex perience playing ever y meaningf ul snap of 2024 , and appear ing in the playoffs as a rook ie will matter

“I th in k that it ’l l be the sa me challenges,” Ni x said. “It’s still going to be defenses It ’s still going to be coordinators It ’s still going to be wins and losses It ’s still going to be the health of your team. It ’s still going to be new inst alls

“Now I just think I’m in a better place to ha nd le those things.”

PAYTON PIPELINE

Broncos have severa l coaches who could ma ke jump to head job

By Pa rker Ga br ie l

ri el@d enve rpost .c om

Sean Payton’s coaching tree grew another branch this winter.

Not on ly did Aa ron Glen n, a former defensive ba ck and assist ant coach for Payt on , la nd the Ne w York Je ts’ he ad coaching job, but he did so af ter a terrific run as the defensive coordinator in Detroit. There, he coached for head man Dan Campbell, himself a Payton disciple

“I sp oke to hi m the ni ght be fore he to ok th at job, and I could fe el hi s excitement ,” the Broncos head coach sa id ea rlier this year. “I go all the way ba ck when he wa s a player for us in Da llas, and then ha d the chance to hi re hi m. He wa s a scout, I thin k, when we hired him and he fir st got into coaching He wa s one of the be st I’ ve been fort unate enough to have a lot of great assista nt s work for me, and Aa ron wa s right there at the top.”

Glen n and Ca mpbell repr es ent the on ly Pay ton pr ot eg es who ar e he ad coaches in the NFL this year, and there’s a grow ing set of coordinators around the le ag ue , to o. Ta ke Ch ic ago, wh ic h wi ll feat ure Dennis Allen fired as New Orleans’ head coach la st year as defensive coordinator and 28 -yea r- old former Broncos tight end coach Declan Doyle as offensive coordinator for Ben Johnson.

“I counte d on De clan Doyle for anot her three years at least,” Payt on sa id re cent ly “At le ast unti l he st ar ts shaving. But you’re happy for him.”

Campbell hired John Morton as offensive coordinator, and Glenn hired Chris Ba njo as his specia l teams coordinator. The wheel keeps spinning

And yet, Payton believes he’s got considera ble ta lent on hi s 20 25 Br onc os coaching st a ff and severa l coaches who may one day st and in front of their ow n teams in the NF L.

“Sometimes it would be the presence in fr ont of a ro om when they pr esent their knowledge and work ethic,” Payton sa id of identify ing head coaching traits in assist ants. “It’s ha rd to pred ic t. And I would say it ’s not just offense, defense or specia l te am s. Futu re he ad coache s can come from any one of those area s. … There’s a communic ation sk illset There are a number of things that give them a chance. And ultimately, you’ ve got to be in a place where you’re winning.

ANDY CR OS S THE DENV ER PO ST

Broncos quar terbacks coach Davis Webb walks past quar terback Bo Nix during tr aining camp at Broncos Park Powered by CommonSpirit in Centennial on July 31.

PAYT ON’S NFL HE AD COACHING TREE

It may not be robust, but Sean Payton’s coaching tree includes a pair of current head coache s, one of whom has turned De troit into an NFC contender in shor t order.

Name Years with Payton HC job (Years) Record

Dan Campbell 2016-20 De troit (2021-Pres.) 39-28-1

Aaron Glenn 2016-20 N.Y. Je ts (2025-Pres.) 0-0

Dennis Allen 2006-10 2015-21 Oakland (2012-14) New Orleans (2022-24) 26-53

Doug Marrone 2006-08 Buff alo (2013-14) Jacksonville (2017-20) 38-60

“If you’re in a prog ra m where you’re having success, genera lly, your coaches ar e goin g to ge t ta ken fr om th at pr ogram.”

Defensive coordinator Va nc e Joseph got interv iews th is pa st wi nt er, and if Denver ’s de fens e live s up to ex pe ct ations this fa ll, he shou ld be in dema nd once again. Younger coaches like quarte rb ac ks co ac h Davi s We bb, se condar y coach Jim Leon ha rd and offen sive

line coach Za ch Strief all got coordinator titles this offseason a reflection of the work Payt on ha d to put in to keep them from ex plor in g ot her oppor tu nities around the leag ue

“T his is an at trac tive spot , so you ca n win a lot of the jump ba lls if you’re competing against two different teams,” Payton sa id “I th in k ow nership ha s a lot to do with that . St abilit y ha s a lot to do with th at (O n) the pr oc ur ement of

those coaches, you rely on that and then the interv iew. You do a lot of research.

“It’s ea sy to hire a coach. It ’s not ea sy to hire an exceptiona l one.”

The Br onco s’ corp s of potent ia l future head coaches ha s traveled all kinds of path s. Jo seph got the Denver he ad coaching job but wa s fired af ter just two seasons. He’s going into his seventh as a defensive coordinator since then, four in Ar izona and now three ba ck in Denver.

One player ha s been on ever y one of those teams: Defensive ta ck le Za ch Allen.

“T he Xs and Os, ever ybody knows he’s incredible at that ,” Allen told The Denver Post “But he’s a leader of men, and he’s really good at understa nd in g ea ch player and building a relationship with ea ch player

“But he’s not a soft ie. He hold s us to a very high st anda rd. If we’re not doing somethin g right, those defensive meetings are tough. He coaches you hard, and he loves you hard, too. I think any player would love to have that .”

Webb jumped into coaching directly af ter pl ay in g, wh ile St rief sp ent ju st two seasons between retiring from the Sa ints and getting into coaching offensive line with Payton in the Bayou.

“For my sa ke, I hope he doesn’t leave,” sw in g ta ck le Alex Pa lc ze wski sa id of Strief “… He wa sn’t a top-10 pick where he ju st natu ra lly ha d it . He wa s a seventh-rou nd pick . He ha d to le ar n how to ma ke it happen A big pa rt of what he coaches is mental, putting yourself in the right st ate. It ’s helped so much, and just the way he’s able to convey that , it ’s unbelievable.”

Leonhard had a long play ing career in the NFL, but coached seven years in college at Wisconsin before eventually landing in Denver af ter getting pa ssed over for the head job at UW in 2022.

“You have to sometimes be willing to ac cept that they ’re at the college level and they ’re going to become this (in the future),” said Payton, spea king generally about coaches. He tried to hire Leonhard for his 2023 st a ff but ended up having to wa it unti l 2024 as Leon ha rd took a year away from coaching and served as an analyst at Illinois.

“I ’ve ha d a lot of succ es s and be en fort un at e to have gott en a nu mb er of guys that went on to be really good NF L coaches.”

Payton loves

Jeni’sice cream: The affinitydates to at least theblown pass interferencecall that cost Payton and the Saints atripto the Super Bowl in 2019. Afterwardhesaid hecoped by retreating to “mycave.”“Isat and probablydidn’tcomeout ofmyroom,ate Jeni’sice cream andwatched Netflix forthree straight days,” Payton added then

Go in gn ex tl ev el on Pa yt on’s lis t

BY PARKER GABRIEL,THE DENVER POST

Sean Payton’sbeen the Broncos headcoach forjustovertwo yearsnow.That means he’sspent alot of time in front of microphonestalking about his team,his philosophyand, well, alot of othertopics, too. He canbetremendously insightfuland curiously curt. Sometimes he takesquestions for30-plus minutes andsometimeshe’sinnomood. Along the way, he occasionally lets on to stuff —football-relatedorotherwise —that he likes and otherthings he very much does not. Wins good and losses bad? That’sboring. Here’s alook at moreinteresting likes anddislikes Payton’soutlined at the podium in his time on the Front Range.

Lululemon: Payton’sappearedincommercialsfor the athleisurepowerhouse alongside golfing buddy and hockeyGOAT Wayne Gretzky. In one90-second spotthatalso featured wide receiver DK Metcalf,all Paytonhad to do waslook up from his putterand shakehis head. Pretty goodday at the office.

Podcasts: Beforethe 2024draft, Paytonmadeamentionofhearing Bill Belichick on apodcast talking aboutdraftboards, which led general managerGeorge Paton to crack, “I probably don’t listentoasmanypodcasts as Sean, butit’sgood to have apulse on the league.” Worked outprettywell, as the Broncoslanded Bo Nix at No. 12 overall aweek later.

Privateworkouts: Many of thestories Paytonrecalls about draft season areabout privateworkouts and visits. Adinner with Tennesseeplayers when he wasinthe processoffallinginlovewith Alvin Kamara,differentQBs he’sseen over time and, of course, aMarch 2024visit withBo Nix. Obviously there’s business to attend to, but Patonsaid Payton’sinhis element on such trips. “We’ve beenonthe road. It’s alwaysfun, as youcan probablyimagine.”

The Greenbrier: No surprise here. Paytonhelped design the football facility at the five-star resort in West Virginia and it is one of his happy places. When the Broncos practiced there foraweek last fall, Payton’smoodsoared. “Hewas beamingon the golf cart when we gothere, driving around the grounds,”Broncos senior VP of operations ChipConwaysaid then.

Trading up: In New Orleans,22ofthe 25 trades Payton’sSaints madeduring thedraftwereto move up. During his first draft cycleinDenver, he shrugged at the notion of nothaving aton of capital and saiditwas easytogenerate more picksifyou need to.Heand Patonhavedone so acouple of timesinDenver, too, moving up forMarvin Mims Jr.and Riley Mossin 2023,for Troy Franklin in 2024and forSai’vion Jones this spring

Quarterbackswho don’t getsacked often: He has one now.

Payton hates

Sushi: After the Broncos beat Green BayinWeek 72023, Payton the next daylamented his inability to enjoythe win —eventhough it endedupkicking off arun of fivestraight. “I’m driving home last night, headedtoget sushi. Idon’t likesushi,”Paytonsaid. “And I find myself circling in the parking lot, like, ‘Alright, whycan’t Ibehappy?’”

Gilligan hatsand sunglasses: When askedwhat he wanted to see from Broncos startersonthe sideline after they exited the team’sfirstpreseason game of his tenurein2023, Payton responded, “It’sprobably just as easy to answer the question as to whatIdon’t want to see. …I don’t want to see uniforms off after we’redone playing, sunglasses on and Gilligan hats on and interviewsduring the game.”

‘Little internetshows’: At arecentnewsconferencePaytonwas understandably perplexedbyaquestion about “reports” that Nix hadspent time working with Drew Brees in the offseason after he himself told reportersabout the quarterback’strip to San Diego. Payton responded, “It wasn’t reported. Istateditthree days ago. Gosh, your ownlittle internet showsare driving me nuts.”

TheBig 12 Combine: The conference’s prospectshowcase caught astray from Payton this spring whenhewas discussing the evaluation process on seventh-round TE Caleb Lohner, who only played52snaps of college football at Utah after mostly playing hoops. “I’m notabig fanofthe Big 12 ProDay because aplayer likehim gets six routes instead of 20 that he would get at his ownPro Day,”Payton said. “So hopefully that’sgoing away.”

SpringNFL ownersmeetings: And, more broadly,the league’scompetition committee. Payton servedonthat forseveral yearsbut grew frustrated with the lack of impacthefelt from participating. He summed up his approach to the spring fling this year whenasked about atweak to the kickoff rule. “Once we vote on that, time to go back to the mountains,”hesaid.

Trading back: Patonjoked thathewas going to have acakeready forPaytononthe daywhen he finally traded back in the draft.Then they did it back-to-back in the second round this spring before selecting RB RJ Harvey.SaidPaton, “I’d liketoopen by congratulating Sean forhis first trade back since2006. We had twotrade backs —and we almost had three —but thatwas a good day.”Payton’swired to target players in the draft and go get them. This year,helet Harvey come to him.

Quarterbacks who getsacked alot: He used to have one.

RISING STAR

How assistant general manager became Paton’s right-hand man

By Luca Ev an s le vans@d enve rpost.com

At 3 a.m., Ma rch 12 , exac tly 12 hours be fore the flo od gate s op ened on fr ee agency, genera l manager George Paton’s right-ha nd ma n wa s zipping to the hospita l.

The Broncos’ wa r room wa s alre ady stretched thin, tr usted genera ls recently gone from Dove Va lley af ter years of service. He ad in g into a pivota l off se ason st re tc h, Pa ton ha d no as si st ant general ma nager af ter Da rren Mougey left for the Jets. Execut ive direct or of footba ll operations, Kelly Kleine Va n Ca lliga n, wa s on maternit y leave. VP of footba ll operations Mark Thewes left for the Ra iders. Heck , Mougey poached Paton’s nephew away for a scouting job in New York . Then, in the fa int hour s before su nri se , Paton got a te xt from di re ct or of pl ayer pers on nel Re ed Bu rck ha rdt: a pict ure of him and wife Julia’s newbor n daughter, Cecilia.

“You couldn’t have picked a ju st , the timing wa s so unique,” Burckhardt sa id in a conversation with The Denver Po st mont hs later. “B ec au se it wa sn’t Day Three (of free agency). It wa sn’t Day Five. It wa s litera lly Day One.”

Th is wa s no si mple ab se nc e. Th is wa s a Pa to n lo ya li st si nc e hi s da ys in Mi nnes ot a, who no w le d the Paton-and-pro-person nel braintrust And as free agency broke, Bu rck ha rdt wa s helpin g ru n operat ions on a lapt op inside Julia’s hospit al room

Th ey al re ad y ha d th e bi g po in ts sketched out, though In fall 2024, nowpro personnel director AJ Durso keyed in on San Francisco 49ers safety Talanoa Hufanga, whose contract wa s set to expire in the offseason. And they entered free agency with a plan coordinated by Burck hardt, from Durso to the Broncos’ scouts to cap guru Rich Hurtado to Paton. When Hufa nga ag reed to terms with Denver on Ma rch 26, wa s Bu rckhardt excite d enou gh that he woke baby Cecilia up?

“A little bit,” Burck ha rdt gr inned.

“He wa s man, Huf wa s, I don’t want to say he was the key to the whole thing,” Bu rck ha rdt cont inue d, sl ig ht ly la te r. “But he wa s cert ainly a high ta rget .”

The Broncos hit on most of their targets, despite that thin front office In came Hufanga’s teammate Dre Greenlaw, tight end Evan Engram, and special-teams gunner Trent Sherfield, a signing Burckhardt emphasized Denver wa s “rea lly excited about.” A month and a half later, Paton tabbed Burck hardt to fill Mougey ’s spot in a necessar y personnel reshuffle. In Ju ne , Bu rckhardt sat on a bench off to the side of the Broncos’ fa cility in Dove Va lley and wave d a ha nd out at the gras s. Some th in g li ke th is, he ge stured, probably seemed out of the realm of possibilit y grow ing up. He ha ils from the 348-person town of Russell, Minn., where the mo st da ri ng of te enage adventures involved pizza- eating contests at Da r’s Pi zz a. He played qu ar terback at FC S Sout h Da kota St at e, but ne ver st ar ted a ga me.

It ’s a smal l-town st or y. It ’s also precisely why Burck ha rdt ascended to one of the most prominent decision-mak ing roles in the Broncos’ front office. He is a connector with a disarming Midwestern gr in , al ig ne d st ably behi nd Paton and head coach Sean Payton.

And he’s a good enough conduc tor to ca rr y out a free -agenc y plan from a hospita l room.

“I think Reed’s a star that people don’t even know about ye t,” sa id Paul Ro el l, the GM of the UF L’s Birmin gham St allions and a former Vikings scout.

“T hey’re about to find out.”

In the old days of Winter Pa rk , when some of the Vikings offices in Eden Prairie ha d pa neling , the Minnesot a st a ff ’s pr imar y leag ue-scouting tool wa s a massive magnetic wa ll.

Ca rd s with the na mes of ever y player on ever y NF L ro st er were slappe d on that wa ll If a player went on injured reserve, he’d ge t a red dot pinned on his ca rd If he were placed on the physic ally-unable -to-perfor m list , a yellow dot. If he got released, they ’d peel the ca rd off the wa ll and chuck it in what they ca lled the boneya rd.

Do t duties fell to the intern s, who were ta sked with re ad in g the wa iver wire ever y night and updating the cards.

Rick Spielm an , who as cended fr om a pl ayer -p er sonnel role to Vi ki ng s gener al ma na ger, impr es se d up on hi s interns that this role wa s of ex treme import ance

Ma ke a mist ake that le ad s to a mista ke on a tr an sa ct ion, and it ’s on you, Spielman told them.

Burckhardt

FROM PAGE 17

“I just wa nted to see,” reca lled Spielman, now a senior football advisor with the Jets, “if they were willing to do the dirt y work .”

Ma ny weren’t. In 2009, Minnesot a’s personnel intern quit Couldn’t ha nd le it . It wa s thei r on ly intern , Paton reca lled They st ar ted searching.

“We were li ke , ‘M an , th is dude in ops I don’t know his na me and don’t know much about him, but this guy just work s,‘” Paton reca lled “‘ Maybe they ’ll let us use this guy.’”

That wa s Burck ha rdt.

Pa to n qu ic kl y le ar ne d hi s na me . Ma ny ot hers didn’t . Bu rck ha rdt wa s “u nd er st at ed ,” lon gt im e Mi nn es ot a sc out and person nel exec ut ive Ja ma al Stephenson sa id. He developed an oldsoul bond with sc out Jerr y Reichow, a former Vi ki ng s re ceiver in the 1960 s and franchise lifer.

They to ssed hi m in the fir e, as Paton put it , and Bu rck ha rdt emer ge d unsc athed. He could ha nd le the board. And most ever ything

“He wa s a fixer,” Paton sa id. “Everything he did, he did at a high level.”

The Vi ki ng s br ou ght hi m ba ck the next year the st ar t of a 15 -plus-year at ta chment to Paton. When Paton wa s na me d Br onco s gene ra l ma na ger in 2021, he wa s determined to br in g two people along: Kleine Va n Ca lligan and Burck ha rdt.

This offseason, Spielman was a heav y advo cate for Mougey in the Je ts’ GM se ar ch , know in g hi s fr ont- office role with in the Br onco s’ gr adua l cu lt ur e change. Spielman ha d a tr ust in Paton, ba ck when he wa s his assist ant GM in Mi nnes ot a. Pa ton, Spielm an sens ed , ha d th at sa me tr us t in Mougey. And Burck ha rdt, too.

“I thin k Reed,” Spielman sa id, “is going to be a future genera l ma nager.”

Years ago, one of the on ly ex amples any football hopeful in rural Minnesota ha d wa s Todd Bauman a former Vikings quar terback who grew up in the tiny town of Ruthton.

Naturally, Burck hardt knew him. The Burck ha rdts knew ever yone. And af ter Burck ha rdt finished his years at South Da kota St at e, Baum an ca lled former Vi ki ng s di rect or of operat ions Luther Hipp e to re commend Bu rck ha rdt for an internship

“Once he’s there,” Bauman told him, “you’ll fa ll in love with the guy.”

