Despite the Broncos’ 31-7 loss to the Bills in the wild-card round, a new standard has been set.
The Broncos returned to relevance with a 10-7 regular season and their first postseason berth since 2015. They’ve found a franchise quarterback in Bo Nix, who’s proven to be an ideal fit with head coach Sean Payton.
Now, it’s time for Denver to capitalize on its success. With a big offseason ahead, here are five questions to ponder:
Will Denver give Courtland Sutton extension?
One of the topics that wasn’t addressed during Denver’s end-of-the-season news conference was the future of the team’s top wide receiver.
Courtland Sutton will be a free agent in 2026 and could demand a contract extension after the numbers he produced this season: 81 catches for 1,081 yards and eight touchdowns.
Sutton didn’t get off to the best start. From Weeks 1 to 7, he had 21 catches for 277 yards and a pair of touchdowns. But after Denver’s win over New Orleans — when he didn’t have a single target — Sutton took his game to a different level. The former SMU standout established himself as Nix’s go-to weapon with 804 yards and six touchdowns on 60 targets in the final 10 games. Against the Bills in the playoffs, he had five catches for 75 yards.
During the season, the Broncos gave 32-year-old left tackle Garett Bolles a four-year extension. Will Denver do something similar with Sutton? According to Spotrac, the 29-year-old has a market value of $22.9 million per year. He will have a cap hit of $20.2 million in 2025.
Is Sutton’s on-field connection with Nix enough to convince the front office? His age (30) and inconsistent production prior to this fall (two 1,000-yard seasons in seven years) could work against him. The Broncos could also target a wideout in the draft or get aggressive in free agency by going after a player like Tee Higgins.
Last offseason, Sutton had issues with his contract. Negotiations were at a stalemate until both sides agreed to add up to $1.5 million in achievable incentives.
It wouldn’t be surprising if Sutton addressed his contract situation once again.
Will the Broncos bring back D.J. Jones?
D.J. Jones just finished his final season of a three-year, $30 million deal, which he signed in 2022. After helping improve the defensive line’s production this year, Jones said he wants to return.
“I feel like we’ve built some culture here,” Jones said. “We’ve brought some culture back.”
Jones, who will turn 30 in three days, had another impressive season in Denver. He had 40 run tackles and 12 run stuffs (tackles resulting in no gain or a loss), according to NFL’s Next Gen Stats. He also had a sack and 14 pressures during the regular season.
With most of Denver’s defensive line under contract in 2025, Jones’ future is uncertain. According to Over the Cap’s Valuation metric, which measures contract value with on-field production, Jones could earn $3.32 million per year.
In addition to Jones, the Broncos will have to decide whether they want to retain other free agents like running back Javonte Williams and inside linebackers Cody Barton and Justin Strnad, who filled in for Alex Singleton after he tore an ACL. Both backup quarterbacks, Zach Wilson and Jarrett Stidham, are also free agents.
Which coaches could be on the move?
Payton said he wouldn’t be surprised if some of the coaches on staff leave for bigger opportunities.
Defensive coordinator Vance Joseph has already been considered for head coaching gigs. He interviewed with the Jets on Wednesday and is scheduled to meet with the Raiders for their coaching vacancy.
But he isn’t the only Broncos staffer being looked at during this year’s coaching cycle. Assistant special teams coach Chris Banjo interviewed for the special teams coordinator position in San Francisco on Monday.
Broncos quarterbacks coach Davis Webb is another name worth monitoring. He could leave Denver if another team offers him an opportunity to call plays.
What positions could Denver target in the draft?
There’s plenty.
Let’s start with the obvious. With the 20th pick of the 2025 NFL draft, the Broncos will be tempted to target a tight end, wide receiver or running back.
Denver needs to build around Nix. And players like tight ends Tyler Warren (Penn State) and Colston Loveland (Michigan) and running back Ashton Jeanty (Boise State) are potential options. Jeanty was a Heisman runner-up after he rushed for 2,601 yards and 29 touchdowns this fall.
Warren is the sort of versatile offensive player Payton covets. But it wouldn’t be surprising if Warren, who totaled 1,233 yards and eight touchdowns in 2024, is taken before the Broncos make their selection.
Ohio State wide receiver Emeka Egbuka could be another option, especially if Denver wants to continue its trend of going young. In his fourth season with the Buckeyes, Egbuka has recorded 75 catches for 947 yards and 10 touchdowns.
The Broncos don’t necessarily have to take an offensive player in the first round. They could beef up the defensive line and go after players like defensive tackles Tyleik Williams (Ohio State) or Derrick Harmon (Oregon).
Inside linebacker and safety are other positions to watch out for during April’s draft.
How close are Broncos to competing for division title?
Broncos owner/CEO Greg Penner didn’t hold back when addressing his expectations for 2025.
“Our absolute goal next year is to win our division,” Penner said.
Denver’s first winning season since 2016 provided optimism. The Broncos created separation from the Raiders, who won eight straight games against Denver until this season. They have exciting pieces on defense such as cornerback Pat Surtain II and edge rusher Nik Bonitto.
More importantly, Nix showed he can develop into one of the top quarterbacks in the league.
However, Buffalo’s beatdown of the Broncos provided a grim look at how far the team is from being a Super Bowl contender. Denver’s deficiencies in 2024 were Buffalo’s strengths. The Bills rushed for 210 yards while quarterback Josh Allen spread the ball to multiple targets, including tight ends Dalton Kincaid and Dawson Knox.
To add more context to the separation: The Broncos were 2-6 against playoff teams.
Denver’s quest for an AFC West title isn’t impossible, but it will take a ton of work. The Broncos were swept by the Chargers in the regular season. And even though Denver defeated Kansas City in two of their last four matchups, the Broncos’ win was against mostly backups. The Chiefs went 15-2, the third time in five seasons with at least 14 wins, and could very well win the Super Bowl for the third consecutive year.
The Broncos’ approach to the offseason will show their willingness to shorten the gap between the Chiefs and the rest of the contenders in the NFL. Penner said he’s unsure if the team needs to be aggressive. But if the Broncos want to win an AFC West title in 2025, they might not have a choice.
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