Broncos on the lookout for vast receiver upgrades in 2025 offseason

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Because the Denver Broncos transfer by way of their debrief of the 2024 NFL season and begin to kind the plan for the 2025 season, they’re wrestling with one vital merchandise on offense — discovering extra influence receivers for younger quarterback Bo Nix.

“I believe all of us really feel like we wish to make Bo’s life straightforward, in order that when he is again there, he has choices,” vast receiver Courtland Sutton stated close to the top of the season. “We at all times wish to maintain pushing to ensure he feels good about the place to go along with the ball — that we’ll all make performs for him.”

Sutton appeared like a one-man band at receiver a lot of the time, main the Broncos in receptions (81), receiving yards (1,081) and touchdowns (eight). Whereas it is not uncommon for a receiver to guide a staff within the three main classes, Sutton’s reception complete was 40 greater than the Broncos’ subsequent vast receiver (Devaughn Vele). He had 578 yards and two touchdowns greater than subsequent vast receiver in these two classes, too (Marvin Mims Jr.).

In order the Broncos seek for methods to enhance their offense and for Nix to construct on an encouraging debut season during which he threw 29 landing passes — the second-highest complete for a rookie in NFL historical past — upgrading their vast receiver room this offseason is a excessive precedence.

“There’s nothing that is ever promised,” Broncos coach Sean Payton stated. “You actually by no means choose up from the place you left off. You rake the whole lot again all the way down to rubble, and also you begin once more. That is what we plan on doing.”

The Broncos are on the lookout for playmakers all through the offense this offseason. Payton has publicly stated the seek for his coveted “joker” participant — the multi-task operating/receiving possibility he can transfer everywhere in the formation — is on. However getting extra influence out of non-Sutton receivers to assist Nix would possibly supersede the joker quest. Sutton was the one Broncos vast receiver among the many league’s prime 47 gamers in share of vertical routes run this season (he completed twenty fourth at 40%), whereas Mims was the one Broncos vast receiver among the many league’s prime 122 gamers in yards after the catch (twenty third, 470).

The dearth of a number of constant receiving choices left the Broncos’ offense caught in ruts too usually. Whereas there have been loads of positives — the Broncos scored extra factors (425) than that they had since 2014 and completed seventh within the NFL in purple zone landing share (62.5%) — their offense was lowered to a gradual drip at instances.

Solely two groups — the Carolina Panthers and the New York Giants — had three-and-out possessions extra usually than the Broncos (26.3% of drives), and the Broncos have been tied for twenty sixth within the league in performs of 10 or extra yards (188). So that they punted so much in between touchdowns and infrequently discovered themselves lowered to slowly grinding out drives. They hope that getting Nix extra assist can reduce that.

“Bo captured this locker room by the way in which that he works, by the person who he’s and the way in which that he progressed,” Broncos deal with Mike McGlinchey stated. “The development from him going ahead is simply going to be exponential … and all of us want to assist him extra.”

Payton stated that he sees development potential among the many Broncos’ present receivers that would doubtlessly restore among the points. Vele was a dependable possibility for Nix within the quick and intermediate areas, as his 41 receptions have been second to Sutton’s on the place. Mims added some downfield punch when the Broncos upped his snap depend within the second half of the season. His two 100-yard receiving video games got here within the final 5 weeks of the season, and his 93-yard landing reception in a Week 13 win over the Browns was the Broncos’ longest play of the season.

Payton has additionally stated Troy Franklin is on monitor to offer extra influence down the sphere after a full offseason. Franklin had only one sport with greater than two receptions throughout his rookie season however supplied a glimpse of his potential in Denver’s wild-card loss to the Payments, catching a 43-yard landing move from Nix to present the Broncos an early 7-0 lead.

Denver can be additionally on the lookout for outdoors assist to present Nix extra playmaking receivers. Broncos basic supervisor George Paton stated proper after the season that he anticipated the Broncos to have about $52 million in wage cap area by the point the brand new league yr begins on March 12. The Broncos can have $33 million of useless cash towards the 2025 wage cap — $32 million as a part of quarterback Russell Wilson‘s launch final March — however ought to have no less than $38-40 million value of wage cap area to take part in free company.

Of the high-profile receivers scheduled to be unrestricted free brokers, the Bengals’ Tee Higgins and Buccaneers’ Chris Godwin are the youngest. Higgins, who can be considered one of essentially the most coveted gamers no matter place, is 26 and Godwin will flip 29 on the finish of this month.

There may even be veteran receivers on the commerce market such because the Rams’ Cooper Kupp and the 49ers’ Deebo Samuel. However each gamers would deliver vital 2025 cap hits. Kupp would price $12.5 million towards the cap if Rams commerce him after he will get a roster bonus on the fifth day of league yr or $20 million if he’s traded earlier than that. Samuel would price $16 million towards the cap with a contract that already additionally has 4 voidable years in place after 2025.

Additionally they deliver on-field questions, as Kupp turns 32 earlier than the season and Samuel has by no means performed in each sport of a season in his profession.

The Broncos may additionally look to the draft. They at present personal the No. 20 choose within the first spherical. Receiver prospects who may very well be obtainable for the Broncos with their preliminary choose embody Missouri’s Luther Burden III, Ohio State’s Emeka Egbuka and Texas’ Matthew Golden. Ought to they deal with different positions in Spherical 1, big-framed receivers who match the profile Payton needs on the place like Illinois’ Pat Bryant, Iowa State’s Jayden Higgins and LSU’s Kyren Lacy may very well be choices on Days 2 and three.

“We now have extra data now relative to the place we’re as a staff,” Payton stated. “There are a number of necessary items clearly that may assist us. … It is a participant, it is two gamers, it is the road of scrimmage, it is the kicking sport. We’re not wanting backwards; we’re wanting forward.”