Ru ss el l ha s no ga s st at ion and no stoplights. Burck hardt’s mother, Diane, ran a daycare, and his late father, Keith, worked for the ra ilroad When Bu rckha rdt traveled with the Sout h Da kota St at e Ja ck rabbit s for away ga me s, Diane and Keith pa id for their ow n seat s on the fli ght. Di ane ba ke d the te am

Name 2024 Role 2025 Role

Reed Burckhardt

Kelly Kleine Van Callaghan

Director of Player Personnel

Executive Director of Football Oper ations / Special Advisor to the General Manager

Cody Rager Vice President of Player Personnel

A.J. Durso Director of Pro Personnel

As sistant General Manager

Executive Director of Football Oper ations / Special Advisor to the General Manager

Vice President of Player Personnel

Co -Director of Player Personnel

Cam Williams Director of College Scouting (New England Patriots) Co -Director of Player Personnel

Jordon Dizon National Scout (Philadelphia Eagles)

Roman Phifer Senior Personnel Executive

Br yan Chesin Midwes t National Scout

Director of Pro Personnel

Senior Personnel Executive

Director of College Scouting

Pat Walsh Pro Scout Pro Scout

Ish Seis ay Pro/College Scout

Midwes t Area /International Scout

Ty Murphy Pro Scout Pro Scout

Nick Schiralli As sistant Director of College Scouting

Sae Woon Jo We stern National Scout

Eugene Arms trong Southeas t Area Scout

Dave Br at ten We st Area Scout

Scot t DiStef ano Senior Midwes t Area Scout

Chaz McKenzie Northeas t Area Scout

Deon Randall Southwes t Area Scout

Roya Burton Scouting Coordinator

Pam Papsdorf

Personnel Logistics Manager

Rob Simpson Football Administration Coordinator

Senior Personnel Executive

We stern National Scout

Southeas t Area Scout

As sistant Director of College Scouting

Senior College Scout

Northeas t Area Scout

National Scout

Player Personnel Coordinator/Scout

Personnel Logistics Manager

Football Administration Coordinator

co ok ie s. When the so ft ba ll fi eld in town needed a scoreboa rd, Keith built a wooden one by ha nd.

One of Keit h Bu rckhardt ’s sayi ng s,

still, is burned into Russell Mayor Hilar y Bucher t’s head Don’t be bitter. Be better. “I feel that Reed really ta kes that role

on and give s the Bu rckhardt s a go od na me,” Bucher t sa id

Bucher t speculated that most in Russell probably don’t have any idea Burckha rdt is now the as si st ant GM of the Denver Broncos. But the Russell spir it ha s gotten him to Denver.

Ask many in the old Minnesota building about Burckhardt, and the demeanor sticks out instantly. Bauman’s still never really seen him have a bad day.

“I th in k Ge or ge ju st , mayb e he liked the guy,” Stephenson sa id

And as Paton’s “cha mpion,” as St ephen son put it , Bu rc kh ar dt ’s ea rned head-coach Payton’s public respect, too.

“He’s got a real good eye for ta lent ,” Payton said. “A nd he’s not af raid to give you his opinion, even if it ’s contra ry to maybe what you wa nt to hear.”

Payton and Paton have increa singly presented a united front in Broncos deci sion-mak in g. That ’s tr ickled behi nd the sc enes to a braint ru st he’s now in further charge of unify ing.

“T heir fundamentals of what they believe in from building a football team, from what ma kes a good footba ll player are tota lly alig ned,” Burckhardt said. “A nd I would say, me being with George I’m tota lly alig ned. And then, so subsequently, our st a ff ’s tota lly alig ned.

“A nd so, it ’s just , once we get that then you feel like you’re building something.”

ON THE ASCENT

Piece by piece, ow ners transfor ming Broncos into top destination

By Pa rker Ga br ie l pgab ri el@d enve rpost .c om

Sean Payton star ted to check through the list of all the in gred ient s he thin ks are needed to have a championship -contend ing team in the NF L.

“It ha s to st ar t with quar terback,” the Broncos head coach sa id when asked to outl ine why he ’s ta ken such a bu ll ish stance on this team. “It ha s to star t with defense. It ha s to st ar t with the offensive line There are cert ain thin gs that if they ’re not on point, it ’s ha rd to ma ke a st atement like that When you look at some of these cr itic al fa ctors, I told (the te am) that , al l of that ju st me an s you have a chance.”

He ha d one more fa ctor in mind, too.

“I would say, most import antly, ow nership,” Payton sa id

That big of a role? How ca n that be?

“Because there are 20 (franchises) that ea ch ye ar have hope s and drea ms and they ’re dy sf unct iona l at the top,” Payton sa id

Payt on believes the on -field piec es are in plac e. Ever y cont ributor on the offensive and defensive lines unit s he and general manager George Paton have each said graded out as the club’s best in 2024 is back this season Quar terback Bo Ni x accounted for 34 touchdow ns his rook ie season and ha s the tools, accordin g to his head coach, to eventually be among the leag ue’s best .

As fo r th e Wa lt on -Pen ne r Fa mi ly Ow nership Gr oup, ev idence su gg es ts they, too, are what the Broncos need.

Led by CEO Greg Penner and Ca rr ie Wa lt on Penner, they hi red Payt on and reta ined Paton, setting the table for the kind of st abilit y and continuity the footba ll side of the orga nization ha s la cked for years. They have ma de upgrades at Empower Field, are st ea mi ng th roug h a $175 mi ll ion-plus he adqu ar ters and training fa cility rebuild, have overseen si x major contra ct ex tensions that ca me with more than $306 mi ll ion gu ar anteed in the pa st 13 months, and are moving ever closer to deciding whether (a nd where) to build a new st ad ium.

But those are just the big-ticket items. The less visible ones include investing in player health and science, poaching new chief technology officer Daniel Brusilovsky from the Golden State Warriors, and making other hires, tweaks and revamps.

“You feel like you’re never going to be shor t on re source s, for sure,” ti ght end Adam Trautman told The Post . “T hey’re comm it te d to bu ildi ng a wi nner That st ar ted with br inging Coach Payton in, and it ’s continued with ever ything else they ’ve done

“E ve ry bo dy lo ok s at (t he ne w fa ci lit y) ev er y day and ba sica ll y th in ks , ‘I hope I’m here for it .’ It says a lo t ab out them and how much they ca re for us , an d it , fo r la ck of a be tt er wo rd , vibr at es th roug h the enti re bu ildi ng ever y day.”

The Br onco s’ ow ners ar e se en as a gr ow in g power in the NF L. They ar e the we alth ie st in the le ag ue , and they now have a foundation bu ilt and plan in place for helping elevate the franchise ba ck into the realm of spor ts’ elite.

“I th in k one, se tt in g the vi sion for the orga nization and bein g really clea r ab out wh at it me an s when we say we wa nt to be the be st te am in sp or ts to play for, work for and cheer for,” te am president Da ma ni Leech told The Post recently “A nd ever ything cascades down from there.

“W hat does that look like? That means having a great training fa cility, a great place for your st a ff to come work ever y

day. It means having a great stadium for your fa ns to come and cheer at And so, se tt in g that vision ha s been re al ly import ant, but also ex plaining and really remi nd in g ever yb ody ever y day wh at we mean when we say these things, and what it ta kes in order to do that .”

The new he adquar ters and trai ni ng fa cility, set to be enclosed by November and re ady for move -i n by May, wi ll be an upgr ade over the cu rrent bu ildi ng. But just the constr uc tion site alone is a powerf ul sy mbol when the Broncos are recr uiting free agents, assistant coaches or front office st a ffers.

“T hi s is an at tr ac tive sp ot ,” Payt on sa id. “So you ca n win a lot of the ju mp balls if you’re competing against two different te am s. I th in k ow nership ha s a lot to do with that , st abilit y ha s a lot to do with that .”

It certainly didn’t hurt when the Broncos were tr ying to win free agency battles for player s li ke former Sa n Fr ancisco 49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw and sa fe ty Ta la noa Hu fa nga, or for ex-Jagua rs tight end Evan Engram

“Two ye ar s ago, you’re sell in g a vision,” Payton sa id “I ca n’t tell you what the new building ’s going to look like two years ago, but I ca n tell you what it ’s go -

in g to look li ke now, and it ’s an ea sier sell when you kind of see it a litt le bit. It ’s that simple.”

It ’s a franchise with a lot of irons in the fire at this point.

Th ey ’v e go t an as ce nd in g ro st er squa rely in the pr ime window for building around Ni x while he’s play ing on his rook ie contra ct

They ’ve got st ea dy ha nd s in Payt on and Paton, even though both had to subst antially replenish their sta ffs this winter af ter teams around the leag ue ca me poaching.

They ’ve got the he adqu ar ters op ening in less than a year that will give the franchise a cutting- ed ge home.

They will make a decision on the prospe ct of bu ildi ng a new st ad iu m in the coming months.

“I don’t see how you wouldn’t want to be a part of this,” Trautman said. “Especially the guys that are fighting for roster spots, like, you’re hoping that you end up stay ing here. Because of how they take care of players. And the culture of guys is so awesome, too. We can joke around and ever ything, but we also take it seriously.

“It’s pret ty much the perfec t ba la nce of ever ything, and I don’t see why you’d wa nt to play anywhere else.”

MONUMENTAL

Broncos slowly br inging $175 million headquar ters to life

By Luca Ev an s le vans@d enve rpost.com

Sometime s, sitt in g at his de sk , Sean Payt on wi ll ge t lost in dayd re am s outside his window He ca n see it Not fa r across the sk y, be yond the glas s of his th ir d-floor of fice in Dove Va lley, the boom of a cr im son crane plac es piec es of timber on the Broncos’ new identity. In a year, this $175 million project will be comple te , and the new te am he adquar ters the Broncos have touted since 2023 will be buzzing with the operations of a rising NF L franchise.

For now, it is a hunk of wood and steel, ha mmer s ec hoin g ac ro ss the gr as s at Broncos Park. But Payton still finds himself mesmer ized on occa sion. Then he’ll snap ba ck to watching tape of a championship foundation he’s tr ying to construct himself.

In Ma rc h, genera l ma na ger Ge or ge Paton put up an ea sel in his office with a la rge render ing of the fa cility The idea: Let visiting free agents see what ’s coming, in all it s sa ndstone glor y.

“I know they ’r e tr yi ng to le vera ge that,” team president Damani Leech told The Denver Post , “a s much as possible.”

Come May 2026, the Broncos wi ll fina lly see the finished jewel of the ea rly Wa lt on-Pen ner ow nership er a. It is on sc he du le , a rema rk ably qu ic k underta ki ng from it s an nouncement in November 2023 It is on budget , than ks in pa rt to the cost ma neuver in g of senior VP of constr uc tion Amy Dee. And it is a shor t-term lift in leag ue st anding for a franchise that , as Payton sa id, ha s become an “attractive spot ” for players and coaches alike.

But this plan went fa r beyond Payton, Paton or any current era. Two years ago, when Leech and ow nership first pitched a new fa cility to st a ff, they played a clip of an old NF L Films piece that went inside the Broncos’ current business headqu ar ters , wh ic h op ened in 1990. Late head coach Dan Reeves wa s in the video wearing a 1980s- era sweater. A voiceover lauded a st ate- of-the -a rt film room that , of course, used physic al film.

The message wa s clear: The game and the leag ue have evolved. And Leech, Dee, and ow nership envisioned a fa cility that ca n it self evolve with NF L generations to come.

DAVID ZA LUBOWSKI THE AS SO CI ATED PRES S

Workers guide the final structur al beam into place during a topping out ceremony for the Broncos’ new tr aining facility in Centennial on Aug. 1.

“How do es a work pl ac e and, or, footba ll spa ce to an ex tent ke ep reinvent in g them selves? Be caus e if you don’t, then it ’s just going to be stag nant ,” Dee told The Post

“We’re bu ildi ng a monu ment . We’re building something that ’s going to be, for deca des, pa rt of a changing orga nization.”

Le ec h knew Gr eg Penner and Ca rrie Wa lton Penner were “cur ious about” constr uc ting a new team headquar ters soon af ter he wa s named team president in Au gu st 2022 . Re se arch bega n from there, with Leech and constituents touring NF L fa cilities in Miami, Da llas and Minnesota, as well as newly- constr ucted NBA headquar ters for the Golden St ate Wa rr iors (opened in 2021) and Sa n Antonio Spurs (202 3).

In time, plans formed for a space that would consolid at e bu sine ss operat ions and footba ll st a ff. Leech noted that 70 Bronc os te am employee s are cu rrently ba sed at Empower Field, 20 miles north of Dove Va lley, be ca us e spa ce is to o tight at the current headquar ters Players themselves have to wa lk across the pa rk ing lot from the weight room to the

locker room, and across prac tice field s to the indoor fa cility

One of de si gn pa rt ne r HOK’s fir st st eps, Le ech sa id , wa s to me asure the number of steps players needed to ta ke to move between the three area s. They disc overed “mas sive spikes” compared to a ha lf-doz en ot her fa ci lities ac ro ss the leag ue.

“T he biggest wa s, ‘How do we create a space that ha s the most minima l player path of travel for our team?’” Leech said.

A small deta il, it might seem A la rge one, when adde d over the cour se of a se ason. And the Wa lt on-Pen ner group ha s invested ma ny millions of dollars in such small deta ils since ta king over the franchise.

“It’s a great cred it to Greg and Ca rr ie and their vision,” Payton sa id. “Not just shor t-term, but for years to come.”

De e wa s hi re d to over se e cons tr uction a fe w mont hs af ter the pr ojec t’s announcement The orga nization felt it needed an in-house capt ain af ter prev iously routing operations through an outside agency Dee wa s immediately fa ced with a slew of budget ar y questions.

She ca me from a job as the chief con-

struction officer at Powder Mounta in, a sk i resort on top of a mounta in in Ut ah. She ex panded Netflix campuses into Europe and Sout h Amer ic a. Th is fa ci lity in Denver wa s fa r from her la rgest undert ak ing.

“I’ve bu ilt a lot of one- off s,” De e reflected. “A nd so, I do like building things that are very unique.”

Dee’s greatest impact has been to finetune project musts to stay under budget , even as new administration under President Donald Tr ump ha s enacted a range of ta riffs on imported good s, includ ing a 25% ta riff on steel. Dee ha sn’t hedged on prefer red materials, but ha s ha d to change suppliers to maneuver around increased cost s.

“I cert ai nly don’ t have a budget for ta riffs,” Dee sa id “L et ’s put it that way.”

Ov er al l, th ou gh , th e Br on co s ar e sourcing a “goo d perc enta ge” of materials from Colora do -based distributors, De e sa id . Ow nership, De e and Le ec h sa id , pu shed for cons tr uc tion co st s to contribute to the loca l economy.

“We wa nt th is to fe el li ke it ’s of the plac e it ’s of here , when you wa lk in the building,” Leech sa id. “It’s not just , ‘T his is the Denver Broncos,’ but this is also a building that ’s in Colora do.” Be yond th at , De e ha s al so implemented a flexible interior design. Much of the fa cility will be built with modula r wa lls and ea si ly movable weig ht room equipment to ma ke sure the foundation ca n la st as long as possible

“Does the outside need to change? You ki nd a bu ild that to where it ’s a clas sic st yle, it ’s very Colorado, it ’ll live forever,” Dee sa id. “But if we ca n change the inside, why wouldn’t you just keep usin g the sa me bu ildi ng , ri ght? So, ma ke it adaptable.”

On Ju ly 31 , a day be fore the hi ghes t be am wa s pl ac ed on the fa ci lity, Penner and Wa lt on Penner ti ghtene d up ha rd hats and cl imbe d ru ng-overru ng roug hly 20 st or ie s up the cr ane. They st rolled out on the ca tw al k of the counter boom , and Wa lt on Penner snappe d a pict ure of a loft y view. She texted it to Payton “I ju st sa id , ‘No than k you,’” Payt on gr inned.

The future lay 200 feet below, a whole new world for Payt on and ye ar s beyond.

CATCHING FIRE

A fter up-a nd-dow n 2 years, Mims ready to ‘be the ma n’

By Luca Ev an s le vans@d enve rpost.com

To watch Ma rv in Mims Jr glide, his tr ai ner Ma rg in Ho ok s su gg es ts , is to watch a ra cehorse.

Hook s is a countr y ma n, through and th roug h. Te xa s- born . Sout hern -m ade. And in al l hi s 25 ye ar s of co ac hi ng , Mims st ands alone Different than anyone, Hook s ma rveled . The ga it , al l bi g feet and long legs, is lethally effor tless. Ever run behind a horse, Hooks asked? You ca n tr y. You ca n huff and puff until your lungs scream St ill, the horse wi ll look like it ’s trot ting

“T hen you lo ok ,” Ho ok s de sc ri be d, “a nd it ’s pulling away from you quickly. It ’s like ‘It’s just jogg ing, though!’” “T hat’s Ma rv in.”

Eventually, Hook s realized he needed to just let the kid run “the Ma rv in way,” as he puts it . But at fir st , Hook s didn’t qu it e unde rs ta nd hi m. Ma ny didn’t Mims would house a bag of potato chips and a Gatora de and then tu rn on the bu rner s. And Hook s would yell at hi m because he just ma de it look too ea sy. Years later, Mims lounged on a bench border ing the Broncos’ prac tice fa cility in July. He chuckled when told of Hook s’ initia l fr ustrations

“It’s some th in g th at ’s li ke ever y coach, ever ybody says,” Mims said with a gr in “‘ You don’t look like you’re moving.’ “Until you go out there and really see. And it ’s like, ‘Mar vin’s runnin’.’ ” In Year 3 in Denver, Ma rv in’s finally ru nn in g. The former Ok la homa wideout ha s never qu it e needed a tap. He’s ju st ne eded hi s coac he s to lo osen the reins. He quickly da shed to All-Pro st atu s as a re tu rner in his fir st two ye ar s with the Broncos, but he wa s genera lly st uck with a ha nd fu l of po st s and goba lls in a limited route tree Then, head coach Sean Payton ca me to him in November in Ka nsas City with an idea to st ick hi m in the ba ck field , and Mi ms’ world opened up.

Th is ye ar, hi s role as a re ceiver is more “wel l-rounded,” Mims de scribed. It needs to be. At all of 23 years old, he’s suddenly the second-most ex perienced Bronco in a young wideout room Ho ok s, th is off se ason , ha s be en tr ying to get Mims to understa nd: He’s the guy, now. The “last of the Mohica ns,” as Hook s put it , in a room that ’s seen a re -

RECEIV ERS DR AF TED UNDER SE AN PAYT ON

A number of wide receivers popped in their second year under Broncos head coach Sean Payton, but it took Mims until the second half of his second season to truly break out. Will that burs t carr y over into Year 3?

Name Team Year 2 (Rec-Yds- TD) Year 3 (Rec-Yds- TD)

Marvin Mims Jr Denver 39-503-6 TBD

Marque s Cols ton New Orleans 98-1,202-11 47-760-5

Robert Meachem New Orleans 45-722-9 44-638-5

Kenny Stills New Orleans 63-931-3 27-440-3

Br andin Cooks New Orleans 84-1,138-9 78-1,173-8

Michael Thomas New Orleans 104-1,245-5 125-1,405-9

Tre’Quan Smith New Orleans 18-234-5 34-448-4

volv ing door behind Cour tland Sutton at WR 2 from Jerr y Jeudy to Josh Reynolds. Mims racked up 503 receiv ing yards and si x touchdow ns in his second year af ter a late -sea son surge. Hook s believes he’ll be a 1,000-ya rd receiver in 2025

“He’s no t even th at ty pe of pers on with nu mb er s,” Ho ok s sa id . “He ju st wa nt s more than what he’s ha d before And I know ri ght now, he wa nt s a lot more than he ha d before

“Not , li ke , OK , a litt le bit, perc entag e-wi se . Li ke , ‘Nah . I’m re ady to be the ma n now.’ So that ’s what he’s been prepar ing for, physic ally and ment ally.”

He’s looked it during training ca mp. For two years in Denver, as Mims sa id, he didn’t run most of the routes he’s running now. Comeba ck s. Corner s. Drag s.

End-around s. Both a complete receiver and a ga dget weapon, all in one.

It ’s simila r to how st a ff at Lone St ar High used Mims back in high school, setting the single-season state record for receiv ing yards as a senior in Texas. Lone St ar head coach Jeff Raybur n remembered the Rangers had a “Mar vin Rule.”

He’d run 17 yards on a route instea d of 15, his feet moving too quickly for regular timing So, staff would add two yards to the depth of any route he ran.

“He just runs so effor tlessly,” Rayburn sa id “He just glides.”

