Insider’s draft prediction points to the Broncos’ best play

THE Denver Broncos are on the rise. After years of not meeting the standard set by late owner Pat Bowlen and the fallout from the Russell Wilson trade and release, the Broncos are just two games away from surpassing the win total predicted by oddsmakers just seven weeks into the season regular from 2024.

Standing at 4-3 with a very winnable game at home next week against the Carolina Panterasthe Broncos should remain in the middle of the AFC Wildcard race as long as the defense and special teams continue to play at the top five levels and the offense shows some semblance of growth and consistency. This team may not make the playoffs in January, but after years of being an afterthought, the Broncos are once again relevant to the NFL.

Even though Denver has won four of its last five and is already close to exceeding league-wide expectations this season, it’s important to remember that this team is still in transition. Starting as a rookie quarterback, possessing the league’s highest dead-cap total at $79.3 million, and having just seven top-100 selections and one first-round pick in the last three drafts means this Broncos team shouldn’t be nothing good.

The jury is still out on Bo Nix and the Broncos offense as a whole. However, the combined top-five (or better) play of Denver’s defense and special teams will give this team a chance in almost every game.

While Denver is competing with its arm tied behind its back from a team-building standpoint, the options for improving the roster grow tremendously in the upcoming offseason. Denver will still have a lot of Wilson dead space on the books. Still, ranking 10th in the projected 2025 cap (ranked in the top eight in 2026, 2027 and 2028) and still in possession of all top 100 selections in the 2025 NFL Draft, the Walton-Penner-led Broncos could be aggressive buyers next offseason.

With all these resources to add to the roster, the Broncos will still have some difficult internal moves. One of those difficult moves is the complexity Denver faces in the future of left tackle Garett Bolles.

With a propensity for drawing fouls and erratic up-and-down plays marking most of his rookie season in Denver, Bolles developed into an above-average starter at left tackle. He is far from being a star at the position. Still, given the utter hunger for useful offensive plays in the NFL, let alone above-average ones, Bolles’ contributions are still underrated and overly criticized by fans.

Bolles is a solid left tackle, but will Sean Payton and the Broncos keep him? Given how financially constrained the Broncos have been due to dead money against the cap and Bolles’ current status with only one year remaining on his contract, if the team truly valued Bolles, one would think he would have already been offered a new contract. , while reducing its maximum cap from 2024.

Instead, Denver seemingly prioritized maintaining flexibility with Bolles rather than committing to him in the future with a new contract and guaranteed dollars. It’s entirely possible that Denver was working on an extension with Bolles and that the sides were unable to reach an agreement.

Maybe Denver has a set price to evaluate his play, and maybe Bolles and his representatives have a higher number in mind. With opinions from inside the league regarding the offensive tackle class in the upcoming NFL Draft, Bolles might be wise to take it out and try to hit the market if he wants to maximize his earnings.

According to AtléticoDane Bruglerthe NFL is emphatically impressed with the depth at offensive tackle in 2025. With most teams viewing preseason favorites — LSU’s Will Campbell and Texas’ Kelvin Banks — as guards (as opposed to tackles) and the overall offensive tackle class being much worse than usual, it wouldn’t be shocking to see any free attack. agent player at the position had its value drastically inflated this offseason.