Armed with a healthy Bo Nix and star receiver Jaylen Waddle, the Denver Broncos could very well be the team to beat in the AFC this season.
The Denver Broncos were so close to making the Super Bowl in the 2025 season.
Ultimately, the season-ending injury to quarterback Bo Nix in the Divisional Round win over the Buffalo Bills proved to be too costly as the New England Patriots defeated them, 10-7, in the AFC title game.
Still, the future is very bright for Denver, and head coach Sean Payton has worked his magic quickly in the Mile High City.
Davis Webb is the new offensive coordinator and play-caller after Joe Lombardi was fired, and Webb garnered serious head coach consideration this past cycle.
Ralph Vacchiano of Fox Sports divided the 32 NFL teams into eight tiers, and the Broncos made Tier No. 1, titled, "The front-runners."
The other two teams on this list are the Los Angeles Rams and the Seattle Seahawks, the latter of which won the Super Bowl over the Patriots just a few months ago.
"Meanwhile, in the AFC, the Broncos would have made the Super Bowl last season if they hadn’t been playing with a backup quarterback in the AFC Championship Game. A healthy Bo Nix, plus the addition of WR Jaylen Waddle, makes them the team to beat, especially if they can navigate a difficult schedule and emerge with home-field advantage," Vacchiano wrote.
Now, the Broncos acquired star wide receiver Jaylen Waddle in a blockbuster trade with the Miami Dolphins, so that is a massive piece added to an already-talented offense.
Apart from that, the Broncos didn't add a ton of big-name pieces during free agency, and although it was a slow start, the addition of Waddle was a big needle-mover for this team and the offense.
Plus, having Webb as the OC over Lombardi is already perceived as a gigantic upgrade, so take that as you will.
Now, the Kansas City Chiefs finished just 6-11 last season, and they figure to be better this season, as long as Patrick Mahomes can stay healthy and return to his Pro Bowl form.
The Broncos don't have an easy schedule, either, and to be fair, no team in the AFC West has an easy schedule with the Chiefs, Chargers and Broncos in the same division.
The AFC figures to be pretty wide-open due to some big question marks for the top teams. But, it is worth pointing out that the Broncos were the only AFC team on the list of front-runners, so they should enter the season with high hopes of making it back to the Super Bowl.