Effor tlessness, though, implies a la ck of ef fort a pe rc ep tion he ’s foug ht agai nst for ye ar s. At Ok la homa , Mi ms wa s the latest in a long lineage of Sooner wideouts who ca rr ied themselves like a

dude , be caus e they were He ca me in a ye ar af ter Ce eD ee La mb le ft La mb followed in the fo ot st ep s of Ma rqui se Brow n before him. And Brow n followed Dede Westbrook before him.

Five -sta r ta lent af ter five-st ar ta lent . Mims wa s ex pected to come with fla sh

That just “wasn’t me,” Mims shrugged.

“I’m not li ke a ho o-ra h guy,’” Mi ms sm iled “I’m not goin g to post a lot on social media, al l that st u ff. I’m ju st go to class, go to meetings, go to prac tice, do all you do

“A nd I feel like at OU, that ’s when they got on me most about it That ’s when it wa s more of, like, a weird thing.”

He racked up 1,083 yards as a junior at Ok la homa and wa s picked by the Broncos in the second round of the 2023 draf t. Still, he came out of college with the perception he didn’t have a fully- developed route tree, a perception he’s been fighting ever since. He was asked to run slants and choice routes as a Sooner, Raybur n defends. He’s been asked to run deep in Denver or get his hands on returns. Now, Mims ha s official ly been st ar ting at the Z, as Broncos wideouts coach Ke ar y Co lb er t ha s to ld Ho ok s. An d Hook s ha s been tr yi ng to in st il l a certa in “swagger ” in his pupil.

“It’s funny,” Mims sa id, “bec ause he’s been tr ying to get that outt a me sinc e, like, college.”

It ’s never quite ta ken, because Mims blow s pa st defender s with the urgenc y of a tu rt le de spit e the speed of a ha re Mims, though, feels it coming You could “see the confidence” when he star ted getting touches midsea son in 2024 , as general ma na ger Geor ge Paton sa id a few months ba ck . When he first arrived in Denver, Mims re counte d, Bronco s sa fe ty and former OU te am mate Dela rr in Tu rner -Yel l issued a wa rn in g to st a ff and DBs al ike on the wideout’s cool ga it . Don’t fa ll for that . That dude’s moving.

There is nothing to control, now. The li mits on hi s ga me ar e gone . Ther e is only the horse, trot ting free

“O nc e he catche s the ba ll, I lo ok at those first three steps,” Hooks said of offseason work with Mims “W hen he gets upfield I ca n see, sometimes receivers, they have a pep in their step.

“W hen you know you’re the ma n, you look different. That top horse moves different . Different than anybody.”

HA NDS-ON LEADER

THIRD DOWN RECEIVING , 2024

By Pa rker Ga br ie l

pgab ri el@d enve rpost .c om

The Broncos’ 2025 wide receiver corps ha s a high ceiling because of the upside severa l players in the room possess. Perhaps just as import ant: The group ha s a pr et ty st able floor be ca us e of Cour tl and Sutt on , the tr us ty ve tera n and No.1 option.

Sutton is coming off perhaps the best year of his professional ca reer in 2024 , is newly signed to a four-yea r, $92 million contra ct ex tension and is pr imed to ca rr y on into 2025 as the top option for second-yea r quar terback Bo Ni x in the pa ssing ga me

None of that se emed li ke a gu ar antee when the 2018 second-round pick got off to a slow st ar t with Ni x la st year, but over the course of the season, their connection continua lly streng thened

By the end of Week 18, Sutton logged ca reer highs in catches (81) and ta rget s (1 35 ), topp ed 1,00 0 ya rd s for the fir st ti me si nc e 2019 and se t hi msel f up to be pa rt of Denver ’s long-ter m future

“He’s be en a ca pt ai n,” he ad co ac h Se an Payt on sa id th is su mmer. “I f he didn’t say a word, the young guys watch his preparation and his work ethic. Yet, ob viou sl y, hi s ex pe rience with al l of those players (helps). It really star ts with his preparation in (the building) and on to the field.

“He’s ever ything you wa nt in a pro.” In 2024 , he st ar te d slow but tu rned himself into ever yt hing Ni x needed as a rook ie tr ying to navigate his first NF L season.

Sutt on fin ishe d th ird in th ird- down catc he s (3 0) and le d the NF L in both th ir d- do wn ya rd ag e (4 52) an d fi rs t downs generated (27), according to Footba ll Databa se data .

At 6-foot-4 and 215-plus pounds, Sutton gave Ni x a big ta rget to tr ust down the field and in tra ffic.

Ac cord in g to Ne xt Gen St at s, Sutton accounted for 45.7 % of the Broncos’ down field ta rget s, wh ich wa s the se cond-highest share on throws of 10 -plus air ya rd s in the leag ue

That le d to a lot of go od (812 ya rd s on down field th rows be tween Ni x and Sutton), some ba d (six interceptions on such at tempts), and a clea r tr us t bu ilt between the two.

Payton sa id this summer that Sutton remind s him of former New Orleans re -

Broncos quar terback Bo Nix o ften looked Cour tland Sutton’s way on third downs last season, and for good reason: Few in the league were be tter at conver ting those passes into firs t downs.

Source: Fo otball Da tabase

ceiver Marques Colston, a seventh-round pick who went on to log si x 1,000 -yard seasons, 9,759 tota l receiv ing ya rd s and 72 touchdow ns over a 10 -yea r ca reer

“Marques wa s maybe a little quieter, but day in and day out, so consistent in thei r perfor ma nc e,” Payt on sa id . “A nd then on ga medays, they were very similar They both played split end, strong ha nd s in tra ffic, really, really good footba ll instinct s. …

“W hen you ge t to know (Sut ton), he doesn’t have too ma ny ba d days. Those guys with the right energy, there’s a lot to be sa id for that because you’re going to hit some toug h times and you’re going to hit some wa lls during the course of any season He’s one of those guys who is pa rt of the solution. Always.”

Sutt on tu rn s 30 in ea rly Oc tober he’l l celebr at e the bi g, round nu mb er while the Broncos are in London preparing to play the New York Jets but ha s show n no signs of slow in g down. Even in 2024 , when he sk ipped the volunt ar y portion of Denver ’s offseason in protest of his contra ct st at us, Sutton showed up to training ca mp in terr ific shape.

This year proved no exception.

“C ou rt la nd ha s been having a real ly go od ca mp,” offen sive co ordi nator Jo e Lombardi sa id recently “He look s to me even better than he did la st ca mp.”

As Ni x ge ts more comfor ta ble and more in command of Payton’s offensive system, it’s possible Sutton won’t be such

a frequent ta rget thou gh the coach will still run a ton of stuff where he’s the pr imar y option.

With tight end Evan En gram signed to be a matchup problem, a reva mped ru nn in g ba ck room re ady to share the load and a series of young receivers all on the rise, Ni x should be throwing to a more ba la nced set of options.

St il l, the 2025 se ason wi ll be a su rpr ise if anybody other than Sutton ends up le ad in g the Br onco s in re ce iv in g ya rd s, ta rget s or catches this fa ll

“I ta ke ever y day as an opport un it y to be able to ch as e gr ea tnes s with in

myself and get 1% better, whether it ’s a footba ll thin g, whether it ’s a life thin g, whet her it ’s re cover y, fil m, pr e- pr actice , po st -pra ct ic e, al l thes e di ff er ent th in gs ,” Sutt on sa id “I fe el li ke if you ge t to a plac e of compla cenc y in your life, whether it ’s career-w ise or personal, then you ge t to a spot where you’re no lo ng er ab le to gr ow. Th er e’s al wa ys (room for) grow th

“I tell the young guys all the time, I’m always tr ying to find different

NEXT LEVE L: EVAN ENGRAM

ELEVATED TA RGET

Engram joined Broncos to achieve loft y goals as Payton’s ‘Joker’

By Luca Ev an s le vans@d enve rpost.com

Ei ght ye ar s in, ever y aspect of Evan Engram’s life is ca librated for this

The Broncos tight end is the first one fa ns see on the grass ever y day at training ca mp He loves the fa ns, but he does it for himself.

Fifteen or so minutes before any other Bronco jogs out from the locker room , the ti ght end goes th roug h his rout ine the stretch before the stretch. Engram bend s deep He hops for a few ya rd s. He dr ives hi s ha nd into the gr ou nd in a blocki ng st ance and smacks a du mmy pa d.

In September, long time trainer Drew Lieb er ma n wi ll move with hi s wi fe to Denver to a house just down the street from Engram, another step in a precise routine. It ’s an ar rangement they ’ve had si nc e En gram entered his second ye ar in Jack sonv ille back in 2023. Lieber man runs a training business ca lled Sideline Hu st le , and wa s tr yi ng to de term ine which of his client s a group that ’s included NF L re ceiver s Moha me d Sa nu and Olam ide Za cc he au s dema nded the most at tention.

En gr am cr aved it . The fir st se as on Lieber ma n rented a proper ty near him in Ja ck sonv il le , En gr am caug ht a care er -b es t 114 pa ss es . Now Lieb er ma n spends ha lf his year s living essent ia lly with En gr am , the two brea ki ng down tape and the tight end’s psyche.

“He’s be comi ng the sensei ,” Lieb erma n sa id, “of this whole (thing).”

When they fir st be ga n work in g together before his la st year with the Giants in 2021, Engram told Lieberman his pr imar y ca reer goal wa s to win a Super Bowl MV P. Lieb er ma n’s re sp on se wa s simple: That ’s BS.

“How is that the judg ment of your career?” Lieber ma n reca lled saying “P ick better goa ls.”

It wa s an arbitrar y trophy, ba sed on fa ctors la rgely out of Engram’s control. So later on in their relationship, as they spent time discussing books like spor ts psychologist Bob Rotella’s “How Champions Thin k,” En gram ca me ba ck with a new procla mation

“He’s like, ‘W hen I really thin k about it , I know if I really get ever ything out of my ta lent , I ca n be one of the best tight ends that ever lived,’ “ Lieber ma n sa id. That one wa s better.

Broncos tight end Evan Engr am works out during tr aining camp at Broncos Park Powered by CommonSpirit in Centennial on July 26

BR ONC OS TIGHT ENDS VS . EVAN ENGR AM

The Broncos tight ends were far from productive during Sean Payton’s firs t two seasons as head coach in Denver. The addition of Evan Engr am through free agency should change that this fall

Evan Engr am (Jacksonville) 9 47 365 1

Broncos tight ends 17 51 483 5 2023 Evan Engr am (Jacksonville) 17 114 963 4 2023 Broncos tight ends 17 39 362 4

Source: Pro-Fo otball-ref erence.com

A fe w ye ar s and a rebi rt h in Ja cksonv ille later, the 30 -yea r- old is still fa r away in that chase. He is, however, one of the best tight ends currently play ing in the NF L.

He si gned with Denver th is off se ason to embed himself in an offense that won’ t put gu ar dr ai ls on hi s 6-fo ot -3 , 240-pound frame.

“I thin k the import ant thing for player s li ke th is,” former Giants ti ght ends

co ac h De re k Do oley sa id , “i s to ge t with in sy st em s that have fle xibi lity to do different things outside of the trad itional NF L way, so to spea k.”

There is no trad itiona l NF L position for the moniker that ’s been bestowed on Engram in Denver: “Joker.”

He ad coach Se an Payt on coined the term over the years. It applies to unconventional ly gift ed receiver s who th rive underneath in his offenses. It doesn’t ex-

actly pop up in meeting rooms. Fans and report er s, En gr am sm iled , “have a lot more fun with it ” than ac tual coaches.

The “A I” definition, as Payton put it , is a ti ght end or ru nn in g ba ck who’s a ra re pa ss-c atcher. This concept ha s long ex isted in the NF L, of course, outside of Payton’s “Joker ” favorites like tight end Jimmy Graham or running back Darren Sproles in New Orleans. A player like Engram, as NFL vet Sa nu ex plained, forces de fenses to choo se whet her to play in ba se or in nickel (extra defensive ba ck) to account for his abilit y to burn a lineba cker in coverage.

“W hen the defense puts an umbrella on the deep ba ll or they ’re clouding to the outside they force you to work inside some ti me s,” offen sive coordi nator Jo e Lombardi sa id in ca mp. “A nd having guys that have the ta lent to get open underneath, but also the feel a lot of those routes are feel routes. A lot of them have options to them.

“S o havi ng guys that have the abilit y to do it and then the feel and the instinct s to do the right things, it ’s huge.” It ’s ea sy to ta ke away a wide receiver in the pa ss ga me in the NF L, Payton explained. It ’s less ea sy to ta ke away a halfback or tight end. With Engram’s arrival, the Broncos now have multiple pieces receiver Ma rv in Mims Jr and runnin g ba ck RJ Ha rvey are ot hers who ca n move across formations and veer in and out of the flat on choice routes

Engram has been particularly focused on developing as a blocker since arriving in Denver a role he’s filled on roughly a third of the snaps in his eight-year NFL career That, too, forces opposing coordinators to adjust If Engram ca n st ay on the field as a run-blocker, defenses ca n’t just ga me -pla n against the pa ss and always shadow him with an ex tra defensive ba ck .

“He st ic ks hi s no se in ther e,” Lomba rd i sa id . “C omplet e ti ght end, and a guy who’s been really show in g up here in ca mp.”

The “Joker ” label is fun. It means little to Engram, though, until he ea rns it

“I just see that as bein g reliable , bein g clut ch, ma ki ng play s … ru n- ga me , it ’s pa ss-game, in the locker room, in the weig ht ro om , ju st doin g my job at the highest level,” Engram said. “With doing that , and the work, the results will come

“A nd then , the fu n we ca n have more fun with it as we go.”

PATIENT HERO

In return from Achilles tear, Broncos’ new RB never wavered

By Luca Ev an s le vans@d enve rpost.com

The most import ant fa ct or in Achi lle s repa ir, renowned su rgeon Dr. Ne al El At trache says, is not the tendon it self. Nor the mu scle s ar ou nd it Nor the material of the sutures.

“T he th in g th at ha s to be the mo st right,” El At trache says, “is the guy. The guy that Achilles is at ta ched to.”

In the span of a few mont hs rehabbing in Los Angeles in 2023, an of t-surly 40 -yea r- old qu ar terbac k be ca me pa ls with a 25 -yea r- old go of ba ll of a ru nning ba ck This is the J.K. Dobbins Effect the sm ilin g ma n who won over Aa ron Rodgers.

The ex-R avens running ba ck ca me to El At trache with a torn Achi lles a couple of years af ter blow ing out ever y lateral liga ment in his knee, and he never wavered. At one point, he hopped off his training table in the midd le of physic al therapy, ra n into a room where Rodgers wa s spea king live on air with ESPN ’s Pat Mc Afee and chir ped at the quar terback to get ba ck to rehab.

El At trache reconstr uc ted Kobe Br yant’s Ac hi lles . He perf or me d Tommy John surger y on Shohei Ohta ni. He gave Tom Brady and Leonardo DiCapr io new knees.

Dobbins, the now-26 -year- old Bronco, will always be one of El At trache’s favorites.

“I ca n’t say enough about him,” El Attrache said “I mean, he’s the kind of guy that I would like to have as a fr iend forever He’s that kind of person.”

The genera l NF L public ca n be forgiven for assuming Dobbins’ ca reer wa s all but over before El At trache repa ired hi s Achi lles. It would’ ve be en two deca de s ago. A torn Ac hi lles sp el le d career death for hordes of produc tive runni ng ba ck s, includ in g LenDale Wh it e, Ja me s Robinson, Bean ie Wells and Aria n Foster

Ac hi ll es re ha bi li ta ti on ha s gr ow n leaps and bounds in recent years, with El At tr ac he at the fore fr ont. He pe rformed the fir st “Spe ed Br id ge” pr oc edu re on former Lo s An gele s Ra ms RB Cam Akers in 2021, br inging Akers ba ck to play just si x months af ter tear ing the tendon St ill, recover y is no guarantee. And yet Dobbins wa s “joy fu l,” as El Attrache remembered, throughout an oth-

AA RO N ONTI VEROZ THE DENVER PO ST

Denvers’s Br andon Jone s tackle s J.K. Dobbins of the Los Angele s Chargers during the firs t quar ter in Denver last October.

BEFORE AND AF TER

Broncos running back J.K. Dobbins was productive in his firs t year back from an Achilles tear with the Los Angele s Chargers last season While he didn’t produce the same burs t on o ff-tackle/outside runs, he was able to do damage be tween the tackle s and provide a reliable threat on passing downs. Here’s a look at Dobbins pre- and post-Achilles surger y:

go before, when he wa s that number one (r unning ba ck) for the Ravens

“But , havi ng sa id th at , hi s perf orma nce wa s still right there.”

El At tr ac he ’s mo de rn ap pr oa ch to Achilles repa ir bega n with Br ya nt ’s rehab in 2013, when he first ex perimented with techniques to help disseminate the amount of tension that went ba ck to the Achilles Athletes have to essentia lly retrain their ga it perfec tly, El At trache expl ai ne d, re bu ildi ng st reng th without putting full weight on the tendon

A de ca de la ter, Dobbin s’ reha b involved lon g st ints on an anti -g ravity trea dmill. El At trache and physic al therapis ts slowly dialed up the amou nt of body weight he wa s wa lk ing on from 40% to 100% of his full ma ss until he ha d a perfec tly sy mmetrica l ga it . Ex ac tly a ye ar af ter that torn Achi lles, Dobbins promptly ex ploded for 266 yards on 27 carr ies in his first two games in Los Angeles.

“My thing is to be a blessing to other people ,” Dobbin s sa id “A nd if they see my stor y, and they ’re like, shoot, maybe they ha d ba d days, maybe they got fired, all right.

“O r, you he ar ab ou t CE Os al l the ti me ,” he cont inue d. “T he y send thousa nd s and thousa nd s of emails, and nobo dy ever an swer s. And then that one clicks. And then they ma de it . So, that ’s all I’m tr ying to do.”

Source: Pro Fo otball Fo cus

er wise miserable ex perience.

When tr ai ni ng ba ck home , Dobbin s sent his surgeon text s of most anything th at wa s happ en in g to hi m. Up date s.

Video clips of him cutting, usua lly with some sort of me ss ag e at ta ched , li ke:

“Can you tell which leg it wa s? ”

“If ever y player I took care of had J.K.’s personalit y,” El Attrache said, “I would be 100% successf ul the rest of my career.”

Dobbins, who si gned with the Broncos in June, br in gs a si gnifica nt injury rap sheet to Denver Af ter a produc tive rookie year with the Baltimore Ravens in 2020, Dobbins blew out his knee the following training ca mp He played ha lf a season in 2022 , with midsea son surger y to remove sc ar tissue. He blew out his

Achilles in the presea son of 2023. Denver tossed him a one-year flier in June, with $2.5 million of incentives for him to return to the player he once wa s.

Th at pl ay er may be gone But the pl ayer who rema in s is a ve tera n who submit ted a fuller body of work in 2024 af ter the Achilles tear Af ter signing a one-year prove-it deal with the Chargers, Dobbins didn’t hit ed ges with as much efficiency, but he wa s virt ua lly the sa me rusher up the midd le in a 905-ya rd season. He also ha d more catches (32) and pa ss-block ing snaps than the rest of his NF L ca reer combined.

“You never wa nt to ex pect they ’re going to be 22 years old again,” El At trache sa id. “You ca n’t turn ba ck the clock and

Dobbin s aver ag ed ju st 3. 8 ya rd s a ca rr y af ter that torr id two- ga me st ar t with the Chargers But he chipped away at Denver for 96 ya rd s on 25 ca rr ies in Oc to be r, an d de fe ns iv e co or di na to r Va nce Joseph sa id Dobbins wa s “one of the best guys we saw.”

