The offseason is here and for the first time in a long-time, the Denver Broncos have the big picture questions answered. Often referred to as “the four pillars” of team building, Denver has them all secure and stable: ownership, general manager, head coach, and quarterback.
Unsurprisingly, this comes in tandem with the Broncos coming off of their first playoff appearance in nearly a decade. This is an organization thought to be on the rise back to the top of the AFC.
Having a franchise-caliber quarterback in Bo Nix under contract for the next four seasons on top of stability across the offensive line with a superstar defensive player in Patrick Surtain II, the Broncos may appear to have some luxury in their team-building approach this offseason.
Many fans will clamor for offensive weaponry, an area of the roster that, outside of Courtland Sutton, is obviously lacking. But that isn’t the only avenue the Broncos could pursue as they continue to forge their roster into a true contender.
Rather than weaponry, the Broncos could also continue to invest in their defensive line. Outside of pairing a superstar quarterback with a quality coach in a stable organization, the other constant for teams that have been continuous contenders is the quality and quantity of premium investments along their team’s defensive line.
For a team like the Broncos that has its quarterback of the future, long-time NFL draft guru Todd McShay recently laid out the "recipe" for climbing to the top of the mountain.
“If you really go study the organizations that have had success, when they have their quarterback, they spend like drunken sailors in the draft with draft capital on defensive front guys," McShay said via Sports Illustrated. "The Chiefs, the Ravens, the Eagles, the Bills – there’s a reason that these organizations stay on top. You got one guy that can make up for a lot on offense, so you better have a great defense to match that quarterback, and that’s the recipe.”
McSay would go on to list the Broncos as one of the teams that would be wise to attempt to replicate that model this offseason.
“This would be the year, if I’ve got three or four picks in the first three rounds, I’m using two or three of them on defensive linemen, because I don’t know if I’m going to have another opportunity to get difference-makers in rounds two and three in future years like I did this year," McShay said.
Barring a trade down from the 20th overall selection and given the Broncos' other needs at all three offensive skill positions, linebacker, and safety, they probably don't have the requisite draft capital to draft as many as three defensive linemen in the 2025 draft.
However, using pick 20 on a pass rusher who profiles completely different than anyone else the team has in the room, like Georgia’s Mykel Williams or Texas A&M’s Shemar Stewart, or adding a young, ascending, cost-control asset on the interior line in Michigan’s Kenneth Grant or Ole Miss’ Walter Nolen, have to be on the table for Denver.
The Broncos could also take a hybrid linebacker type like Georgia’s Jalon Walker or Alabama’s Jihaad Campbell to help add athleticism and versatility to their defensive front. Waves of talent up front defensively wins at any level of football and the only way to keep it strong is to continuously sink premium resources into it.
Even if Denver doesn’t use its first selection on a defensive-front player, don’t sleep on its picks in Rounds 2 to 4 (if not multiple selections). The Broncos'’D-line is in a state of impending turnover with D.J. Jones hitting free agency this season and Malcolm Roach, John Franklin-Myers, and Zach Allen entering a contract year.
The time to invest in the D-line is now to preempt those possible roster holes, especially with a draft class as deep at the position as this one is.
The Broncos need weaponry to help further unlock Nix. Sean Payton is also an offensive-minded head coach, and his history dating back to his 16 years in New Orleans shows that while he wants to score points, he values using premium draft picks on the defensive front.
As McShay noted, given where the Broncos stand from a team-building perspective and the talent of this class, this might just be the year for Denver to double down up front and ensure the defensive line is strong and stable for the foreseeable future as the team attempts to become a perennial contender in the AFC.
