Jeff LegwoldMar 8, 2025, 11:00 AM
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ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Heading into 2025 NFL free agency, the Denver Broncos are in position to strengthen their roster in a way they haven't been for decades.
For the first time since ... well, maybe the inception of the salary cap in 1994, the Broncos have a young, homegrown quarterback they feel really good about building around. And not only do they believe Bo Nix is their franchise QB, he's also on a rookie contract for at least three more seasons.
If Nix continues to live up to the Broncos' expectations, there will be a nine-digit contract extension in his future. But right now, the team's top decision-makers know they must strike while the iron's hot, as they have a roster that's good enough to return to the AFC playoffs.
"Obviously, with a young quarterback in place, it's a little clearer than it was this time last year," coach Sean Payton said at the combine in Indianapolis. "There are still certain things that we have identified that we think are important. Then the puzzle is with free agency and the draft trying to best meet those needs. ... It's good to be in that position, and we have to be able to take advantage of it."
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When Payton and general manager George Paton spoke in Indy, there was plenty of attention given to players who would most help Nix in the Broncos' offense. Denver struggled with consistency this past season despite scoring 425 points, their most since 2014. The Broncos had the third-worst three-and-out percentage in the league (26.3%).
To that end, Payton's pursuit of a "joker" -- a running back or tight end who can move around the formation and create difficult matchups -- is a priority. The Broncos didn't have a tight end in the top 200 of the league's yards-after-catch rankings in 2024 (Adam Trautman was No. 210). This free agency class offers a limited number of tight ends, but Juwan Johnson played two seasons under Payton with the Saints. He wouldn't be the finite solution to the Broncos dilemma, though, since running back Alvin Kamara has always been New Orleans' premiere "joker."
"It's kind of like the Loch Ness Monster of trying to find a 'joker,'" Paton said with a smile. "I've played Sean's teams that have had them, and they're hell."
As for free agent running backs, 30-year-old Aaron Jones might be one of the better runner/receiver fits available when the negotiating period begins Monday. Jones has four 1,000-yard rushing seasons and five 40-catch seasons in his career. In 2024, he set a career-high in rushing yards (1,138) and recorded his second-most receiving yards (405) in a season.
The Broncos can also use the draft to revamp their running back room. Like most teams, they left Indianapolis feeling that running back is one of the draft's deepest positions. They may not have a chance at Boise State's Ashton Jeanty with the No. 20 pick, but players such as North Carolina's Omarion Hampton, Tennessee's Dylan Sampson and Georgia's Trevor Etienne present intriguing potential in the first few rounds.
"I think it's a good year to maybe go get a back because there are so many," Paton said.
Drafting a tight end is another matter. Penn State's Tyler Warren certainly fits the do-it-all job description, but he likely won't fall to the Broncos' pick. The team met face-to-face with several other high-profile tight ends at the combine, though, including Michigan's Colston Loveland.
Loveland had right shoulder surgery after the season and showed up to the combine in a sling. But he said he expects to be medically cleared for running and conditioning by OTAs, and that he would be cleared for full participation by training camp. He's confident that he's one of the better tight end options, too.
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"[The shoulder] feels great, surgery went great," Loveland said. "I would say I'm one of the best route runners in this draft, I truly believe that. I think I've got great hands and obviously I've got lot to work on, but I feel like I'm pretty polished."
But Payton said the Broncos still must take a broader view in the weeks ahead -- a more all-boats-rise-with-the-tide approach, especially in the first round of the draft. The defensive line could also be an area Denver focuses on early, as defensive tackle D.J. Jones is a free agent and the draft class is deep both at tackle and on the edge.
"The running back and tight end could obviously help in [Nix's] development," Payton said. "And then I would also say a really good elite pass rusher would help in his development and a really good cover corner. I'm only saying that, meaning the best player that helps the team get better is going to help in his development."
A trip to the wild-card round was progress last season, but that sort of success isn't guaranteed to continue.
"The one thing we have to avoid is this idea that we are going to pick up where we left off. I don't like that because our league has shown that the season ends, and you take the proverbial game board, you take all the pieces and dump them and you start again," Payton said. "Certainly you are more confident, the experience has helped a number of players ... I am encouraged with some of the things that we did this past season and yet we are still hungry for more."