“One -on- one , he wa s a toug h ta ck le for us ,” Jo seph sa id . “I’m happy he’s a Bronco.”

Dobbins is Denver ’s pr imar y answer to a ba ck field that slumped la st season. But he doesn’t need to be the Dobbins of old in Denver Rook ie RJ Harvey is there to add off-t ackle burst. Dobbins ca n settle into a role as a between-the-ta ck le s runner and pa ss-protector If the year ca lls for it , though, there’s st il l th re e- down ju ic e le ft in Dobbin s’ legs

“I don’ t se e how you ca n say, goin g into the se ason,” ex-R aven s RBs coach Craig Ver Steeg said, “he can’t be a workhorse anymore.”

ALL COVERED

Free-a gent addition Greenlaw gives Broncos inst ant IL B upgrade

By Luca Ev an s le vans@d enve rpost.com

Big Play Dre wa s born a deca de ago, not from hulk ing muscle but from film st udy. A boy adopted by a defensive coordinator dedicated his life to this Bi g Play Dre wa s born, for one date, on Sept . 13, 2014 , when 17-yea r- old Dre Greenlaw went rogue in Arka nsas Da rryl Patton’s Fayettev ille High School juggernaut wa s locked in a battle with fami liar riva l Jeffer son City As the huddles br oke on one pl ay, Pa tt on’s st ar defensive ba ck wa s supposed to be cover in g Je ff City ’s No 3 re ceiver Except he wa sn’t . Patt on ba rked at hi s as si st ants , bewildered.

He y, guy’s uncovere d! Guy’s uncovered!

On the snap, the quar terback pivoted and fired a hot rout e to hi s se em in gly wide -open ta rget Except Greenlaw shot out of a chamber, and somehow beat the re ceiver to the sp ot Se cond s later, he pulled into the end zone with a pick-six Later, he told his coaches he’d studied Jeff City ’s tape enough to know he could ba it that play.

“You’ll see him sometimes be out of position, but he’ll end up with the ball, by the ba ll,” Patton reca lled. “A nd it ’s one of those things you’re going, ‘Oh, crap, Dre, Dre, no good play, Dre! Great play.’

“It wa s, Big Play Dre.”

Bi g Play Dre wa s NF L-ma de, for another date, on Nov. 11, 2019, when Greenlaw star ted his four th game with the San Fr anci sc o 49 er s. He ’d be gu n the ye ar battling for reps with Kwon Alexander, who’d just si gned a four-yea r deal that offseason

But Alex ander wa s plac ed on IR after the prev ious ga me, and so the rook ie Greenlaw found hi mself in the midd le of a pr imet ime ga me ag ai ns t the division -r iv al Se ah aw ks and pr ompt ly picked off Russell Wilson in over time of an eventual loss.

As Greenlaw tucked the interception and ra n it ba ck 47 ya rd s, fellow 49er s lineba cker Fred Wa rner ma rveled how natura l the kid looked with the ba ll in his ha nds.

“I n that moment ,” Wa rner re ca lled , “it’s li ke , ‘Dan g, th is re al ly is Bi g Play Dre.’”

In Ma rch this offseason, the Broncos

FE WE ST RECEPTIONS OV ER EX PECTED IN COVERAGE , LINEBACK ERS, 2023

His sideline -to-sideline intensit y as a 230-pound ta nk of a ta ck ler drew Payton’s eyes.

Greenlaw bega n his ca reer as a ra ng y sa fe ty play in g on in st inct s. Patt on ha s long be en clos e wi th then -A rk an sa s coach Bret Bielema, and he begged him to recr uit Greenlaw.

Bielema hemmed. Bielema hawed. He didn’t know if Greenlaw was fa st enough or big enough. He didn’t know if Greenlaw wa s a sa fety or a lineba cker

Eventually, Bielema agreed to send defensive co ordi nator Robb Sm it h down to Faye tt ev il le Hi gh one Fr id ay ni ght in Oc tober. Gr eenl aw, Patt on remembere d, ha d th re e pick s. Af ter the Fayet teville win, Smith wa lked off the field with Patton.

“W hy in the hell,” Patton remembered Smith asking, “have we not offered this kid? ”

The defensive-ba ck gene never died , even af ter Greenlaw ar rived at Arka nsa s and conver ted to linebacker. Bielema put stripes on players’ helmet s at practice s at Arka ns as , to se e wher e thei r eyes tracke d. Greenlaw ’s eyes were always in the right place, Bielema remembered. Eventually, he told his defensive coaches to not slow Greenlaw down.

“He’s goin g to se e th in gs and pl ay things at a higher level ea sier than other player s,” Bielem a rememb er ed sayi ng. “L et ’s not ma ke him over thin k.” Greenlaw moved his fa mily to a perma ne nt re side nc e in the Da ll as -For t Worth area , simply because it ’s a ma in hub for offseason training. He ha s two gy ms in that house.

Source: NFL Next Gen St at s

shelled out $11. 5 million guaranteed for that . For Big Play Dre, the ba llhawk IL B.

The only soft spot of a third-ranked Denver defense in 2024 wa s up the midd le, where the Broncos’ linebackers delivered la rgely mediocre ma rk s in coverage, accord ing to Pro Footba ll Focus grades

The 28 -yea r- old Greenlaw, one of the he ar tb eats of a Sa n Fr anci sc o de fense that made two Super Bowls in five years, is an in st ant upgr ade. In 2023, he allowe d the fe we st re ce pt ions over expe ct ed in covera ge of any NF L li neba cker, ac cord in g to NF L’s Ne xt Gen St at s. The Br onco s wa nt ed hi m. And Greenlaw wa nt ed to be wa nt ed , a former fo st er kid who st il l cr aves fe el in g

accepted

His three-year deal in free agency is no sure thing. Greenlaw played all of two ga mes in 2024 af ter a frea k torn Achille s in 2023’s Super Bowl. He ha s be en se t ba ck by qu ad troubles al l th roug h the off se ason and tr ai ni ng ca mp But if he althy, he give s the Broncos a playmaking element at inside linebacker that they haven’t had since the days of Danny Trevatha n.

“T here’s an intensit y to how he plays,” Bronco s he ad coach Se an Payt on sa id in late Ju ly. “A nd it ’s just he’s one of those players that , if you put the film on and didn’t say anyt hing , at some point ea rly you would ask, ‘W ho’s this guy? ’”

Th is of fs ea son, ag en t J. R. Ca rr ol l as ke d Gr ee nl aw if he ’d he lp re vi ew some pr e- dr af t fil m of anot her cl ient , Ole Miss lineba cker Chris Paul Jr. Ca rroll wa s hoping he’d offer feedba ck on a few plays. Greenlaw downloaded Paul’s entire season.

“He enjo ys wa tc hi ng fil m,” Ca rr ol l sa id , “like any ot her person would enjoy watching a sitcom.” Greenlaw “loved” defensive coordinator Va nce Joseph’s scheme in evaluating teams in free agency, Ca rroll sa id. And the safety-tur ned-linebacker’s mind will now make up the central nervous system of Denver ’s defense.

“I don’ t th in k pe ople unders ta nd ,” Wa rner sa id, “how intelligent of a footba ll player Dre is.”

CENTER OF ATTENTION

Wattenberg unhera lded ma n in middle for vaunted O-line

By Pa rker Ga br ie l

pgab ri el@d enve rpost .c om

O ffensive linemen are, almost by default, spotlight-averse.

Most will even say that if they ’re getti ng ta lked ab out to o much du ri ng a ga me we ek or broa dc as t, it ’s probably because something ba d happened.

No ne th el es s, th e Br onc os ha ve a high-profile offensive line group, at least relatively spea king.

Four of thei r five st ar ters are either considered among the best in footba ll at their position or are amon g the ga me’s highest-pa id

On the left side, ta ck le Ga rett Bolles and guard Ben Powers check in at $20. 5 million and $13 million per season, respec tively. Those are both top-10 numbers, and they are ea ch arguably top-10 perfor mers, too. At right guard, Quinn Meiner z is an All-Pro and contender for be st interior offensive linema n in footba ll. He’s No. 5 on the pay li st at $18 mi ll ion per se ason . Ri ght ta ck le Mi ke Mc Glinchey subm it ted maybe the be st overal l ye ar of his ca reer in 2024 , and his $17. 5 million per season ra nk s 10 th at his position

They al l fla nk the le ast-know n, lowes t-pa id , mo st -u nder -t he -r ad ar pl ayer of the group: Center Lu ke Wattenberg.

The four th-yea r player out of Wa shington stepped into the st ar ting lineup la st fa ll to replac e depa rt ed free agent Lloyd Cushenberr y. He not only held his ow n, but he cemented himself as a player head coach Sean Payt on, offensive line coach Za ch Strief and the rest of the offense could rely on

Asked during training ca mp whether his vision for Wattenberg ha d changed over the pa st ye ar, Payt on qu ickly acknowledged it ha d.

“It’s a lot different,” he said “A star ter. As se t st ar ter. Sm ar t. He played re al ly well la st year for us in his fir st year as a st ar ter.”

Watt enberg doesn’t pop up on ma ny list s of the best centers in footba ll. He’s set to ma ke $1.1 million in the final year of his rook ie contra ct .

And yet he turned himself into a reliable st ar ter while helping smooth the road for ro ok ie qu ar terbac k Bo Ni x a ye ar ago. Now, as they he ad into thei r second year as st ar ters together, they ’ve got plenty of reason for confidence.

“It’s a big deal,” Wattenberg said “Just more time together, the more it feels natural. We’ve gotten a lot of those reps to -

SN AP DECISION

With expensive pieces scat tered about their o ffensive line, the Broncos relied on inexperienced center Luke Wattenberg to take the reins in the middle last fall And of the 23 centers in the NFL who played more than 800 snaps in 2024, Wattenberg was among the be st bargains of the bunch. That could be the case again this season. Here’s a look at the lowe st 2025 cap hits for re turning centers who made 800-plus snaps last year :

Source: Spotrac.com

gether, so it ’s st ar ting to feel seam less.”

Watt enberg is qu ic k to say th at , as well as he played la st season, it ma ke s a bi g di fference bein g sa ndwiched between a pa ir of guards like Powers and Meinerz.

He does have the oc ca sional assi gnment of block in g an interior defensive li nema n one -on- one , but the natu re of the position means he of ten either ha s help from the left or right, or he’s ta sked with work ing in ta ndem with one of the guards.

“It goes ba ck to my confidence,” Wattenb er g sa id . “B ei ng ar ou nd the four guys arou nd me br in gs my confidenc e up We play so well together They ’re fanta stic players, and I couldn’t ask to be on a better OL .”

The Br onc os consider ed st re tc hi ng thei r budget af ter the 2023 se ason to keep Cu shenberr y on the rost er Eventually, though, he signed a four-year, $50 million deal with Tennessee. Two rounds of fr ee agency later, he ’s st il l the No 5- pa id cent er in fo otba ll. Pa rt of Denver’s ca lculus in letting ‘C ush’ get away wa s the cautious optimism they ha d in Watt enberg and Alex Fors yt h. Watt enberg won the job during training ca mp la st summer and ha sn’t looked ba ck

The on ly hiccup during his first season st ar ting: An injury Week 5 against La s Ve ga s la nded hi m on inju re d reserve and co st hi m four ga me s. Aside

from that , he put together a stea dy, productive season during which he not only held his ow n but showed he could be an asset in his ow n right.

Now the 2022 fif th-round pick is aiming to ta ke another big step forward.

“I really wa nt to ta ke the next step in the run ga me and running off the ba ll.

(New as si st ant of fe ns iv e li ne co ac h)

Ch ri s Morg an ha s be en helpin g me a lot with that and ta ki ng the next st ep in my ru n ga me Play in g fa st , play in g with my hat and ge tt in g my ba ck side ha nd in have all been a point of emphasis for me , and he’s been helpin g me a lot with that .”

Denver center Luke Wattenberg, le ft, and guard Quinn Meinerz stand ready to face the Las Vegas Raiders de fense at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada on Nov. 24

Anot her qu al it y se ason for Watt enberg would further solidify the Broncos offen sive li ne as one of the be st in the busine ss. It would also set Watt enberg up for a sizable second contract and ca st a question as to whether the Broncos can retain all five star ters he’s the only one not currently under contra ct for 2026 at substa ntia l sa la ries

That ’s all for the future.

“I thin k we just have to keep focusing on the deta ils and ta ke it one st ep at a time,” Wattenberg sa id. “We just have to focus

to get

er at the next day. That will ta ke us to where we wa nt to go.”

BroncosOffense

Quarterback

Bo Nix |10 6-foot-2, 217pounds, 25 yearsold, 2nd season,Oregon

Nix hit afew speed bumps out of the gate in his rookie year,then promptly settled in across the second half of the year as oneofthe NFL’s best quarterbacks with 2,022 yards, 21 touchdowns anda108.0 passer rating across his last eight games. Quarterback developmentin the NFL is rarely linear, but Nix sits in one of the cushiest situations in the league forany youngQB. The Broncos’ ceiling will rise as high as his this year

JarrettStidham |8 6-3, 215, 28, 6th season, Auburn

After helping curate some incredible vibes in the Broncos’ quarterback room last season,Denver brought Stidhamback on atwo-year deal in free agency. His number was only called for14snaps in 2025, buthe’sshown the ability to be acapable fill-in

Running back

J.K. Dobbins |27 5-10, 212, 26, 6th season, Ohio State

The Broncos yanked Dobbins off the freeagent market in June, after his comeback nine-touchdown season withthe division-rival Chargersin2024. He’s never playeda full NFL season,and his health is aconstantquestion mark, but Dobbins has provenhecan beone of themost productiverunning backs in the league when he’sonthe field.

RJ Harvey| 37 5-8,205, 24, rookie,UCF

The Broncos were connectedto several otherbacksinadeep NFLdraftclass. But Harvey wastheir George Paton-dubbed “pet cat” all along. Ashifty runner whoSeanPaytonsees as apass-catchingthreat, Harvey’sbackfieldrole will rest on his ability to masterveteran traits of ball security and pass protection.

AfterSean Payton foundhis quarterback of thefuture in Bo Nix lastyear, the second-year quarterback has amassive benefit in Year 2: Consistency.Sameplay-caller.Same offensive staff,for the mostpart. Same offensive line. ButasNix has settledinto both Payton’s offense andhis role as theface of the franchise,Denver went outand nabbed him some new weapons this offseason.Here’salook at theBroncos’likely two-deep,with maneuverable depth at theskill positions.

Fullback

MichaelBurton |20 6-0, 247, 33, 11thseason, Rutgers Steady Mike. Burton’s playedahandful of snapseach game the past couple seasons in Denver, primarily as a run-blocker.He’sback on aone-year deal formore of thesame.

Runningback

Jaleel McLaughlin |38 5-7, 187, 24,3rd year, YoungstownState

After sneaky-heavyusagehis second year under Payton,McLaughlin’s putonabit moremuscle entering his thirdyear in Denver. If he’s able to capablypick up blitzes in pass-protection, he’ll continuetosee aslice of the pie in acrowded running back room.

Courtland Sutton|14 6-4, 216, 29, 8th season, SMU

With anew four-year extension and massive payday in tow, Denver lifer Sutton will look to build upon his chemistry with Nix after acareer-best 2024that saw him reel in 81 catches for1,081 yardsand eight touchdowns.

Devaughn Vele |81 6-5, 210, 27, 2ndseason, Utah

HopeofaVele second-year breakout was stifled somewhat this offseason by afew absencesthroughout minicamp and training camp. He could still have a massiverole in Denver’s offense, though, after catching 41 balls in just 13 gamesasarookie in 2024.

Marvin Mims Jr.| 19 5-11, 182, 23, 3rdseason, Oklahoma

The Broncos unlocked Mims’ potential as a receiver duringthe back half of last year by … moving him to running back. In 2025, Mims should step in as the Broncos’ starter at the Z, while also flashing on a variety of creativeroutes out of the backfield. He could be in line fora big year

Troy Franklin |11 6-3, 180, 22, 2ndseason, Oregon

Franklin endured arocky rookie year in Denver, catching 28 passes for263 yardswhile struggling to find the chemistry he and Nix displayedatOregon. He’s put togethera monster training camp, though, and could be Nix’sbest option fortaking the top off defenses in 2025

Evan Engram |1 6-3, 240, 30, 9th season, OleMiss Payton searched foran ideal mismatch throughout his first twoyears in Denver, and he finally found one in Engram, a ProBowltight end who signed with Denver on atwo-year deal in free agency. Engram averaged 78 catches ayear across asolid 2022, monster 2023and injury-plagued 2024 with the Jaguars The Broncos would be morethan happywith that output this year

Adam Trautman |82 6-5, 253, 28, 6th season, Dayton Payton’strusty blocker extraordinaireisback. Trautman has playeda keyrole in Denver’soffense fortwo years, and that shouldn’t change even with the arrival of Engram.

Left tackle

GarettBolles |72

6-5, 300, 33, 9th season, Utah

Even as he’sstarting to creep up in age, Bolles put together one of his best NFL seasons in 2024and earned anice extension in December One of the keykeepers of the Broncos’ culture, Bolles is back to protect Nix’sblind side forthe foreseeable future.

MattPeart |79 6-7, 318, 28, 6th season, UConn Peart provedhimself a serviceable depth tackle in 2024and re-upped with Denveratthe start of free agency.He’s demonstrated alittle guardflexibility in camp, too.

Leftguard

Ben Powers |74 6-4, 310, 28,7th season,Oklahoma Powers improved from hisfirstseasoninDenverin2023, butstill alloweda team-high 24 pressures last year He enters akey third season on his four-year deal.

Calvin Throckmorton |76 6-5, 311, 28, 5thseason,Oregon After spending afew seasonssplit between New Orleans, Tennessee and Carolina, Throckmorton landed in Denverand playedall of three snaps last year He offers flexibility at both guard spots.

Center

Luke Wattenberg| 60 6-5, 300, 27,4th season,Washington Wattenberg seized Denver’scenterjob last year and is viewed by Paytonasan“asset starter.”Hewas solid in pass-protection in 2024 and is looking to improve in the run game entering his second year as afulltime starter

AlexForsyth |54 6-4, 312, 26, 3rdseason, Oregon Forsythfilled in across four starts last year with Wattenberg hurt. He produced mixed results: eightpressures and two sacksallowedin169 pass-blocking snaps, according to ProFootball Focus.

Rightguard

Quinn Meinerz| 77 6-3, 320, 26,5th season, WisconsinWhitewater Meinerz continuedto ascend last year after a breakout 2023, officially cementing himself as one of the best offensive linemen in the league and earning afirst-team All-Pro nod.

Nick Gargiulo|66 6-5, 310, 25,2nd season, South Carolina Aseventh-round pick in 2024, Garguilo didn’t playany snaps in his rookie year in Denver. He’sworked himself into consideration forrepsif astarter goesdown.

MikeMcGlinchey| 69 6-8, 315, 30, 8th season, NotreDame Despitemissing ahandful of games to injury last year,McGlinchey turned in amuch better year in 2024than his first season in Denver. He’s akey part of acohesive Broncos offensivefront.

AlexPalczewski |63 6-6, 314, 26,3rd season, Illinois Palczewski impressed coaches last year in a fewspotstarts in place of McGlinchey,asPayton felt therewas little dropoff in play.

WilLutz |3 5-11, 184, 31,10th season, Georgia State The man just keeps on dealin’.Lutz enters another year with Payton after banging in 31 of 34 field goals last year and all 46 of his extra-point attempts. He’sestablished himself as one of the moreconsistent big legs in the NFL, nailing acareer-best five attempts from 50-plus yardslast year

Note

Projected rostersare as of August14

ANOTHER LEVEL?

