Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
Which games on the Broncos’ 2023 schedule are the hardest?
Playing in a tough division in a very competitive conference, the Denver Broncos will face the NFL’s 12th-hardest strength of schedule in 2023.
Here’s a quick look at the hardest games on Denver’s 2023 schedule.
We will be tracking the Broncos’ schedule leaks on this page today.
Story update: View the Denver Broncos 2023 schedule here.
The 2023 NFL schedule is set to be released on Thursday evening. We already know all of the Denver Broncos’ opponents for the upcoming season, but dates and times for the games will be officially announced tonight.
We will be tracking all of the leaks for the Broncos’ 2023 schedule on this page leading up to the official announcement on Thursday evening.
In addition to the regular season schedule, Denver’s preseason schedule is also set to be announced. The Broncos will play three exhibition games in August. Last year, Denver played the Minnesota Vikings, Buffalo Bills and Dallas Cowboys in preseason.
The Broncos will aim to bounce back in 2023 under new coach Sean Payton after going 5-12 last year and finishing in last place in the AFC West.
Follow the Broncos Wire Podcast:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts
[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=482983128]
By releasing OLB Jake Martin, the Broncos will save about $3.8M in 2023 salary cap space.
The Denver Broncos have released veteran pass rusher Jake Martin, according to the NFL’s transaction wire.
Martin (6-2, 242 pounds) was scheduled to earn $4,823,534 this fall after being acquired in a trade with the New York Jets last season.
The Broncos will eat $1 million worth of “dead money” that was guaranteed in Martin’s contract while creating a net savings of $3,823,529 in 2023 salary cap space, according to OverTheCap.com.
After trading Bradley Chubb to the Miami Dolphins in November, Denver sent a 2024 fourth-round draft pick to the Jets in exchange for Martin and a 2024 fifth-round draft pick. He appeared in five games last season, totaling one sack.
Before going from New York to Denver, Martin previously spent time with the Houston Texans and Seattle Seahawks. He will now become a 27-year-old free agent with 16 career sacks on his resume.
The Broncos have to make five roster cuts this week to make room for their undrafted free agent signings. Martin was the first cut and he will likely be the most notable cut.
Follow the Broncos Wire Podcast:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts
[vertical-gallery id=620142]
The Broncos will sell single-game tickets on Thursday, May 11. A limited number of half-price tickets will also go on sale in August.
The Denver Broncos’ 2023 schedule is set to be announced on Thursday evening, and single-game ticket sales will begin immediately after the announcement.
The Broncos announced on Wednesday that a limited number of single-game tickets will go on sale just after 6 p.m. MT on Thursday, May 11 on Ticketmaster, which uses variable and dynamic pricing.
Most (but not all) of the single-game tickets that go on sale Thursday will be single seats, but the club will have some multi-seat sections available as well as some ADA tickets and club seat tickets.
Tickets will sell out quickly — Denver has sold out 410-straight games dating back to the 1970 season. Fans should be aware that the team uses mobile ticketing for all games at Empower Field at Mile High.
Fans should also note that the single-game tickets going on sale Thursday are full-price tickets. The Broncos will have a limited number of half-price tickets available during a sale in August. Details for those half-price tickets will be announced closer to the August sale date.
We will have full coverage of Denver’s 2023 schedule announcement on Broncos Wire on Thursday evening.
Follow the Broncos Wire Podcast:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts
[vertical-gallery id=620142]
Broncos coach Sean Payton, QB Russell Wilson and WR Tim Patrick were courtside for the Nuggets’ win over the Suns last night.
The Denver Nuggets defeated the Phoenix Suns 118-102 to take a 3-2 series lead in the Western Conference semifinals of the NBA playoffs at Ball Arena on Tuesday night.
At least five Denver Broncos players were in attendance for the game, and two of them were courtside with new coach Sean Payton.
Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson and wide receiver Tim Patrick sat next to coach Sean Payton and his wife, Skylene Montgomery. It was apparently a “total coincidence” that they ended up with seats right next to each other.
Denver linebacker Alex Singleton, kicker Brandon McManus and punter Riley Dixon were also at the game, according to KOA Radio’s Brandon Krisztal. Courtland Sutton, Justin Simmons, Kareem Jackson and Caden Sterns have also been spotted at games earlier in the series.
Nikola Jokic had a triple-double in Tuesday’s win with 29 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists. The Nuggets are now one win away from reaching the conference finals.
The Broncos will face the NFL’s 12th-hardest strength of schedule in 2023 based on their opponents’ 2022 records (.517).
Dates and times for 2023 NFL schedule will be announced on Thursday, but we already know what opponents the Denver Broncos will face this season.
Based on 2022 records, the Broncos will face the 12th-hardest strength of schedule in 2023. The teams Denver will play this fall went 148-138-2 last year, good for a combined winning percentage of .517.
This is, of course, an inexact science because rosters have changed since last year so 2022 records aren’t a perfect indicator of how good or bad teams will be in 2023. Another (still flawed) measurement for calculating a team’s strength of schedule is using opponents’ projected win totals for 2023.
Using the projected win totals of their 2023 opponents as the measurement, Sharp Football Analysis has the Broncos with the 13th-hardest strength of schedule in 2023. Fortunately, the Kansas City Chiefs (third-hardest), Las Vegas Raiders (fourth-hardest) and Los Angeles Chargers (seventh-hardest) all have tougher schedules, as least according to the projected win total projections.
Here is the NFL’s complete strength of schedule for 2023, based on records from the 2022 season.
| Rank | Team | Record | Win Pct. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Philadelphia Eagles | 161-123-4 | .566 |
| 2 | Miami Dolphins | 158-127-2 | .554 |
| 3 | New York Giants | 157-129-2 | .549 |
| 3 | New England Patriots | 156-128-3 | .549 |
| 3 | Dallas Cowboys | 156-128-4 | .549 |
| 6 | New York Jets | 155-129-3 | .545 |
| 7 | Buffalo Bills | 155-131-2 | .542 |
| 8 | Washington Commanders | 153-133-2 | .535 |
| 9 | Los Angeles Rams | 152-133-3 | .533 |
| 10 | Las Vegas Raiders | 150-136-2 | .524 |
| 11 | Arizona Cardinals | 148-137-3 | . 519 |
| 12 | Denver Broncos | 148-138-2 | .517 |
| 12 | Seattle Seahawks | 148-138-2 | .517 |
| 12 | Los Angeles Chargers | 149-139-0 | .517 |
| 15 | San Francisco 49ers | 147-139-2 | .514 |
| 16 | Kansas City Chiefs | 147-140-0 | . 512 |
| 17 | Cincinnati Bengals | 146-140-2 | .510 |
| 18 | Chicago Bears | 143-145-1 | .497 |
| 18 | Minnesota Vikings | 143-145-0 | .497 |
| 20 | Detroit Lions | 143-146-0 | .495 |
| 21 | Baltimore Ravens | 138-147-2 | .484 |
| 22 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 138-148-2 | .483 |
| 23 | Jacksonville Jaguars | 135-148-4 | .477 |
| 24 | Green Bay Packers | 137-151-1 | .476 |
| 25 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 134-151-2 | .470 |
| 26 | Cleveland Browns | 131-154-2 | .460 |
| 27 | Carolina Panthers | 130-157-2 | .453 |
| 28 | Tennessee Titans | 127-157-4 | .448 |
| 29 | Indianapolis Colts | 124-162-2 | .434 |
| 30 | Houston Texans | 123-163-2 | .431 |
| 31 | New Orleans Saints | 122-164-3 | .427 |
| 32 | Atlanta Falcons | 119-167-3 | .417 |
The 2023 schedule will be announced at 6 p.m. MT on Thursday, May 11.
