The 2026 Denver Broncos will have many storylines for this upcoming season. I want to focus on two of them. What should people look out for?
The 2026 Broncos go as far as Bo Nix takes them. It’s paramount that he continues to improve. From year one to year two, there were some strides made. The biggest one was his play in the clutch.
In 2024, Denver was just 1-6 in one-score games. In those seven games, Nix had 10 touchdowns and seven interceptions. The production is not bad, but it’s a stark contrast to the other games, which saw 19 touchdowns and just five interceptions.
In 2025, though, it was a different story. The Broncos played in 14 one-score games and won 12 of them. A big part of the gaudy record in the tight matches was because of Nix. In those games, he had 18 touchdowns and eight interceptions.
The biggest indicator of improvement came in the playoff game. Nix outplayed Josh Allen by tossing three touchdowns to lead the Orange and Blue to a 33-30 win over the Buffalo Bills. A redeeming moment from the 31-7 loss against the same team in the 2025 playoffs.
An even better stat is how Nix performed when trailing vs other circumstances. He threw for 17 touchdowns to just two interceptions with a 102.4 passer rating. When trailing and tied, though, he had eight touchdowns and nine interceptions.
Playing well from the opening kickoff is Nix’s next jump to make in 2026. Can he be more consistent early in the game so Denver doesn’t find itself trailing late in a lot of these games? Winning 12 of 14 one-score games is impressive, but I’m sure Sean Payton and the rest of the staff would appreciate it if 14 was cut in half.
Will that jump be made?
The 2026 Broncos don’t have a lot of flaws on paper. They have a dynamic wide receiver core, an emerging young quarterback, and an elite defense. One aspect of the team that isn’t elite, however, is the ground game.
The main concern is that the rushing production is predicated on JK Dobbins’ health. In 2025, he totaled 772 yards on five yards per carry in just 10 games. Following his broken foot, though, the team ran for only 104.6 yards per game on 3.4 yards per carry.
The running back room this year is essentially the same. The top two runners are Dobbins and RJ Harvey. Denver did add a fourth-rounder in Jonah Coleman to that room, but it would be unrealistic to believe that he’ll solve all their problems.
The lack of a run game cost the Broncos a trip to the Super Bowl. Denver started Jarrett Stidham in the AFC Championship in snowy conditions; the Broncos needed to generate offense between the tackles. Denver was only able to generate 79 yards on 3.1 yards per carry.
It’ll be interesting to see Dobbin’s injury luck this year. If he unfortunately misses time again, the fanbase and coaching staff will get a good grasp on how much Harvey has progressed.
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The 2026 Broncos should be the favorites to win the AFC West. Patrick Mahomes is coming back from injury, and the Los Angeles Chargers have not won the division since 2009; therefore, Denver should be a safe bet.
It’ll be interesting to see if 2025 was a year of good luck or if the team is really building towards something. That question can be answered with the play of Nix. If he continues to improve, it will be the latter.
For the run game, Dobbins will be back to 100% when the season begins. Given his injury history, the Broncos must be more prepared if he misses time.
How many games will Denver win?
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