Broncos CB winnin g another NFL DPOY award? Bailey can see it

The eyes have it . We don’t ta lk about Pat Surt ain II’s vision nearly enough Great cornerba ck s are footba ll’s tawny owls, the biggest of the big-ga me hunters, dogging prey through da rk ness and chaos. PSII spies where a ba ll is headed seconds before it leaves the st ation. Ta lent borrows. Genius stea ls.

And as Champ Ba iley, one of the best corners of all time, reminded me the other day, you ca n’t catch what you don’t see first . So when I asked Champ what Surt ain, the reig ning NF L Defensive Player of the Year, could do for an encore in 2025, Ba iley hit it right on the nose.

Ac tually, right above the nose.

“(PSII) is probably smar ter than he’s been throughout his ca reer,” Ba iley, the NF L’s all-time leader in pa ss brea kups and a Broncos cornerba ck from 2004 -2013, told me by phone ea rlier this month. “But the only way you utilize that is by seeing what ’s going on, seeing the plays develop, the route concept s, and having a better understa nding of your role in the defense.

“… I’m sure (defensive coordinator) Va nce Joseph is thin king about this: How do you put him in position to ma ke plays? The best way to ma ke plays is to allow him to see the ba ll.”

There’s just one problem: The better you are at cornerba ck , the fewer ba lls ac tually come your way. And Surt ain is the best cornerba ck on the planet . He wa s char ted with 60 ta rget s in 2024 That wa s af ter 91 in ’2 3 and 70 in ’22. Unofficially.

“We know this dude competes ever y play, whether the ba ll’s coming at him or not,” Ba iley, the Pro Footba ll Ha ll of Fa mer and analyst with Wa rner Bros Discover y/ TN T, sa id of Surt ain. “A nd it ’s going to come less and less the better he gets.”

The la rger the legend, the smaller the windows. Yet the greats also have the vision and foresight to impa ct the ac tion that ’s ac tively avoiding them In 2005, Ba iley recorded eight interceptions, returning two for scores, and defended 23 pa sses.

The next year, he wa s thrown at just 35 times all season. Ba iley wound up deflecting 21 throws and pick ing off 10

others. His 98 ta ck les, 84 of them solo, ra nked third on a defense that ha d Al Wilson (113 stops) and Ia n Gold (101) at lineba cker.

La st winter, PSII beca me just the seventh cornerba ck to ever ta ke home NF L Defensive Player of the Year honors from the Associated Press. No CB1 ha s ever won the award tw ice.

Ba iley wouldn’t be shocked if Surta in, who turned 25 in April, beca me the first . So long as he follows two sage pieces of advice. 1.) Fight the boredom, kid. 2.) Then get out there and fight for the blan kety-bla nk ta ck le.

“You could (be bored) if you allow it ,” Ba iley sa id “But there are so ma ny aspect s of the ga me that are important.

“L ike ta ck ling, ma king sure you don’t miss ta ck les. You don’t wa nt to ever be that guy that (they say), ‘He’s great, he’s going to shut his guy down, but he’s going to miss a ta ck le.’ You never wa nt to be that guy with chin ks like that .

“A nd (S ur ta in) is not that . He’s big.

He ha s the size. I look forward to seeing him mi x it up a lot more this year.”

Wideouts? Yeah, not so much

PSII is 6-foot-2 with an 80 -foot ga me, a 202-pound cudgel and the wingspan and eyes to erase ha lf a footba ll field. Box girders have more fat on them than Surt ain, who Pro Footba ll Focus scouts char ted with zero missed ta ck les and an 80.5 run defense grade (out of 100) in 2024

“(Pat) ha d such a great year. How do you build on that? I thin k that ’s the focus,” Broncos genera l ma nager George Paton told The Post recently. “He wa nt s to be Defensive Player of the Year again, I’m sure, but he just wa nt s to win. So (that means) helping his teammates get better and prepare. Pat doesn’t say a lot, but he’s a great leader and they follow him. Winning. That ’s how his (2025) gets better.”

PSII is entering the pr ime of his career as the bulwark and apex to one of the fa stest, frenetic , pocket- cr unching, QB -mashing defenses in Broncos history.

Of the eight players who’ ve won multiple NF L DPOY honors, seven did so a second time for a team with a winning record.

When it comes to the post season, legend s ma ke sure to see that train right through to the end.

“You ca n’t ma ke a play on something you don’t see,” Ba iley sa id “T hink about the pick s (Sur ta in) ha d la st year Ever y time he got an interception, he wa s in a position where he could see what wa s coming. I mean, I thin k the pick-6 he ha d against the Ra iders, I don’t even thin k that wa s his guy. He just saw the ba ll coming. And he’s an exceptiona l athlete.

“W hen you ca n anticipate, see what ’s happening, and then reac t the way he does, he’s going to ma ke a signific ant amount of plays. I’m look ing forward to (2025).”

Turns out that kind of vision goes both ways. When it comes to PSII, Ba iley ca n see something else off in the dist ance, just pa st the hor izon: Dominion. Domination. Clea r as day.

STILL STACKING

Broncos All-Pro OL B adds finesse, power to speed-rush

By Luca Ev an s le vans@d enve rpost.com

Nik Bonitto began work ing with pa ssru sh gu ru Javon Gopie in the spri ng of 2020, ju st as COVID shut down the world.

They were in Flor id a, hoppin g from pa rk to pa rk and then ju mpin g fence s in se ar ch of an op en pa tc h of gr as s. They found it at St John XX III Cathol ic Chur ch in Mi ra ma r. It wa s more lo os e ro ck th an anyt hi ng But it wa s something.

Bonitt o wa s he ad in g into hi s th ir d year as an edge rusher at Ok lahoma , and he was eager, but Gopie was baffled as he watched him run through dr ills.

“Bro,” Gopie reca lled thin king , “t his dude does not move full speed. Nothing he does is full speed.”

Bonitto always ha d an innate abilit y to get to quar terbacks. He came to Ok lahoma as a four-sta r gem. But there wa s some im matu rity, as former OU li neba ckers coach Br ia n Odom put it .

Unti l thos e fir st couple of mont hs , when Bonitto flipped a sw itch.

Once a week in Miramar, Gopie would st and four ya rd s aw ay and br in g up a couple of player s at a time from a core group of trainees. Gopie would stick his ha nd out and tw itch his knee, the sign to go. Whoever burst out of their st ance first and slapped his pa lm won the rep. Dallas Turner, a 2024 first-round pick, wa s there. So wa s Shemar Stewar t, the No 17 pick in 2025

Nobody ever beat Bonitto.

“He won ever y si ng le ti me ,” Gopie sa id “Every day, ever y si ng le ti me It wa sn’t even a question.”

Seven ye ar s ago, Bonitt o wa s a re dsh ir t af tert houg ht at Ok la homa who could have be en “jus t anot her fr eshma n,” as Odom sa id. Seven years and a second-tea m All-Pro nod with the Broncos later, those sa me coaches ma rvel at one of the more incre dible ye ar -overyear ascent s they ’ve seen The kid who once weig hed 210 pounds soak in g we t is now a shade under 250. The kid who ha d raw speed is now a whirling blend of power and finesse.

And the ma n who once doubte d his ow n frame ha s adopted a new moniker.

TOP-PR ODUCING NFL OU TSIDE LINEBACK ERS, 2024

“I always joke around I’m, like, the top dog in there,” Bonitto told The Denver Po st in Ju ly. “A nd then I wa s li ke , ‘You know what? Cool na me would be Bloodhound.’

“I kind a ju st ge t on ’em about that ,” Bonitto sa id “Just tr ying to push ever ybody, work the ha rdest in there.”

Could anyone , a few ye ar s ago, have ex pe ct ed th is? Bo ni tt o, th e ha rd es t worker in the room? Bonitto, rounding into one of the great ed ge rushers in the NF L? Bonitt o, the “Blood hou nd ,” ra cking up 13.5 sa ck s at age 24 and hunting for more?

“No,” Odom responded. “Not at all.

“But that ’s what ma ke s this st or y so unique.”

Under the old regi me at Ok la homa and defensive coordinator Alex Gr inch, st a ff sometime s referred to a player as an “a nt i-fati gue guy” some one who strugg led to push throug h the point of fatigue.

Bonitto wa s an anti-fatig ue guy.

One day in thei r fr eshm an ye ar at Ok la ho ma , Bo ni tt o an d te am ma te De la rr in Tu rn er -Yel l we re ru nn in g through cond itioning dr ills A streng th coach told Turner-Yell, he remembered, that they ’d dole out additional pu nishment if they caug ht some one putt in g their ha nd s on their hips.

At one point, Bonitt o put hi s ha nd s on his hips He wa s tired. So Turner-Yell wa lked pa st and slapped Bonitto’s ar ms down

“He wa s the ty pe of guy that ’s li ke , ‘G et me to Saturday, I’ ll ma ke my plays and we’ll go from there,’” reca lled Turner -Yel l, now Bonitt o’s close fr iend and teammate in Denver. “Did n’t even ca re about prac tice during the week .”

Af ter Bonitto redshirted his freshman

year, a new defensive staff came in under Gr inch in 2019 They didn’t know much about Bonitto. They knew he wa s highly recr uited. They ex pected him to fla sh

“T he first , maybe, impression,” Odom sa id, “it wa sn’t good.”

In Bonitto’s first season under the new regi me , Gr inch droppe d hi m into coverage on over a quar ter of his snaps to protec t his body He weighed 225 then, and st a ff felt he la cked the streng th to ma sh for a full ga me against 300-pound linemen.

“T he big thing for him wa s, how long do you fight to st ay sa me as?” Gr inch sa id . “How long do you fig ht to simply be the athlete that runs around people?”

So Bonitt o foug ht to ch an ge Ok lahoma st a ff , sensin g Tu rner -Yel l could pull something from him, assigned the tw o as we ig ht -r oom pa rt ne rs ThenOL Bs co ac h Ja ma r Ca in , no w De nver ’s defensive-line coach, ha d plenty of “t ough conver sations” with Bonitt o, as Gr inch put it . And Bonitt o soug ht out Gopie.

The biggest issue, Gopie sensed, wa s Bonitt o’s confidenc e. Hi s fr ame someti me s held hi m ba ck It al so gave hi m the fle xibi lity to plant and chan ge direction in the tiniest of split-second windows, unimag inable for most behemoths at his position. He needed, as Gopie reflected, to believe what he did worked. Bonitto believed it in that pa rk ing lot ba ck in Flor ida.

“It did ta ke him some time to fig ure out what he did best ,” Gopie sa id “But , ma n, I’ ll tell you once he did, the rest is histor y.”

Some ti me s, the now-25 -yea r- old Bonitto will go ba ck and watch tape of his ea rly days at Ok la homa

“I be lo ok in g at hi m li ke , he’s terr i-

ble ,” Bonitt o sm iled wh ile sitt in g on a bench in July

“But I also like that guy, and I appreciated him,” he continued, a few word s later. “Just because he kinda ha s helped me through my time in the NF L, too.” Bonitto increased his pressures ever y single year he wa s at Ok lahoma , and ha s increa sed his pressures ever y single year as a Bronco, culminating in la st season’s All-Pro leap in Year 3.

En te ri ng a co nt ra ct ye ar, Bo ni tto’s poised to be come one of the hi ghest-pa id pa ss-r ushers in the leag ue The money, though, is shoved to the ba ck of his mind

As more at tention sw ung his way la st ye ar, he st ar te d ge tt in g ch ippe d more frequently by bodies fla shing out of the ba ck field . He says he le ft play s on the field in 2024 , so he spent his off season watching tape of peers li ke the Giants’ Br ia n Burns, the Texa ns’ Will Anderson Jr., and the St eelers’ TJ Watt , st udying how they at ta cked chip -block s. Ever yone from Tu rner -Yel l to defe ns iv e co or di na tor Va nc e Jo se ph to Bronc os ed ge Jonathon Cooper su ggests Bonitto ha sn’t approached his ceiling. His four th season as a Bronco now br ings a confluence of fa ctors. He’s still ex plosive. He’s the he av ie st and st ronge st that Gopie, or EXOS tr ai ner Rich Pr uett , ha s seen him. And he’s lear ning to play chess.

Th is off se ason , a few ye ar s af ter St John’s, brought anot her brea kt hrough: finesse Bonitto and Gopie spent a heap of time dissec ting his successf ul initia l ru shes and then dr il li ng subs eq uent countermoves that look the sa me to an offensive linema n in their approa ch. Set up what lo ok s li ke a sp eed-r ush, then pivot to a different angle.

“I thin k we’ll see a lot of spinning out of him this year, a lot of inside moves,” Gopie sa id “A nd then from there, once he st ar ts to wi n in side it ’s goin g to be ver y spooky Because when somebody li ke him keeps you off ba la nc e, it ’s not gon’ be fa ir.”

Bo ni tt o wa nt s to ke ep “s ta ck in g years,” as he put it A long way, now, from the pa rk ing lot.

“We still haven’t seen the best of Nik Bonitto yet,” Gopie sa id.

JAHDAE BARRON

DR IV EN TO SUCCEED

Ba rron planned for st ardom, from paper route to first-round pick

By Luca Ev an s le vans@d enve rpost.com

When Jahdae Barron was a child, people ma de fu n of his head. It wa s la rge. La rger th an hi s bo dy, it appe ar ed , as mother Technoia Davis remembers.

As Ba rron grew up, people joked he’d gr ow n into hi s he ad , Davi s says He st ands 5-foot-11 now. There’s not much to ma ke fun of anymore. Still, he ta kes it in stride

“He’s li ke , ‘Hey,‘ ” Davi s sa id , “‘ my hear t’s always been big.’”

It swel ls la rges t for hi s mother, the reason he’s here, from Texa s to the Denver Broncos. Davis worked in IT for Dell, sold life in su ra nc e for a few ye ar s and became a nail technician. Somewhere in between, she also ra n a paper rout e in the su mmer s. Arou nd midn ig ht , she’d hop in her Chev y Trailblazer and head to a warehouse to gather stacks of the newest Austin Amer ic an-Statesman.

Davis didn’t ma ke her youn ge st son, Ja hd ae , come But his brot hers ta gged alon g. So, at al l of 4 ye ar s old, Ja hd ae dema nded to hop in

It was a few years later, af ter summers spent chucking St at esma n bund le s out the wi ndow of thei r Tr ai lbla zer, when an eighth-g ra de Ja hdae first blur ted out that his mother wouldn’t have to work one day. Davis thought it wa s a joke Her son wa sn’t smiling.

“I thin k we kinda fed off ea ch other’s energy,” Davis sa id

Fo r th e la st fe w ye ar s, th ey have climbed together Davis ha s sat her children down ever sinc e they were youn g and ha d them sketch out a plan for their live s. She checked in on their goals ever y year Davis held herself to hers, too, opening her ow n suite at a na il sa lon after going through cosmetolog y school

“I don’t know what my life would’ ve been I don’t know if I would’ ve kept the determination or motivation to keep wa nt in g more ,” Davis reflect ed , “had I not ha d him.”

In turn, Barron ha s followed one goal Since his head wa s too big for his body. Si nc e he st ar te d out as a de ep re serve cornerba ck at Texa s. Since the moment he ar rived in Denver this spring.

“It’s my job to take care of her,” he said in his first presser as a Bronco, “for the rest of my life.”

In July, he signed an $18 million firstround ro ok ie NF L de al the ki nd of generational wealth that could allow his

CORNER-ING THE MA RKET

The Broncos added to a strength when they selected cornerback Jahdae Barron in the firs t round of the 2025 NFL dr aft Here’s a look at the production from Denver’s CBs last season:

blitz.

He wa s listed as a nickel on the Bronco s’ in it ia l de pt h ch ar t, and is mo st likely to push McMillia n for his st ar ting job come Week 1. But the beauty in the Ba rron pick: The Te xa s produc t could be ma lleable to any ne ed in the Bronco s se cond ar y for ye ar s to come . He’s taken reps at both outside spots in camp. He’s played in di me He’s bl it zed from the nickel.

Some young defensive ba ck s are best le ft to si mply gr asp one po sition , Payton sa id this offseason. Ba rron isn’t one of them

“He’s one of thos e pl ayer s,” Pay ton sa id, “that ca n ha nd le volume.” Ba rron wa s “playing chess” at Texa s, as he put it in April, darting around with the speed of someone with years of reps. In his first NF L ca mp, he’s catching up on a new ga me.

mother to retire

At 23 years old, Ba rron’s greater purpose is largely fulfilled. But Davis taught him to ga me plan, and he’s now left to ch as e hi s ow n dr ea ms . He wa nt s 10 years as a pro to leave an NF L lega cy.

The path there is an interesting one. Nobody in Ba rron’s ca mp ex pect ed the Bronco s to dr af t hi m la st spri ng. The Br onco s didn’t re al ly ex pe ct to dr af t him, either.

Th e Br on co s al re ad y ha d th re e 25 -yea r- old st ar ter- ca li ber corner s in Pat Surt ain II, Riley Moss and Ja’Qua n McMillia n. But George Paton and Sean Payton didn’t ta ke a first-round cornerba ck to ta ke a fir st-rou nd cornerba ck . They took one because it wa s Ba rron

“T he se are prem ium positions,” Payton sa id the ni ght Denver picked Ba r-

ron, “a nd this ty pe of player is less available than so ma ny ot her position s. It ’s ha rder to find these traits and what he does than at other positions.”

As the NF L ha s evolve d to incr ea sin gl y comple x o ff en si ve sc heme s, defenses now spend a la rge chun k of time in nickel or dime “sub” packages, as Payton sa id. The va lue of a versatile defensive ba ck ha s sk yrocketed.

In 2022 , Texa s pa ssing-ga me coordinator Bren na n Ma rion told Ba rron he needed to lear n how to play ever y spot in the secondar y. Under secondar y coach Terr y Joseph cousin of Denver defensive coordinator Vance Joseph Barron moved ever ywhere over three years as a star ter. He star ted outside. He star ted in the slot . He played in the box. He took reps at sa fe ty and ra n the oc ca sion al

Perh ap s Ba rr on si zz le s as a ro ok ie Perhap s he play s a rotational role Either way, Denver ’s first-round pick wa s as much about the future as it wa s about 2025 a future he’s tr ying to build well down the line.

On April 24 , as the jubilation of Ba rron’s first-round selection slowly settled at his draf t pa rt y in La keway, Texa s, his former hi gh sc ho ol coac h Ja son Ce ci l stopped him for a moment before he left.

“I love you,” Cecil told Ba rron, before offering a wa rning. In years to come, the ja ck-of-ma ny-t ra de s mi ght end up as Denver ’s CB2 next to Su rt ain, the NF L Defensive Player of the Ye ar few quarterbacks are willing to test .

“You’re ab out to ge t ta rget ed a lot,” Cecil told Ba rron, “if they stick you out there at the other corner.”

Ba rron laug he d. You’re ri ght, he responded.

“He knows,” Cecil reflected.

MONEY BA LL

Key extension decisions loom, with Franklin-Myers, Roach near top of the list

By Luca Ev an s le vans@d enve rpost.com

Denver ’s Employee No. 97, as Malcolm Roach likes to ca ll himself, ha s no current plans to ma rch into his bosses’ office and dema nd a ra ise. Even as much as he might wa nt one.

He knows, better than most , that this is a cold business. He went undraf ted in 2020 out of Texa s, somehow played himself into a roster spot in a season without any presea son ga mes and wa s left “so upset” when New Orleans opted not to re -sig n him in 2024

A ye ar la te r, he ’s th e se lf-dub be d “Six th Ma n of the Year ” for a domina nt Broncos defensive line. But he could find himself in the same position five months fr om now. Ther e are ma ny mout hs to feed in his position room all chomping for ex tensions.