Follow the Broncos Wire Podcast:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts
[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=482983128]
Here’s a quick look at the Broncos’ all-time records against each of their 2023 opponents.
The league is set to announce the 2023 NFL schedule on Thursday evening, but we already know the Denver Broncos’ list of opponents for this fall.
The Broncos will face nine AFC opponents this season and five NFC opponents. Their AFC West rivals are obviously their most-faced opponents, while the NFC clubs are among their least-faced opponents.
Denver has a winning record against seven of its 2023 opponents, a losing record against five opponents and an even .500 record against two opponents.
Ahead of the official schedule release on Thursday, here’s a quick look at Denver’s all-time record against each of the team’s 2023 opponents.
Instead of having roster cuts in waves like previous years, the NFL will have one massive 90-to-53 deadline day on Aug. 29 this summer.
The NFL made a significant change to roster cut deadlines this offseason.
In previous years, teams had three dates to make roster cuts. Last year, the first five cuts were due by Aug. 16, followed by five more cuts by Aug. 23, followed by the final 27 cuts by Aug. 30.
This year, the cuts won’t come in waves — at least, they won’t be required to. NFL teams — including the Denver Broncos — will be required to have their 90-man offseason rosters down to 53 players by Tuesday, Aug. 29.
Clubs can cut players before then, but there won’t be designated cutdown dates leading up to the final deadline as there have been in the past. So, in theory, teams could wait to make all 37 roster cuts on the same final deadline day.
After finalizing 53-man rosters this summer, teams will then build 16-player practice squads, giving them 69 total players (plus any other players on injury lists).
Denver’s massive roster cuts deadline day will arrive after the team’s third and final preseason game this summer.
Follow the Broncos Wire Podcast:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts
[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=482983128]
Broncos rookie safety JL Skinner can play deep or down near the box. “I have experience doing both,” the defensive back said.
The Denver Broncos added depth to their secondary in the sixth round of the NFL draft last month when they picked Boise State safety JL Skinner.
Skinner (6-4, 209 pounds) looks like a potential future Kareem Jackson replacement both on film and on paper. Jackon is a hard-hitting safety who often plays down closer to the box while Justin Simmons plays deeper in the secondary as a free safety.
Skinner might one day become a candidate to start at strong safety for Denver, and he’s open to playing anywhere in the secondary.
“At my school, we did a lot of both,” Skinner said after being picked by the Broncos when asked if he plays deep or down near the box. “I have experience doing both, so I’d say I do a lot of work down by the box.
“My school had me rotating down in a box a lot, so just depending on those situations and what the Denver Broncos want me to do, I’m able to do both. I feel very experienced deep in the post and down [in the box].”
After the Broncos re-signed Jackson, Skinner seems very unlikely to start as a rookie. He’s not even a lock to serve as the fourth-string safety this fall given that at least Simmons, Caden Sterns and Jackson are likely above him on the depth chart. P.J. Locke and Delarrin Turner-Yell might have an edge over Skinner at the moment as well.
With a deep safety depth chart, Skinner will face tough competition for playing time in 2023, but he’s a versatile rookie with a promising future outlook and the ability to emerge as a SS or FS.
Follow the Broncos Wire Podcast:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts
[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=482983128]
Here are four predictions for the Broncos’ 2023 schedule.
The league is set to announce the 2023 NFL schedule on Thursday, May 11. Before that, the international schedule, a Black Friday game and select Fox and CBS games will be announced the morning of Wednesday, May 10.
Select Sunday Night Football and Monday Night Football games will also be announced the morning of May 11 before the full schedule is announced on Thursday evening.
We already know the Denver Broncos’ full list of opponents for 2023, and dates and times are set to be announced soon.
The Broncos seem unlikely to play an international game or Black Friday game this fall, but they are technically eligible for both. Here are four quick schedule predictions for Denver ahead of Thursday’s announcement.
