After going 10-7 last season and finishing third in the AFC West theDenver Broncos are entering the season with high expectations. They have added several pieces to the team offensively and defensively to improve the roster. As the team starts mandatory minicamp in preparation for the season opener against the San Francisco 49ers head coach Sean Payton is excited about having high expectations.
“I think pretty good,” Payton said. “I think they have a high standard of how they see themselves and where we can be.”
“I think we’re handling it well,” safety Brandon Jones said Tuesday. “I will say, we’re still a young team. I think that just kind of brings that juice and energy and kind of that overall dog mentality that we all have. We never want to get comfortable; [you] never can get comfortable in this league. So I think we’re just going to keep striving for greatness and continue to do what we can do.”
Emerging Defensive Identity
On paper, the defense has all the pieces with a shutdown cornerback or two, a push-you-back defensive line, and a linebacking group ripe with athleticism. Younger players look poised for breakout campaigns, and with Vance Joseph establishing a promising aggressive scheme built for creating turnovers the sky is the limit for the defense.
The defense can win a lot of games for the Broncos as they finished in the top ten in several categories last season. Payton plans on the defense to help put a string of wins together for the team.
“Any team really that’s been worth their salt has always put a string of wins together,” Payton said. “We need to start faster. The last two years, we haven’t. But I like where we’re at right now.”
Offense is Better
The Broncos’ offense is a lot better than last year as starting quarterback Bo Nix is in his second season. Starting tackle Garett Bolles is confident that the offense has all the right tools with the help of the coaching staff to be one of the better offenses in the league.
“I think we’ve just got to stay calm and composed and just focus on the game and attack each opponent the same way, the way we study, the way that we game-plan, the way that we do things,” said tackle Garett Bolles on how to string wins together in 2025. “We have a hell of a coaching staff here. We do. One of the best in the NFL for a reason. Coach Payton, I love him dearly. … Just his coaching experience, his mindset [and] his culture that he builds is so special.”
The front office focused on the trenches, improving protection on both lines. Veteran additions, strategic draft picks, and free-agent signings have strengthened the foundation, enhancing both pass protection and running the ball which are two areas often identified as weaknesses in years past.
“I’ll put our team up against anybody in the league,” Bolles said. “We’ve just got to focus on getting better every single day and focus on the important things. And then when it’s time to rock and roll, we’ll rock and roll.”