D. J. Jones got his la st March. Zach Allen’s ca me in August . Now, Roach needs one. And so does John Fran klin-Myers They all have come to an implicit understanding, though: They will get paid, if they ke ep the st anda rd the sa me as la st fa ll. Maybe in Denver. Maybe somewhere el se. The where isn’ t import ant right now.

“We don’ t re al ly th in k ab out it that much,” Roach said at the star t of August. “At the end goal, we th in k about st oppi ng th is ru n and ge tt in g to the quarterback.

“A nd we do that at a high level we all have a lot of money.”

It ’s la rgely impo ssible for th is Broncos interior defensive line to ma ke anot her ma ssive ju mp af ter a season collapsing pockets and lead ing the NF L in sa ck s la st season.

Za ch Allen ha d a ca reer year in 2024 , making second-team All-Pro and joining J. J. Watt , T. J. Watt , Nick Bosa and Aaron Dona ld as the only players to record 40 quar terback hits in a ye ar si nc e 20 06 Jones played well enough at nose ta ck le to ea rn himself a hear ty three-year extension. Roach cont inue d to do “Six th Ma n” things. And af ter coming over in a trade with the Jets, Franklin-Myers wa s “t he la st piec e of the pu zz le ,” as Jone s sa id during ca mp.

The question, now, is how the Bronco s preser ve thei r domi na nc e in ye ar s to come. Not a day af ter Roach’s “lot of

mone y” comments, Denver shel led out $102 mi llion over four ye ar s to ex tend Al len. The payd ay recogn ized Al len as one of the best interior defensive pieces in the le ag ue It al so mi ght have constricted the pot for ever yone else.

Come 2026, Al len’s cap nu mber wi ll ba lloon to $28.6 million, the highest figure on the Broncos’ current roster. Denver is also work ing towa rd an ex tension with ed ge rusher Nik Bonitto that could ex tend to the range of $25 million to $30 mi llion a ye ar And fr anch ise quar terba ck Bo Ni x will become ex tension- eligible before the 2027 season.

Ro ac h and Fr an kl in-Myers , for the moment , may find them selves on the outside look ing in

“I wa s in th at po sition in Ar iz on a where it ’s li ke , you know what , you’re going to get it one way or another, and at the end of the day it ’s just about performin g,” Allen sa id when asked about Fran klin-Myers and Roach wa it in g for de al s. “T he y’re awes ome pe ople , awesome guys , and I’m ju st re al ly bles se d

to play with them . I ro ot for the be st for them.”

Roach, for one, ha s la rgely shrugged off the money: He’ll be happy, he told reporters during ca mp, whether the Broncos re -sig n him or not. Fran klin-Myers, though, ha s been voca l on social media all offseason about his desire for a new de al, de spit e not creating much ac tual fuss at ca mp

“Und er ap pr ec ia te d & Un de rp ai d, but nu mb er s won’ t lie!” Fr an kl in-Myers tweeted in late July, quoting a tweet of his st at s. “I’d be t my mone y too if I were you!”

To Franklin-Myers’ point, the vetera n ha s ra cked up 50 -plus pressures for five stra ight NF L seasons, accord ing to Pro Footba ll Focus’s metr ic s. But Bonitto is higher on Denver ’s list of ex tension pr ior ities. Af ter the Patr iots gave $26 million a ye ar to former Ea gles de fensive ta ck le Milton Willia ms, Franklin-Myers could reasonably ask for upwards of $20 mi llion a year. The Broncos, especial ly af ter ta king rook ie Sa i’vion Jones in the

third round in April, may not be willing to spend that capita l.

But they may need hi m, too, to st ay at their current ba r. Af ter Fran klin-Myers left the Jets la st season, New York ’s Qu in ne n Wi ll ia ms dr oppe d fr om 70 pres su re s in 2023 to 54 in 2024 Af ter Fr an kl in-Myer s ar rive d in Denver, Allen ju mped from 60 pressu re s in 2023 to 81 in 2024

“He’s ver y import ant for us because of who Za ch is, right … to have two inside rushers does ba la nce out things for us,” Joseph sa id of Fran klin-Myers. “So, someone’s getting a one- on-one. It ’s just math, right?

“If he gets it , he wins it . If Za ch gets it , he wins So, for offenses, it ’s got to be a choice ea ch week: Who gets the double -tea m, who gets a single?”

Franklin-Myers, then, is a natural ceiling-raiser So is Roach, as a ready-made rotational substitute for Jones and others.

But the Broncos, soon, will be forced to we ig h th e he ig ht of th at ce il in g against severa l tens of millions.

MATCH ’EM

What’s in a ni ckname?

BY LUCA EVANS, THE DENVER POST

From Terrance “Pot Roast” Knighton to Peyton “The Sheriff” Manning, a slew of Broncos have procured some of the best nicknames in football history As Denver heads into 2025, can you match the current Bronco with nicknames they’ve earned over their NFL careers?

Nicknames

A. Cadillac

B. Caption King

C. PSII

D. El Toro

E. Sixth Man

F. The Bloodhound

G. The Cleaner

H. Fake Canadian

I. The Belly

J. Mr. Unstoppable

Answer key

9-H: onSinglet dyepla a wfe sarye in the LCF erfta going edftaundr out of anaMont e.atSt His esatammte in Canada dlleca him eth eak“F ”Canadian. 10- C: Duh.

nMa fo the arYe rwinne uLo lliamsWi rfo his ability to emak an tpacim in a eservre le.ro

6-I: arSt dguar Meinerz let his omachst hang out at okiero ampminic in 2021 and hasn’t edliv it wndo e.sinc

J:5- sey’Harv usinco is none herot than -ndgele yar rxebo yRo Jones .,Jr swho’ passing his now enicknam wn.do

4,202 Jets running back eeecBr Hall dlleca him the tion“Cap ”King.

A:7- This is Oklahoma eammatte Jaden wles’Kno nickname rfo Mims, ausebec of who thlysmoo he runs. 8-E: A -dubbedself nickname rfo the es-ervffe ntce ach,Ro nketa omfr ANB meee-tithr xthSi

4-B: erftA seranklin-MyFr eonc edeettw e“Liv my elif elik a nail ch,te no erttma what epke -esspr ing on” while a member of the wNe rkYo Jets in

3- G: tNo just “The .”erJok nrateVe tight end -En amgr ldto osoncBr serportre he eslik to llca himself a “cleaner” ead,inst due to his y.encnsistco

2-D: Dobbins sha been rkingwo on his Spanish rfo s,arye and is omfr s,xaTe land of the bulls.

:1-F toBonit edartst llingca himself a bloodhound last ,erwint and his sneraitr in onaAriz veha run with it erev e.sinc

GABRIEL,

Broncos Defense

TheBroncos defenseenters 2025 carr ying the expectationthatitwill be amongthe best in theNFL and perhaps Denver ’s best sincethe No Fly Zone. Theteam returns nearly ever yregular from ayear ago, added impactfreeagentsininside linebacker Dre Greenlaw and safetyTalanoa Hufanga,and spent its first-round draftpick on cornerback JahdaeBarron.Ithas the reigning defensive player of the year in cornerback PatSurtainIIand anewly minted$100 millionman in defensive end Zach Allen. This group is stacked. And if it stayshealthy, it should be aproblem.

Defensiveend

Zach Allen |99 6-foot-5, 285 pounds, 27 yearsold, 7thseason, BostonCollege Allenled all DTswith 67 pressures and 40 quarterback hits in amonstrous, 8.5-sack2024. Thenhelanded a$102 million extension this summer.He’sprimed to ascend to star status and says he’sgot plenty of room to improve.

Nose tackle

D.J. Jones |93 6-0,305, 30, 9thseason,Ole Miss

The Broncos kept Jones from hitting free agency withathree-year deal in March. He’sstout againstthe run and in many waysthe soul of Denver’sdefensivefront.

Malcolm Roach |97 6-3, 290, 27, 6th season, Texas If Jones is the soul, Roach is thevoice.He talksand talksand talks somemore,and all the while plays the run with aplomb.He’sthe kind of playerwho lights up a locker room.

Defensiveend

John Franklin-Myers|98 6-4, 288, 28,8th season, Stephen F. Austin Franklin-Myersisentering the last year of his contract and should be motivated to land abig deal —fromDenveror someone else. Consistent, disruptiveand underappreciated,JFM is the straw that stirsthe DL’s pass-rush drink.

Sai’vion Jones |95 6-5, 289, 22,rookie, LSU

The third-round pick could well be Franklin-Myers’ long-term replacement. In the meantime,though, he’s gotachancetoearn reps onareally deep line. Jones’ motorwill endear him to fans quickly.

Nik Bonitto |15 6-3, 240, 25, 4thseason, Oklahoma Bonitto leaptintothe national conversation with 13.5 sacksand a series of game-changing plays last year.Now he’ll try to showhe’sone of the game’s eliterushers and build off his all-world first-step quickness.

DondreaTillman |92 6-4, 247, 27,2nd season, Indiana (Pa.) Tillman made the roster last year,produced and appearstohaveonly continuedimproving. He’sgot achancetobe areal impactplayerafter an impressivetraining camp.

Inside LB

AlexSingleton| 49

6-2,240,31, 7thseason, Montana State Singleton had never been hurt in his career before atorn ACLin2024and thenabrokenthumb in training camp. If he’s healthy, he’ll call the defense andbeatackling machine. Entering the final year of his contract, he has no remaining guaranteed money

DreGreenlaw |57 6-0, 230, 28,7th season, Arkansas If healthy, he’s the kind of sideline-to-sideline playerthe Broncos haven’t had in years. He cancover, and he arrives at the ball with abandon. Dealt with an offseason quad injury thatisworth monitoring as the regular season arrives.

Levelle Bailey| 56

6-2,225,24, 2nd season, Fresno State Asecond-year breakout candidate, though the Broncos arehoping he plays behind Singleton and Greenlawand excels on special teams.

Jonathon Cooper |0 6-4, 257, 27,5th season, OhioState Secured afour-year extension midway through the 2024season and is one of the foremost leadersofthis group. Cooper finished last fall with acareer-best 10.5 sacksand nowhas 19 combined in the past two seasons.

JonahElliss |52 6-4, 246, 22, 2nd season, Utah Apromising young player who dealt with ashoulder injury this offseason but lookshealthynow and is capable of both rushing the passer and defending the run.

Cornerback

PatSurtain II |2 6-2, 202, 25, 5th season, Alabama

The reigning NFLdefensiveplayerofthe year, amultiple-time All-Pro and one of thefinest cornerbacksinclub history already,Surtain thinkshecan be even betterthis season. He’s the rare 25-year-old who is already on aHall of Fame track.

Kris Abrams-Draine |31 5-11, 178,23, 2nd season, Missouri

Abit under-the-radar,but the 2024 fifth-rounder rose to the occasion when called upon down the stretch as arookie. Thearrow is pointing up here

Safety

TalanoaHufanga |9 6-0,200, 25, |5th season, USC

The2022 All-Pro has dealt with injuries recently,but he canplay aleading role in this group’sfortunesifhe’s healthy. Headcoach SeanPaytoncalls him “a firstresponder”for a reason

P.J. Locke|6 5-10, 202, 28, 6th season, Texas Lockeplayedthrough abrokenthumband then hada spinal fusion operation duringthe offseason. He says he feelsgood now,but he’s probably arole playerthis fall.

Safety

Brandon Jones |22 6-0, 191, 27,6th season,Texas

A2024freeagent addition, Jones stepped intoafull-time role and thrived in Joseph’s defense.Playingnextto Hufanga should makean exciting pairing.

DevonKey |26 6-0, 208, 27, 3rdseason, Western Kentucky

The most likely in a group of several contenderstoend up as the No.4 safety because of his prior experience, and also his quality special teamswork.

Cornerback

RileyMoss |21 6-0, 193, 25, 3rdseason, Iowa

Moss turned in areally good first year as afulltime starter last fall and has spent training camp making lifedifficult on just about everybody who lines up across from him.

Ja’Quan McMillian| 29 5-10, 183,25, 4thseason, East Carolina

The 2022 undrafted free agent has turned himself intoone of the better nickels in football. And even still, he’ll have to hold off afirst-round pick to keep his job.

Jahdae Barron |12 5-11, 200, 23,rookie, Texas

The Broncos love his versatility,tackling ability and high-level intelligence. Where will Barron play? Who will he supplant? VanceJoseph’s gotoptions here.

Mitchell Fraboni |48 6-2, 223, 28,4th season, Arizona State Aconsistent performer who’sdeveloped asubstantial trackrecordand got$1.7million guaranteed on athree-year deal this spring.

JeremyCrawshaw|16 6-3, 205, 24,rookie, Florida

The Broncos wanted an upgrade over RileyDixon and believethey’vefound it in the rookie, who can send the ball intoorbit but needs to be more consistent.

Note

Projected rostersare as of August14

2025 NFL SCHEDULE

To p2 0g am es to wa tc h

BY MATT SCHUBERT, THE DENVER POST

Hereare 20 games to watchonthe 2025 NFL slate, from Aaron Rodgers’triumphant returntothe Meadowlands to another potential Russ Bowl at EmpowerField at Mile High.

WEEK 1

Pittsburgh at NewYorkJets

11 a.m. Sunday, Sept.7,KCNC-4

Tempting as it is to go with the Chiefsand Chargers slipping and sliding all overthe Brazilianturf onFriday, Sept.5,inSao Paulo,wecan’t resist QB Aaron Rodgers’ return to the Meadowlands foramatchupagainst former Steelersquarterback Justin Fields.

BaltimoreatBuffalo

6:20 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 7, KUSA-9

Bills quarterback Josh Allen andRavens counterpart Lamar Jackson split the NFL’s MVPawardslast fall, marking thefirsttime that’shappened in 21 years. The winner here gets an earlyleg up —inboththe MVP race and the race forthe AFC’stop seed

WEEK 2

Philadelphia at Kansas City 2:25 p.m. Sunday,Sept. 14,KDVR-31

Did the Eagles put an end to the Chiefs’ dynasty with last February’s40-22 beatdown in SuperBowlLIX? This game could provide an earlyclue as to howsturdy quarterback Patrick Mahomes’squad truly is after five SuperBowltrips in six seasons.

Las VegasatLos Angeles Chargers

8p.m.Monday, Sept. 15,ESPN

There’snobettercoaching rivalry in football than Pete Carroll vs.Jim Harbaugh. It began in the Pac-12 with USC vs.Stanford, movedtothe NFCWestwith Seattle vs.San Francisco, and nowitcomestothe AFCWest. So, of course, the NFLburies it at 8p.m. on aMonday.

WEEK 3

Houston at Jacksonville

11 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 21, KCNC-4

A relatively tepid Week 3 slate is saved by the presence of CU Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter, who could spend half his day trying to shake free of All-Pro cornerback Derek Stingley Jr and the other half locking down Pro Bowl receiver Nico Collins

WEEK 4

Cincinnati at Denver

6:15 p.m. Monday, Sept.29, KMGH-7

If this is anything likelastDecember’s instantclassic at Paycor Stadium —anovertime thrillerthatincluded aBoNix-to-MarvinMimsJr. heaveatthe endofregulation and walk-off TD passfromJoe BurrowtoTee Higgins— thenwe’re in foratreat

WEEK 5

SanFranciscoatLos Angeles Rams

6:15 p.m. Thursday,Oct.2,AmazonPrime Plaguedbyinjuries, Kyle Shanahan’s49erswentfrom SuperBowlLIV to adisappointing6-11campaign in 2024. After an exodusoftalent in free agency,their hopes of returning to contention with ahealthyChris-

tian McCaffrey may very well hinge on this divisional matchup

WEEK 6

Chicago at Washington

6:15 p.m. Monday, Oct. 13,KMGH-7

The toptwo picksinthe 2024 draft meetagain, with Chicago QB Caleb Williams looking to avenge last year’sHail Mary heartbreaker. Jayden Daniels-to-Noah Brownignited a10-game Bearslosing streak that led to the end of the MattEberflus era in Chicago.

WEEK 7

NewYork GiantsatDenver

2p.m. Sunday,Oct.19, KCNC-4

An early-season Russell Wilson injury denied Broncos fans atrue Russ Bowl when the Steelerscamecalling last fall. But goodthings come to thosewho wait unless first-round pickJaxson Dart has already taken Wilson’sjob at this point.

WEEK 8

Green BayatPittsburgh

6:20 p.m.Sunday, Oct. 26, KUSA-9

If only this were at Lambeau Field. Alas,wemust settle forAaron Rodgersfacing hisformer team —the one he quarterbacked to 11 playoffbidsand aSuper Bowl title, notthe one currently digging itself outfromhis disastrous two-year tenure—in theSteel City

WEEK 9

Kansas City at Buffalo

2:25 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 2, KCNC-4 Sign us up forany meeting between PatrickMahomes andJosh Allen. Mahomes holds thehead-to-head edge at 5-4 after winning January’sAFC title game, but Allen has wonfourstraight regular-season meetings. Addadash of snowand this is must-see TV

WEEK 10

Atlantavs. Indianapolis

7:30 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 9, NFL Falcons QB Michael Penix Jr.made hisbones inthe Crossroads of America, buthis firstgame againstan Indiana team will be in …Germany? The 2024firstround pick showedflashes at the end of last season Take another step, and Atlantawill contend in awinnable NFCSouth.

WEEK 11

Detroit at Philadelphia

6:20 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 16, KUSA-9

Washington’splayoffupset of Detroit robbedusof what could’vebeen an epicNFC title game between the Lions and Eagles. Will Dan Campbell’sclub remain explosivewith former offensivecoordinator Ben Johnson off to Chicago?Amatchup against Philly’sD should reveal plenty

WEEK 12

TampaBay at LosAngeles Rams

6:20 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 23,KUSA-9

Sean McVayand the Rams resurrectedBaker Mayfield’scareer with abriefcup of coffeeatthe endof the 2022 season. They’ll meet forthe first time since, with the Heisman Trophy-winning QB nowthe leader of aBucsfranchise that’swon the NFCSouth four yearsinarow

WEEK 13

Minnesota at Seattle

2p.m.Sunday,Nov.30, KDVR-31

QBSam Darnold ledMinnesota to 14 wins and aplayoff berth, thenthe Vikings said “thanks, but no thanks” to offering him another contractwith 2024 first-round pickJ.J. McCarthywaiting in the wings.Here’sguessing Darnold’s had this one circled forawhile

WEEK 14

Tennessee at Cleveland 11 a.m.Sunday, Dec. 7, KDVR-31

Considerthis abet that Shedeur Sanderswill be taking snaps forthe Browns …and ready to provehis father and CU Buffs head coach DeionSandersright by taking down No. 1overall pick Cam Ward in abattle of Class of 2025 quarterbacks.

WEEK 15

Miami at Pittsburgh

6:15 p.m.Monday, Dec.15, ESPN

HeadcoachMikeTomlinhasn’thad alosing record oncein18seasonsinPittsburgh. Aurora native Mike McDanielhas woneight games or more in eachofhis three seasons as head coach in Miami. Both mayneed abig year to hold on to theirjobs.

WEEK 16

Green BayatChicago

TBDSaturday, Dec.20, KDVR-31

The bestrivalry in footballisalso among themost one-sided, with the Packersholding a26-5 edgeinthe series since2010. If formerLionsOCBen Johnson is going to win over the Midwayasthe Bears’ newhead coach, he must start beatingthe Pack first

WEEK 17

Dallas at Washington

11 a.m.Thursday,Dec.25, Netflix

The league’sholidaygift to football fans?Three spectacular divisionalmatchups on Christmas Day… that will all be broadcastoneither Netflix or Amazon Prime. Because nothing says happyholidays quitelikemaking fans payfor twodifferent streaming services

WEEK 18

Indianapolis at Houston

TBD Jan. 6or7,TBD

The AFCSouth is the early front-runner forthe weakestdivision in the NFL. It stands to reason that one of the twogames involving teams from that division will decide aplayoffspotonthe final weekendofthe season. Here’s guessingit’sthisone.

