The Denver Broncos had an offseason that fans were very excited about.
Coming off the franchise’s first playoff appearance since 2015, head coach Sean Payton and GM George Paton added some nice weapons.
On defense, the biggest names joining the Broncos were safety Talanoa Hufanga, linebacker Dre Greenlaw and first-round cornerback Jahdae Barron. Denver also re-signed defensive tackle D.J. Jones, a big man in the middle of the line.
On offense, tight end Evan Engram was the big prize in free agency, giving QB Bo Nix a legitimate target at that position. The Broncos drafted running back RJ Harvey in the second-round and also made veteran J.K. Dobbins a late addition.
And all these moves caught the attention of ESPN’s Seth Walder, who handed out his offseason grades on Thursday. Denver received an “A-” which was one of the best in the NFL. Only the Rams got an “A,” while the 49ers and Cardinals joined the Broncos with an “A-” mark. Those were the only four teams in the “A” category.
In a surprise, Walder called the re-signing of Jones Denver’s biggest move, while also giving love to Hufanga, Greenlaw and Engram.
He said his only disappointment was not adding more in the receiver room, and wondered if Payton and Paton might give free agents Keenan Allen or Amari Cooper a call. Allen was someone suggested a couple of weeks ago on this very site.
Overall, Walder is glad the Broncos focused on the defense, and made an astute point about Nix being on a cheap deal for now.
“We often talk about teams pushing their chips in when their quarterback is on a rookie contract, but there’s no requirement to use those chips on offense,” Walder wrote.
Why not make a dominant defense even more elite, hoping for the No. 1 unit in the NFL? That thinking is sound, and clearly part of how Payton and Paton shaped the 2025 roster.
To see the full offseason grades from around the league, click here.