Denver Broncos: 3 Biggest Offseason Questions
With all 32 NFL teams just about done with OTAs and mandatory minicamps, Athlon Sports is going under the hood to see what key questions remain for each team before training camps open in July. These questions might not get answered at minicamps, but any opportunity for new coaches to get familiar with their roster, rookies to get a feel for life in the NFL and free agents to get comfortable with a new team can be helpful.
The focus today is on the Denver Broncos. After earning the AFC's top seed with a 14-3 record last season and then holding off the Buffalo Bills in a divisional playoff game, head coach Sean Payton and the Broncos were one home victory away from the Super Bowl… but quarterback Bo Nix broke his ankle late in that Bills game, and backup Jarrett Stidham could not muster much offense in an AFC title game loss to the New England Patriots.
The 2025 Broncos dethroned the Kansas City Chiefs atop the AFC West after a nine-year run, and it was Denver's first division crown since 2015, which ended with a win in Super Bowl 50. That was the last of five straight AFC West titles the Broncos had won. So now they'll look to start a new streak.
The defense, which was third in scoring last season (18.3 points per game) and led the NFL with 68 sacks, returns most of its key contributors - including linebacker Nik Bonitto (14 sacks) and former Defensive Player of the Year Pat Surtain II at cornerback. Assuming the 2026 defense resembles the group that showed up last season, it's the Denver offense that deserves the most attention.
3 biggest offseason questions for the Denver Broncos
What is the health status of Bo Nix?
After a 10-7 loss to the Patriots in the AFC Championship Game, most Denver fans are pretty confident their team would have been in the Super Bowl had their starting QB played in that game. Part of that already-historic QB class of 2024, Nix completed 63.4% of his passes last season for 3,931 yards, 25 TD passes and 11 interceptions. He had a passer rating of 87.8, adding 356 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns.
Nix suffered a fractured right ankle in that playoff win, and subsequently had bone spurs removed, but he's been cleared to play and could be ready for a breakout season. Nix was a limited participant in the team's June minicamp.
"He's doing well," Payton told the media on June 16. "He's doing really well… He'll clearly be ready in time for training camp. I think he's going to be ‘full' [participant] by the end of this month. Yet, it's good to have him out here in uniform."
Nix was the 12th overall pick in the 2024 draft - and the sixth of six quarterbacks taken. Payton praised Nix's development, both as a quarterback and a team leader.
"I'm pleased with his ability to lead our team," Payton said. "The experience, when you look at that class, there's a handful of them that got into the postseason this year. He was a big part of that. I'm super excited. … I don't think when he's fully recovered and he's out here participating [that] you're going to see someone that doesn't move. All of that, some of his superpowers, his ability to move and not get sacked, find throws - I don't think any of that will be impacted at all. I think he's working extremely hard on this recovery. I think he's more than ahead of schedule."
Did the team make enough personnel moves?
The Broncos made one of the biggest moves of this offseason, trading multiple draft picks - including their 2026 first-rounder - to the Miami Dolphins for wide receiver Jaylen Waddle. Waddle teaming up with veteran Courtland Sutton gives the team its most dangerous receiver duo in years.
The Waddle addition is huge… but the team didn't really make any other major adjustments to the roster.
"I don't think there was ever that meeting where we went in and said, ‘All right, we're going to keep a lot of the same guys,'" said Payton "It's hard to measure. There obviously was a lot more transition in '23. Some of those decisions that were made prior to the offseason relative to players' returning, it's just, ‘What are we looking for in a player? What's the skill set? Does he endear himself to his teammates?' Those types of things."
Bottom line: This is a team that knows it is close to where it needs to be.
#BroncosCountry LIVE: HC Sean Payton meets the media https://t.co/gqodYxa2KJ
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) June 17, 2026
What can we expect from offensive coordinator Davis Webb?
Even with all the returning players on offense, there was a new wrinkle they started to get used to at minicamp: Payton has ceded play-calling duties to new offensive coordinator Davis Webb.
Webb was Denver's quarterbacks coach in 2023-24, and the passing game coordinator in 2025. After interviewing for several head coaching jobs after last season (he was a serious contender for the Bills job), Payton made him OC.
"He's been around some real good offenses, sharp minds," said Payton. "So you take those things that you think are important. Then collectively, we put it out as our offense… The key is, ‘What does it fit with our people?' I think he's good at that. He understands that. It moves with the personnel that moves in and out of it. It moves with Bo Nix, ‘What does he do well?' It moves with the pieces of the players that are in there. So I think that's most important."
Even with Webb calling the shots, don't expect Payton to lay low. The offense will reflect Payton at least as much as it will Webb. And while Payton is never one to embrace a conservative attack, he still understands this team wins with defense.
"In order to play real good defense, there are certain things you have to do offensively," Payton said. "That complementary football had a lot to do with how we ended up with a lot of wins a year ago. So we'll be mindful of all of it."
Related: Broncos Are Expecting It All From Bo Nix in Year 3
Related: The 3 Biggest Questions Still Looming for All 32 NFL Teams
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This story was originally published June 22, 2026 at 4:30 AM.