AFC West prev iew» Ca n Ni x, Broncos end Ch iefs’ divi sion domi nation?

1. Kansas City Chiefs

BetMGM says: Win Super Bowl, 8-1; Over-under win total, 11.5

Strengths: The Chie fs have Patrick Mahome s and, after seven years, the 31 other teams still do not. The o ffense and the pass rush took steps back last season, and the team still went 15-2 and made the Super Bowl Now Mahome s ge ts two key wide receivers back from injury, plus potentially two upgr ades along the o ffensive line.

Weaknesses: Father Time remains unde feated, but it’s still probably too early for him to declare victor y agains t the Chie fs’ dynas ty That said, Kans as City needs an infusion of impact from younger players on the de fense and to do a be tter job of protecting Mahome s, even if he remains a magician when plays break down

2. Denver Broncos

BetMGM says: Win Super Bowl, 25-1; Over-under win total, 9.5

Strengths: This de fense was already formidable, and it could be even be tter with the additions of safe ty Talanoa Hufanga, linebacker Dre Greenlaw and firs t-round CB Jahdae Barron Bo Nix exceeded a lot of people’s expectations as a rookie, and now he’s got a shiny new tight end (Evan Engr am) to throw to and a revamped running back depth char t. Weaknesses: There are very real expectations for Nix in Year 2. The new running backs have had injury is sues or are young and unproven A breakout year from a young wide receiver might be needed for this o ffense to really take o ff OK , we’re picking nits It’s time to win big again in Denver maybe?

3. Los Angeles Chargers

BetMGM says: Win Super Bowl, 28-1; Over-under win total, 9.5

Strengths: Quar terback Justin Herbert is in Year 3 or 4 of, “Is this the year ?” but the tools are all there and he finally has some continuity with the o ffensive coaching staff The de fense was the stingies t in the league to score on last year.

Weaknesses: Losing OT Rashawn Slater for the season to injury is a huge blow Is Herber t even the be st Oregon alum at his position in the division? Mike Williams was going to help him out, but he decided to re tire so the wide receivers are going to be young. The running backs are firs tround pick Omarion Hampton and 2021 firs t-rounder Najee Harris, who might like running behind this line be tter but he had mixed re sults in Pittsburgh

4. Las Vegas Raiders

BetMGM says: Win Super Bowl, 100-1; Over-under win total, 7.5

Strengths: Going from Josh McDaniels and Antonio Pierce to Pe te Carroll at head coach should be a big upgr ade. Ashton Jeanty is the most exciting rookie running back since Saquon Barkley, at leas t? Tight end Brock Bowers and edge rusher Maxx Crosby are fr anchise players.

Weaknesses: Hired a coach who helped a past team to the Super Bowl, like the rest of the AFC West? Check. Found a young franchise quar terback to build around? Eh, not so much Geno Smith is better than what the Raiders have had recently, but he might be four th best in this division. And then there is the Christian Wilkins situation, which cer tainly doesn’t help a team already facing a talent deficit compared to its rivals

AFC Ea st prev iew» Is it

lly ti me for Al len, Bi ll s to reach Super Bowl?

1. Buffalo Bills

BetMGM says: Win Super Bowl, 7-1; Over-under win total, 11.5

Strengths: Quar terback Josh Allen is the reigning MVP, and his pass-catching options might be a tick be tter this year with wide receiver Josh Palmer added and another year of development for Keon Coleman and tight end Dalton Kincaid. The 1-2 rushing punch of running back Jame s Cook and Allen might be the be st in the AFC outside of Baltimore.

Weaknesses: The team in Kans as City is still a member of the AFC. Beyond that, after one aging star (Von Miller) didn’t provide much juice for the pass rush, the Bills are going to tr y another (Joey Bosa). They have other strong options up front, but the back seven can be vulner able at time s. Maybe ye t another aging star (CB Tre’Davious White) can have a throwback year in his re turn.

2. Miami Dolphins

BetMGM says: Win Super Bowl, 80-1; Over-under win total, 8.5

Strengths: The Dolphins have an impact ful collection of skill position guys and Aurora native Mike McDaniel’s o ffense hums when quar terback Tua Tagovailoa is healthy. The name s on the outside, particularly with the addition of rookie de fensive lineman Kenneth Gr ant inside, should produce more pres sure and sacks for this de fense.

Weaknesses: The phrase “when Tagovailoa is healthy” is doing a lot of work The backup QB is either going to be former Bronco Zach Wilson or seventh-round pick Quinn Ewers out of Texas. Miami added future Hall of Fame safe ty Minkah Fitzpatrick, but subtracted future HOF cornerback Jalen Ramsey from a position that already looked thin behind him.

3. New England Patriots

BetMGM says: Win Super Bowl, 80-1; Over-under win total, 8.5

Strengths: The Patriots were one of the big spenders this o ff season, so there are de finitely more qualit y NFL players on the roster New England made a splashy addition at each level of the de fense. There are other non- contending teams that would tr ade their quar terback for Dr ake Maye ye sterday, and some that would like Mike Vr abel to coach for them as well.

Weaknesses: These guys might be a trendy pick to be much improved, but they had a lot of turnover this o ff season That doesn’t always work immediately. Also, the o ffense was terrible last year and the top o ff season additions are a rookie o ffensive tackle and an aging wide receiver (Ste fon Diggs) who tore an ACL in October.

4 New York Jets

BetMGM says: Win Super Bowl, 200-1; Over-under win total, 6.5

Strengths: Cornerback Sauce Gardner and receiver Garret t Wilson are fr anchise building blocks A couple of the club’s other recent high firs t-round picks could be as well And the front o ffice doesn’t have to worr y about what Aaron Rodgers says on The Pat McAfee Show anymore?

Weaknesses: Just about ever ything else, unle ss quar terback Justin Fields can prove he’s ready to take a big leap forward as Rodgers’ replacement. Expect there to be a lot of Arch Manning chat ter in the Big Apple this football season, because both New York teams could be in the running for the top pick CO RE Y MA

AFC Nort h prev iew» Rodgers is here, but wi ll Ravens st il l ru

1. Baltimore Ravens

BetMGM says: Win Super Bowl, 7-1; Over-under win total, 11.5

Strengths: The Ravens, synonymous with strong de fense for, well, the entire 21st centur y, produced the No 1 o ffense in the league last season Postseason wobble s aside, Lamar Jackson is one of the three be st quar terbacks in the spor t, the o ffensive line is great and Derrick Henr y laughed at your aging curves all the way to more than 1,900 yards rushing last year

Weaknesses: Baltimore gave up a lot of passing yards, partly because teams were de sper ate to keep pace on the scoreboard The Ravens made a couple of additions, including firs t-round pick Malaki Starks, in the secondar y. Maybe tight end Mark Andrews won’t be able to fully recover from his gaffes in a stunning playo ff loss to Buff alo. Maybe Jackson will continue to put on his Clark Kent glas se s in the postseason Otherwise, good luck

2. Cincinnati Bengals

BetMGM says: Win Super Bowl, 20-1; Over-under win total, 9.5

Strengths: Saying that Joe Burrow might “only” be the four th-bes t quarterback in the world behind Patrick Mahome s, Josh Allen and Jackson is like tr ying to pick out the wors t Golden Girl or Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle He’s amazing, and he’ll continue to have one of the be st 1-2 punche s at wideout after Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins both signed huge ex tensions this o ff season

Weaknesses: Saying the Bengals had one of the wors t de fenses in the league last year would be like well, just reciting some statis tics. It’s also been a rock y o ff season with public contract disputes involving their be st de fensive player, Trey Hendrickson, and firs t-round pick Shemar Stewar t. Al Golden made Notre Dame’s de fense mighty Now he’s being tasked with helping the Bengals ge t back to re spec table.

3. Pittsburgh Steelers

BetMGM says: Win Super Bowl, 40-1; Over-under win total, 8.5

Strengths: The Steelers have three future Hall of Fame members on defense, though safe ty Minkah Fitzpatrick was swapped out for cornerback Jalen Ramsey, who joins T.J. Watt and Cam Heyward. They have a new high-end No 1 wide receiver, a strong tight end room and an exciting rookie running back.

Weaknesses: And they have Aaron Rodgers at quar terback. Is the o ffensive line going to be be tter ? Maybe. Is Ramsey’s positional value an upgr ade over Fitzpatrick ? Maybe. But ever ything is focused on Rodgers just the way he like s it So, is this going to be another year in the mushy middle of the NFL for Mike Tomlin’s Steelers? Probably

4. Cleveland Browns

BetMGM says: Win Super Bowl, 300-1; Over-under win total, 4.5

Strengths: Edge rusher Myle s Garret t tried to leave, but the Browns convinced him to stay with a he ft y ex tension. Add in top-five pick Mason Gr aham, and Cleveland could be great up front, and pret ty salt y in gener al on de fense.

Weaknesses: The old saying goes, “If you have two quar terbacks, then you have none.” So, what does that mean for the Browns? CU Buff s product Shedeur Sanders could star t. Or Dillon Gabriel. Kenny Picket t and Joe Flacco are in camp as well De shaun Watson has a torn Achilles Maybe Kelly Holcomb or DeShone Kizer will take snaps at some point this season.

CO RE Y MA SISA K, THE DENV ER PO ST

1. Houston Texans

BetMGM says: Win Super Bowl, 35-1; Over-under win total, 9.5

Strengths: Quar terback C.J. Stroud’s sophomore season might be a warning to certain blue -and-orange- clad fans Stroud had a nice second year, but didn’t challenge the elite tier at the position and his Texans had a relatively ho -hum season, finishing with the same record and another divisional round loss. He’s still very good, and the pass catchers should be improved with newcomers Christian Kirk, Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel on board.

Weaknesses: The o ffensive line was quite bad last year and could have five new star ters. Have the Texans not been paying at tention to the is sues with tr ying to build a line through the tr ansfer portal?

2. Jacksonville Jaguars

BetMGM says: Win Super Bowl, 80-1; Over-under win total, 7.5

Strengths: New head coach Liam Coen’s tr ack record has made him one of the brightes t young coache s in the spor t, and now he’s got his own team It’s time for quar terback Trevor Lawrence to fulfill his potential. He’s got a couple of young, exciting weapons, including some new guy named Tr avis Hunter.

Weaknesses: The confidence level that Jacksonville will ge t the most out of Hunter might not be universally high, but the CU Buff s Heisman Trophy winner might just be too good to worr y about that Now, about the re st of an under-performing de fense, and suspect rushing at tack, and well, the Jaguars went 4-13 last year

3. Indianapolis Colts

BetMGM says: Win Super Bowl, 100-1; Over-under win total, 7.5

Strengths: Jonathan Taylor runs for a lot of yards when healthy behind an excellent o ffensive line. Rookie Tyler Warren could be one of the be st tight ends and a matchup nightmare in shor t order, joining a solid group of pass catchers The de fense was also solid last year and has two key newcomers in the secondar y.

Weaknesses: This team might be a quar terback away from being a Super Bowl contender. And its current depth char t at the position is headed by Anthony Richardson and New York Giants cast-o ff Daniel Jone s. Richardson has incredible tools, but it’s ge tting late pret ty early in his NFL career This might be the last chance for Jone s to show he can be a star ter.

4. Tennessee Titans

BetMGM says: Win Super Bowl, 200-1; Over-under win total, 5.5

Strengths: The de fensive line is pret ty good The interior of the o ffensive line should be good as well Tennes see hope s new le ft tackle Dan Moore Jr., added in free agency from Pittsburgh, will be an improvement. And that No 1 pick Cam Ward is going to take his firs t steps toward Canton on Sept. 7 when the Titans visit Denver for their Week 1 lid-lifter

Weaknesses: Remember when Caleb Williams was the firs t pick and the consensus was, “Wow, QBs taken at No. 1 don’t ge t to walk into envious situations like this very o ften?” Well, that’s not the case here for Ward. This was the wors t team in the league last year It’s probably going to be one of the wors t again this year even if Ward has a nice freshman campaign

Ph illy,A FC el it et op lis to fc ont end ers

The DenverBroncos spent all training camp talking SuperBowl, but they’ll have to leapfrogseveral other contenderstomakethathappen. Here’s alook at howall 32 teams stack up aheadofthe 2025 season:

1. PhiladelphiaEagles

The defending Super Bowl champs gettop billing thanks to quarterback JalenHurts, runningback Saquon Barkley, and aloaded defense.

2. BaltimoreRavens

The Ravens might have the best quarterback in football and the best overall roster.At some point, it’sgot to showin the postseason.

3. BuffaloBills

Josh Allen andcompanyare going to break through and gettoaSuperBowlatsome point, right?Right?

4. Kansas City Chiefs

Patrick Mahomes has played in an AFCtitle gameevery year he’s startedinKansas City,and it won’t be easyto knock him off thatcourse.

5. Detroit Lions

Can former Broncos passing game coordinator John Mortonably replaceBen Johnson as Jared Goff’s offensive coordinator?

6. Green BayPackers

The Packersshould be formidable on both sides of the ball, but they need Jordan Love to playlikeone of the NFL’s best QBs.

7. Washington Commanders

Dan Quinn and Jayden Daniels madefor one of the league’s beststoriesin2024. Now, canthey backitup?

8. LosAngeles Chargers

Jim Harbaugh’sroster is solid, andthe addition of rookieRB Omarion Hamptongives them aback to fullylean into the rungame

9. DenverBroncos

Sean Payton’steam isn’t sneaking up on anybodythis year,but the Broncos have perhaps theleague’s most talented defenseand an ascendingQBinBoNix.

Philadelphia’sJalen Hurts celebrates afterbeating Kansas City 40-22 in Super Bowl LIX on Feb. 9inNew Orleans.

10. LosAngeles Rams

If quarterback Matthew Stafford stayshealthy, this team has the makings of aSuper Bowl contender. Butthat’sa big if

11. MinnesotaVikings

TheVikings arelikethe Broncos: Talented,well-coached, maybe aSuper Bowl threat, and maybe thirdplaceintheir owndivision

12. Cincinnati Bengals

JoeBurrow’s gothis receivers locked up andthe offense should be as dangerous as ever,but canthe Bengals stop anybody?

13.San Francisco49ers

The49ershad brutal injury luck in2024and shedbig contractsthis offseason, but still have the juicetobereal players in theNFC.

14.HoustonTexans

Will Anderson and Danielle Hunter areone of the most formidable defensiveduos in theNFL, and if the offense rebounds, look out.

15. Pittsburgh Steelers

TheSteelerswenttowork thisoffseason,adding Aaron Rodgers, DK Metcalf,Darius Slay,Juan Thornhill and more. They’ll be fascinating at a minimum.

16. TampaBay Buccaneers

Rookie WR EmekaEgbukais already drawing ravereviews, andBaker Mayfield’s played likeastarquarterback in an eminently winnable division

17.Dallas Cowboys

If everything goesrightfor the Cowboys,they’vegot the talent and the quarterback to be in the NFCmix,but when’s the last time that happened?

18. Seattle Seahawks

Year 2underMikeMacDonald has promise, especially if the defense movesupfrom finishing tied for11th in EPA last season.

19. Miami Dolphins

Is MikeMcDaniel trending towardthe hotseat? If Tua Tagovailoa is healthyand the Dolphins getonagood offensiverun, thenno. If not…

20. Chicago Bears

TheBearsare going to draw aton of attention with new head coach Ben Johnson pairing with QB Caleb Williams, but is this the year the franchise finally breaksout?

21.ArizonaCardinals

Could Year 2bethe year of Marvin Harrison Jr.? His885 yardsand 8TDs as arookie arenothing to sneeze at, but that might be just the start.

22. Las Vegas Raiders

Notmanyteams have amore exciting pair of young playmakersthan TE Brock Bowersand RB Ashton Jeanty, and vibes aregood with new HC Pete Carroll.

23.AtlantaFalcons

QB Michael Penix Jr.has RB Bijan Robinson, agood set of weapons, and achanceto showwhy the Falcons drafted him No. 8overall in 2024.

24.New England Patriots

The Patriots hired MikeVrabel to bring stability back to the franchise in the post-Bill Belichick era. Howfastcan he and QB DrakeMayeget it going?

25.

NewYork Jets

Head coach AaronGlenn and GM Darren Mougey madebig decisions but also quieted the building down this offseason. But is Justin Fields really the answer at QB?

26. Jacksonville

Jaguars

Whathas happened to you, Trevor Lawrence? Bettermake some haythis year with Brian Thomas Jr.and Travis Hunter

27.Indianapolis

Colts

The Colts arestuck in QB purgatory unless Anthony Richardson engineersa massiveturnaround.

28. NewOrleans Saints

Is therea worseoffense out therethanthe Saints?New headcoach Kellen Moorehas his work cut out forhim

29. NewYork Giants

The Broncos in Week 7might be agood over/under forwhen the Giants kick off head coach searchseason.

30. Carolina Panthers

Bryce Young’sresurgence in 2024was greattosee. Now, canthe Panthersstop anybody?

31.Tennessee Titans

No. 1overall pick Cam Ward hastalent, but likemanyinhis position before, there’slittle infrastructurearound that would inspireconfidence.

32.

Cleveland Browns

Howmanyquarterbackscan one franchise churn through in asingle season?The Browns might find out beforesettling on Shedeur Sanders. —PARKER GABRIEL,THE DENVER POST

DENVER POSTSTAFF PREDICTIONS

Who will win theAFC West?

MVP QB Lamar Jackson, QB Lamar Jackson,QBJoe Burrow,QBJosh Allen, QB Josh Allen, Baltimore BaltimoreCincinati Buffalo Buffalo

Coach of the Year John Harbaugh, Jim Harbaugh, MikeVrabel, BenJohnson, Raheem Morris, Baltimore LosAngelesNew England Chicago Atlanta

Offensive Playerofthe Year TE Brock Bowers,RBBijan Robinson, WR Ja’Marr Chase, RB Saquon Barkley,QBJosh Allen, Las VegasAtlantaCincinati Philadelphia Buffalo

DPOYOLB Will Anderson, OLB Myles Garrett, DE Aidan Hutchinson, DE Nick Bosa, OLB Will Anderson, Houston ClevelandDetroit San FranciscoHouston

OffensiveROY TE Colston Loveland, RB Ashton Jeanty,RBAshton Jeanty,QBCam Ward,WRTravis Hunter, Chicago Las Vegas Las Vegas Tennessee Jacksonville

DefensiveROY CB Travis Hunter,OLB Abdul Carter,CBTravis Hunter,CBTravis Hunter,CBTravis Hunter, Jacksonville New York Jacksonville Jacksonville Jacksonville

Disappointing team Pittsburgh Kansas City Pittsburgh Washington Green Bay Surprise team Las VegasCarolina Jacksonville Chicago Atlanta AFCchampion BaltimoreBaltimoreBaltimoreBaltimoreBuffalo

NFCchampion Philadelphia Washington Philadelphia San FranciscoDetroit Super Bowl champion BaltimoreBaltimoreBaltimoreBaltimoreBuffalo

NFC West prev iew» Ca n McCa ff rey’s 49ers go worst to fi rst?

