The new collective bargaining agreement being negotiated between NFL owners and the NFLPA includes changes to the league’s playoff system. Under the current system, six teams from each conference make the playoffs each year.
Under the proposed new CBA, seven teams from the AFC and NFC would reach the postseason — four division winners and three Wild Card teams. Under such a format, only the No. 1 seeds would have first-round byes.
The new format could be in place in time for the 2020 season.
Increasing the number of teams in the playoffs could be good news for the Broncos, who haven’t won the AFC West since 2015. Denver went 9-7 in 2016 and barely missed the postseason. Under the new rule, nine wins will likely give a team a better chance to reach the playoffs than in previous years.
Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes will help Kansas City stay in contention to win the division every year. Now the Broncos, in addition to competing for the AFC West, can also compete for seed Nos. 5-7 in the AFC.
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