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The Denver Broncos have seen a gradual rise back to prominence since Sean Payton took over as the team's head coach. After missing the playoffs in 2023, his first season with the team, Payton helped lead the Broncos back to the postseason for the first time since 2015 in 2024. Despite a lopsided loss to the Buffalo Bills in the Wild Card round, the team had gotten a huge monkey off its back after missing the postseason for nearly a decade.
In 2025, the Broncos not only proved that wasn't a fluke, but they became the No. 1 seed in the AFC with a 14-3 record and had they had a healthy Bo Nix in the AFC Championship Game, it's very likely they would have gone to the Super Bowl.
Naturally, the Broncos are seen by many as a team ready to take that next step in 2026 and get back to the Super Bowl for the first time since hoisting the Lombardi Trophy in Super Bowl 50. But not everyone sees that happening.
Earlier this offseason, Ali Bhanpuri and Tom Blair of NFL.com predicted how each team would fare in the coming season, and their predictions don't paint the Broncos as an AFC powerhouse. Bhanpuri has the Broncos sliding in as the No. 7 team in the playoffs (the last team in), while Blair has the team missing the playoffs entirely.
That would have to be considered a major setback for the Broncos, who clearly have lofty expectations with returning nearly the same exact team as last season, with an upgrade at one of the top skill positions following the acquisition of wide receiver Jaylen Waddle.
However, with the team having to play a tough first-place schedule this season while Bo Nix returns from a broken ankle, it's understandable that not everyone believes in the lofty projections. In addition, both the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers are expected to be more competitive than last season, putting the Broncos in arguably the toughest division in football.
This article originally appeared on Broncos Wire: NFL.com predicts regression for Broncos in 2026
Continue reading...
In 2025, the Broncos not only proved that wasn't a fluke, but they became the No. 1 seed in the AFC with a 14-3 record and had they had a healthy Bo Nix in the AFC Championship Game, it's very likely they would have gone to the Super Bowl.
Naturally, the Broncos are seen by many as a team ready to take that next step in 2026 and get back to the Super Bowl for the first time since hoisting the Lombardi Trophy in Super Bowl 50. But not everyone sees that happening.
Earlier this offseason, Ali Bhanpuri and Tom Blair of NFL.com predicted how each team would fare in the coming season, and their predictions don't paint the Broncos as an AFC powerhouse. Bhanpuri has the Broncos sliding in as the No. 7 team in the playoffs (the last team in), while Blair has the team missing the playoffs entirely.
That would have to be considered a major setback for the Broncos, who clearly have lofty expectations with returning nearly the same exact team as last season, with an upgrade at one of the top skill positions following the acquisition of wide receiver Jaylen Waddle.
However, with the team having to play a tough first-place schedule this season while Bo Nix returns from a broken ankle, it's understandable that not everyone believes in the lofty projections. In addition, both the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers are expected to be more competitive than last season, putting the Broncos in arguably the toughest division in football.
This article originally appeared on Broncos Wire: NFL.com predicts regression for Broncos in 2026
Continue reading...