1. Los Angeles Rams

BetMGM says: Win Super Bowl: 20-1; Over-under win total: 9.5

Strengths: After Cooper Kupp’s production star ted to decline, the Rams swapped him out with Davante Adams this o ff season, remodeling a stellar receiver room around Puka Nacua. Coach Sean McVay make s it difficult to be t agains t the Rams, who won this division last year, punked a 14-win Vikings team in the playo ff s and gave eventual champion Philadelphia a be tter fight than anyone else

Weaknesses: Throwing to Nacua and Adams is Matthew Stafford, who is capable of being one of the be st pocke t passers in the league He’s also 37 years old, increasingly prone to bouts of inconsistency and limited in his mobility Aging quar terbacks are always susceptible to dr amatic decline. When they do, they can take an entire team with them

2. San Francisco 49ers

BetMGM says: Win Super Bowl: 20-1; Over-under win total: 10.5

Strengths: Kyle Shanahan has the coaching pedigree and top-end talent at his dispos al to prove 2024 was a nightmare anomaly. Christian McCa ffrey, one of the NFL’s most vers atile back field weapons, is back after an injury-spoiled season. Receiver Br andon Aiyuk (ACL) should eventually re turn And future Hall of Fame tight end George Kittle hasn’t shown any signs of decline. Nick Bosa is an unstoppable force in the pass rush

Weaknesses: Medical histor y. Niners fans will be holding their breath whenever their stars have the ball because of how last season spir aled McCa ffrey played four game s. Aiyuk played seven. A team that was agonizingly close to winning a Super Bowl a year earlier suddenly re sided in the NFC We st cellar The 49ers aren’t ge tting anywhere without be tter injury lu ck to suppor t QB Brock Purdy.

3. Seattle Seahawks

BetMGM says: Win Super Bowl: 60-1; Over-under win total: 7.5

Strengths: It might not be the Legion of Boom, but the Seahawks could be rolling out one of the NFC’s most potent de fenses, led by Leonard Williams and Jarr an Reed up front. Safe ty Julian Love and cornerback Devon Witherspoon are proven stalwarts. With a de fensive -minded head coach in Mike Macdonald, Seat tle’s playo ff hope s re st on his side of the ball

Weaknesses: The o ffensive line remains an exis tential threat Sam Darnold is a true wild card replacement for Geno Smith at QB He’s tr ying to beat the one-hit wonder allegations that followed him from Minnesota ever since his playo ff dud. And Seat tle is be tting on the ex-Rams receiver Cupp to re turn to form instead of continuing a downward tr ajectory

4. Arizona Cardinals

BetMGM says: Win Super Bowl: 50-1; Over-under win total: 8.5

Strengths: Arizona has an elite tight end in CSU’s Trey McBride, a formidable rushing at tack led by Jame s Conner and an improved de fensive line with o ff season acquisitions Dalvin Tomlinson, Josh Sweat and Calais Campbell. There’s a lot to build on after an 8-9 season, especially with the star potential of second-year receiver Marvin Harrison Jr.

Weaknesses: The Cardinals ranked bottom 10 in yards allowed per pass at tempt and per rush at tempt last year Their linebacker room remains lackluster. They’re also going to be confronted with ques tions about what their ceiling is realis tically with Kyler Murr ay at quar terback, de spite how much he progre ssed last year

1. Philadelphia Eagles

BetMGM says: Win Super Bowl: 7-1; Over-under win total: 11.5

Strengths: They’re the only NFC team penciled at 11.5 wins by Vegas for a reason. Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley are outdone only by Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henr y for the distinction of be st quar terback-running back duo in the NFL. The interior o ffensive line is a brick wall The de fensive line is a battering ram. The secondar y made a fool of Patrick Mahome s and denied him a three-peat six months ago.

Weaknesses: As is tr adition in the salary cap er a, Philadelphia suffered a championship tax this o ff season by losing key contributors such as cornerback Darius Slay, o ffensive lineman Mekhi Becton and de fensive linemen Josh Sweat and Milton Williams The Eagles also lost o ffensive coordinator Kellen Moore to a head coaching gig in New Orleans.

2. Washington Commanders

BetMGM says: Win Super Bowl: 18-1; Over-under win total: 9.5

Strengths: Jayden Daniels already took Washington to unprecedented heights with a Cinderella run to the NFC title game That was as a rookie He’s the most hyped future supers tar in the league now, with Deebo Samuel joining his arsenal of weapons alongside Terr y McLaurin, Zach Er tz and Noah Brown. The Commanders are also re turning their elite linebacker duo of Bobby Wagner and Fr ankie Luvu

Weaknesses: There’s not much else to like about the de fense. Washington was fifth-wors t in rush yards allowed per carr y in 2024, and its secondar y is dotted with ques tion marks. As fun as the Commanders’ emergence was, they did bene fit from multiple come -from-behind wins in the last 10 seconds (including a Daniels Hail Mary).

3. Dallas Cowboys

BetMGM says: Win Super Bowl: 50-1; Over-under win total: 7.5

Strengths: Dak Prescott has the weapons to lead a top-tier passing at tack if he can stay healthy and shake o ff his rough eight- game sample from 2024 Lead receiver CeeDee Lamb is joined now by the mercurial George Pickens, who never played with a quar terback of Prescott’s caliber during his three years in Pittsburgh.

Weaknesses: The vibe s at Jerr y World aren’t at their be st after star edge rusher Micah Parsons reques ted a tr ade late in the o ff season, adding another layer to a very public contract stando ff with dictatorial owner Jerr y Jone s. On the field, Dallas was bad at running the football last year and even worse at stopping the run.

4. New York Giants

BetMGM says: Win Super Bowl: 200-1; Over-under win total: 5.5

Strengths: The Giants dr afted Abdul Carter third over all to bols ter a de fensive line that’s already le thal, starring Dexter Lawrence, Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux If they ever strengthen any other parts of their roster, that front will be a force to be reckoned with

Weaknesses: Late -s tage Russell Wilson didn’t work out in Denver He didn’t work much be tter in Pittsburgh, tail-spinning into a firs t-round playo ff exit after a fool’s gold star t to last season. Why exactly is he supposed to be the solution in New York, where he’s another year older and the o ffensive line is a me ss? There’s no shor tage of weakne sses here, but the Wilson marriage seems especially bizarre instead of focusing singularly on the development of firs t-round pick Jaxson

1. Detroit Lions

BetMGM says: Win Super Bowl: 10-1; Over-under win total: 10.5

Strengths: Their championship window won’t last forever, but the Lions still field a pret ty comple te roster They have exceptional playmakers on both side s of the ball, especially the elite back field duo of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery Bigges t reason for optimism: De fensive end Aidan Hutchinson is back from the season-ending leg injury that loomed over De troit’s 45-31 divisional-round loss to Washington.

Weaknesses: Not many You can nitpick quar terback Jared Go ff after his four-turnover performance in the playo ff s, or worr y about Fr ank Ragnow’s re tirement from the o ffensive line, or quibble with De troit’s schematic potential after losing o ffensive coordinator Ben Johnson. But if this roster is healthy, it should remain a Super Bowl contender.

2. Green Bay Packers

BetMGM says: Win Super Bowl: 22-1; Over-under win total: 9.5

Strengths: Still one of the younges t squads in the NFL, Green Bay has reached the playo ff s twice in a row with ample room le ft over to keep improving throughout the roster Josh Jacobs is fresh o ff a 1,300-yard rushing season, Jordan Love is protected by a sturdy offensive line, and safe ty Xavier McKinney was one of the most dynamic de fensive backs in the league last year

Weaknesses: Love has evolved into one of the more polarizing quar terbacks in the league, his upside o ff se t by his inconsis tency. Mileage varies on whe ther he’s a worthy fr anchise QB for one of the NFL’s most storied teams. Green Bay’s de fensive line was a weakne ss in 2024, and ques tions remain at cornerback surrounding McKinney Youth could be a bles sing or a curse.

3. Chicago Bears

BetMGM says: Win Super Bowl: 40-1; Over-under win total: 8.5

Strengths: Welcome to the big seat, Ben Johnson. Is the gr as s greener in Chicago than the turf was in De troit? The Bears’ new mad scientis t of a head coach is under tremendous pres sure to maximize a talented o ffensive line and a sophomore quar terback who underper formed last year. This team was good enough to win eight game s, but it was held back by a few of the stupides t endings of the decade so far.

Weaknesses: About that quar terback: Caleb Williams was dr afted No 1 over all into a pret ty favorable situation, making his rookie season an abject failure. By most me trics, he was among the wors t star ting QBs in the league Da Bears tried to inve st in skill players around him this o ff season, dr afting a tight end in the firs t round and a receiver in the second Is all of that enough?

4. Minnesota Vikings

BetMGM says: Win Super Bowl: 25-1; Over-under win total: 8.5

Strengths: The Vikings tied for the second-bes t record in the NFC in 2024, and they still have the be st pass-catcher in the spor t in Justin Je fferson, not to mention Jordan Addison’s helping hands. Their pass rush is suffocating and multi-face ted Andrew Van Ginkel and Jonathan Greenard alone might be dominant enough to make Minnesota a top-10 de fense.

Weaknesses: Le tting Sam Darnold walk after a career year is a big gamble on JJ McC ar thy, whose rookie season was delayed by a torn meniscus Minnesota is pret ty much rolling out the red carpet for him now. The job is his, fresh o ff a months-long recovery, with a team that’s supposed to have championship- caliber expectations It’s a fr agile situation on paper, especially considering the flimsy o ffensive line play that helped doom Darnold last year

1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

BetMGM says: Win Super Bowl: 30-1; Over-under win total: 9.5

Strengths: Chris Godwin is se t to re turn after a season-ending ankle injury in 2024 Mike Evans is tr ying to make it 12 consecutive years with 1,000 receiving yards in what should be one of the most fun (and one of the only fun) stor ylines in the NFC South. Tampa’s receiver duo is probably the be st position group in the division, giving Baker May field plenty to work with and a healthy counterbalance to the Buck y Ir ving-led run game

Weaknesses: Opposing quar terbacks gashed Tampa over the middle of the field at time s last year The secondar y remains wobbly, but if the Bucs can field just a league -average de fense, that should be enough to buoy them to a comfortable division win.

2. Atlanta Falcons

BetMGM says: Win Super Bowl: 80-1; Over-under win total: 7.5

Strengths: Bijan Robinson broke out with 1,456 rushing yards in his second season while es tablishing himself as one of the NFL’s be st pass-catchers out of the back field as well. Atlanta’s o ffensive line should be e ffective at suppor ting him again. Receiver Dr ake London looks like a fr anchise player. If young quar terback Michael Penix Jr can hold it all toge ther, the Falcons have the be st chance at challenging Tampa.

Weaknesses: This was one of the wors t teams in the NFL at pres suring opposing quar terbacks last year If that’s going to remain the Falcons’ realit y, they’re going to need elite de fensive backs, and they don’t really have that either If there’s any hope, it’s that Atlanta dr afted pass rushers Jalon Walker and Jame s Pearce Jr in the firs t round.

3. Carolina Panthers

BetMGM says: Win Super Bowl: 150-1; Over-under win total: 6.5

Strengths: Make no mistake, the Panthers aren’t going to be good But they do have some thing to build on: a reinvigorated version of Br yce Young that finished strong in 2024 after he was benched early in the season. Carolina’s o ffensive line was not aw ful, and No 8 over all pick Te tairoa McMillan is se t to join Young’s receiver corps.

Weaknesses: This was a historically bad de fense last year Like, “mos t points ever allowed in an NFL season” bad. (The new record is 534.) Using the increasingly ubiquitous me tric Expected Points Added (EPA), Carolina was the wors t team agains t the run and second-worst agains t the pass If nothing else, a handful of Panthers game s should be fun to watch.

4. New Orleans Saints

BetMGM says: Win Super Bowl: 300-1; Over-under win total: 6.5

Strengths: Alvin Kamara ran for 950 yards last season, and the Saints are going to need him to run for a whole lot more now (see below) New Orleans also has some serviceable pieces on the de fensive line be tween Chase Young and Carl Gr anderson.

Weaknesses: Derek Carr’s unexpected re tirement announcement in May threw a wrench in Kellen Moore’s debut campaign at the helm (though Carr’s injury situation might’ve jeopardized the season regardle ss). All expectations seem to be down the dr ain at this point, with quar terback options ranging from Spencer Rattler to Tyler Shough to Jake Haener BENNET

Bronc os schedu le 2025

BY PARKER GABRIEL,THE

WEEK 4

CINCINNATI

6:15 p.m., Sept. 29, ESPN

Chargersand Bengals back-to-back, just like last year’s stretch run. This time, Joe Burrow’s high-flying offense comes to Denverfor asaucyMondayNight matchup.Pat SurtainIIagainst Ja’Marr Chaselived up to the hype last year.Thisisanearly test of whether the Broncos are betterequipped to handle the best offenses in football. Broncos 27,Bengals 24

WEEK 9 AT HOUSTON

11 a.m., Nov. 2, KDVR-31

The Texans should have another of the NFL’s most disruptive defenses. They need to protectquarterback C.J. Stroud much better than in Year 2. If they succeed, he’sgot aterrific set of weapons in NicoCollins, Christian Kirkand rookies Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel. Joe Mixon’shealth is worth watching, but this is an explosive offense and adynamitedefense Texans 21,Broncos 17

WEEK 14

AT LASVEGAS

2p.m., Dec.7,KCNC -4

Youknowwhat would be fun?Ifan offensiverookie of theyearcampaign wasbrewing between the three AFCWest runningbacks—RJHarvey in Denver, Ashton Jeanty in Las Vegas and Omarion HamptoninL.A., this game could pit twoofthem against each other.Oh, andBrock Bowers could be an offensive playerofthe year threat Broncos 24,Raiders23

WEEK 1

TENNESSEE

2p.m., Sept. 7, KDVR-31

Thisislikethe Broncos’ 2024 opener at Seattle, but in reverse. The Titans have arookie quarterback —No. 1overall pick Cam Ward —and they’retraveling to ahostile environment for his first game. VanceJoseph’s group shouldbelicking its chops and there’snoreason to expect they’ll come out anything other than flying. Broncos28, Titans 13

WEEK5 AT PHILADELPHIA

11a.m. Oct. 5, KCNC -4

Beforethe Broncosjet off to Jolly Old England, they swing through the City of Brotherly Lovetotakeonthe defending world champions.The Eagles are stacked, from SaquonBarkley and Jalen Hurts onoffense to Jalen Carter,ZachBaun and aloaded secondary on defense. Denver canbealegitimatecontender and still notwin this game. Eagles 30, Broncos 17

WEEK10 LASVEGAS

6:15p.m., Nov. 6, Prime

The Broncos finally shook offthe black and silver curse last fall and swept the Raiders. Vegas, though, cleanedhouse and nowfeatures head coachPete Carroll and quarterback Geno Smith. Denver’sgot to continue itswinning ways vs.the Raiders, but it’snot going to be acakewalkbyany stretch of the imagination. Broncos 27,Raiders 17

WEEK 15 GREEN BAY

2:25 p.m., Dec.14, KCNC-4

TheBroncos and the Packersenter 2025 in similar positions. Theyboth view themselves as contendersdespitecoming off third-placefinishesintheir divisions. So, will thisend up being agame that drawsthoughtslike, “Well,it’snot impossiblethey meet againinFebruary?” Or will it end up being atale ofone or both seasons being on theline? Broncos21, Packers 20

WEEK 2 AT INDIANAPOLIS

2p.m., Sept. 14,KCNC -4

Sean Payton’stwo teamsinDenver have started 1-5 and 0-2. Yeteven 1-1wouldfeel like adisappointment giventhe expectations on this group. The Broncos can’t bank on Jonathan Taylor fumbling the game away this time, but they should be well equipped to handle aColts team trying to find its footing and aquarterback Broncos24, Colts20

WEEK 6

VS.NEW YORK JETS

7:30 a.m., Oct. 12,NFLN

Thismarkssix straight seasons, and they face off again in 2026. Thisisadifferent Jets team with new headcoach AaronGlenn and QB Justin Fields. Denverwon as ugly agameasyou’ll see in the Meadowlands rain last fall. What will October in London bring? Let’sgoout on alimband say morethan minus-7passing yards forBoNix in the first half Broncos20, Jets 13

WEEK 11

KANSAS CITY

2:25 p.m., Nov. 16, KCNC -4

The Broncos have beaten the Chiefsat home twostraight years. In order for Denvertoget where it wants to go, it must beatPatrickMahomes at least once. In four games since returning to DenverasDC, Vance Joseph’sdefenses have yielded just twooffensivetouchdowns to Kansas City.Two might be too many in this one.

Chiefs 20,Broncos 19

WEEK 16

JACKSONVILLE

2p.m., Dec.21, KDVR-31

ImagineTravis Hunter, reigningHeisman Trophy winnerand former Coloradostar, coveringCourtland Suttonand trying to getopen against PatSurtain II. Hunter drew rave reviewsfromSurtain and manyothersoverthe course of last fall. Game recognizes game. As far as theactual game, Payton’steam can’t be losingthisone andexpect to get whereitwants to go Broncos31, Jaguars17

WEEK 3

AT L.A. CHARGERS

2p.m., Sept. 21,KCNC -4

Jim Harbaugh’s team swept Payton’sin2024 thankstoa powerful start in Week 6and adominant second half in Week 16. Much of the talk this fall is about whether the Broncos can unseat K.C.,but the Chargers should be pretty darn good, too. Winning there on the road is no easytask, even if SoFi Stadium will likely be half Broncos fans Chargers24, Broncos 23

WEEK 7

NEWYORK GIANTS

2p.m., Oct. 19., KCNC -4

The Broncos don’t have abye week aftertheir international game. And while the Giants maybethe worstteamontheir schedule, it’s notideal that they land in this post-London spot. These backto-backhome games after the international trip area spotwhere the cultureand toughness of this group will get tested —evenifon paper this is amismatch Broncos21, Giants14

WEEK 12

BYEWEEK

The byeweek comes in a pretty good spotfor ateamin contention. Notquiteaslateas ayearago, but potentially well situated to help get some guys healthyfor the stretch run. If onlyitwerejust beforeplaying the Chiefs.

WEEK 8

DALLAS

2:25 p.m., Oct. 26, KCNC -4

If the Cowboys arehealthy —and haven’t managed to maketheir star players tooupset unnecessarily —this is areally tough game. They’retalentedand ahealthy Dak Prescott makes a huge difference. By this time, it’ll be pretty clear howNix’s second season is going.And thatwill be a critical component to whetherthe Broncos canmeet expectations Broncos 31,Cowboys 30

WEEK 13 AT WASHINGTON

6:20 p.m., Nov. 30, KUSA-9 Bo Nix against Jayden Daniels. Von Miller againstthe Broncos. Ateam from each conference that enters 2025 squarely hoping to leap from 2024upstart to full-on SuperBowlcontender. This is a terrific matchup anditgot SundayNight Football billingbecause of it. Hopefully,itmatches the hype even after Thanksgiving’s passed.

Commanders27, Broncos 20

WEEK 17 AT KANSAS CITY

6:15 p.m., Dec.25, Prime

The boom-or-bust potential hereis massive.Christmas Night. Standalone game. The big, bad wolves of the division against the team whose coachessentially said they’d have whooped Kansas City if they’dmet in the divisional round last year.So, is this adivisiontitle game?Orisit adud? It’ll be asurprise if there’s notsome levelofstakeshere.

Chiefs 23,Broncos 16

WEEK 18

L.A. CHARGERS

TBD,Jan. 3-4

Winand in?Seeding on the line?Finishing the season with the Chiefsand Chargers is aclear sign from the schedulersthattheyexpect adogfight in the AFCWest.We canall remember this prediction right here whenJahdae Barron’s covering Ladd McConkey on adecisivefourth-quarter red zone snapin… well, four short months.

Broncos 24,Chargers20

At National Jewish Health, our team of doctors, researchers and caregivers work together across multiple specialties to fi nd answers, develop treatments and solve the medical challenges of today and tomorrow. This multidisciplinary approach is what has made us the nation’s leading respiratory hospital. From providing care for adults and children with complications from serious and chronic illnesses to addressing the needs of patients with lung, heart, immune and related diseases, our experts work within our communities and across the nation. For appointments: 800.621.0505 or njhealth.org.