8 positions of need for Broncos in 2025 NFL draft

The Broncos have several key needs ahead of the 2025 NFL draft. Some of them, of course, could be filled during free agency.

The Denver Broncos exceeded expectations in 2024 by making the NFL playoffs with a 10-7 record. After getting bounced in the first round of the postseason, though, the Broncos need to improve the roster to make a deeper run next season.

Here’s an early look at some of the team’s top positions of need ahead of the 2025 NFL draft. Denver could address some of these positions during free agency in March before the draft in April.

1. Tight end: The Broncos need a playmaker at the position and Penn State’s Tyler Warren would be a dream target.

2. Safety: Brandon Jones was excellent in 2024, but P.J. Locke struggled in a full-time starting role. Denver should make Locke a rotational defensive back next season and bring in a new starter across from Jones.

3. Running back: The Broncos need more juice at the position and Javonte Williams is set to become a free agent in March. Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty probably won’t fall to Denver, but can you imagine if he did?

4. Inside linebacker: Alex Singleton is 31 and coming off a torn ACL. Cody Barton and Justin Strnad are both set to become free agents. The Broncos have needed a cover linebacker for years, and they will likely need to add at least one starting caliber ILB in 2025.

5. Wide receiver: Bo Nix desperately needs more weapons on offense. Too many passes were dropped in 2024 and nobody outside of Marvin Mims was a threat to make a big play on every touch.

6. Defensive line: This will become an even bigger need for Denver if D.J. Jones leaves during free agency. At the very least, the Broncos need to add more depth on the defensive line.

7. Cornerback: Riley Moss struggled down the stretch after returning from a knee injury, but he was excellent early in the season. Moss is likely to start across from Pat Surtain again in 2025, but Denver needs to improve the depth behind them.

8. Outside linebacker: Yes, OLB is on the list even after Nik Bonitto totaled 13.5 sacks in 2024. Bonitto is a great pass rusher, but he’s still not stout enough defending the run. Jonathon Cooper is probably the team’s most well-rounded edge defender, but he’s not an elite pass rusher. The Broncos can probably afford to go into 2025 with the same starters, but an outside linebacker capable of setting the edge would be a useful addition.

Denver could also add competition at center, and they will need a new punter if Riley Dixon is not re-signed during free agency (March 12). The 2025 NFL draft will be held in Green Bay from April 24-26.

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10 positions of need for the Broncos in 2024

Here is our list of 10 positions the Broncos should address this offseason.

Denver Broncos general manager George Paton and coach Sean Payton are about to have a busy offseason.

The Broncos are projected to be about $24 million over the salary cap and the team only holds six picks to use in the 2024 NFL draft. Those circumstances could make it difficult for Denver to improve a roster that has plenty of holes going into Payton’s second season.

The Broncos will likely acquire a few more draft picks via trades this spring, and the team can also cut select players and make contract adjustments to create more cap space. It will be a big task, but Denver can add draft capital and create enough cap space to make some key moves this offseason.

So, once the Broncos have the resources required to add players, what positions should Denver target? We’ve put together a list of ten team needs, five on offense and five on defense. Between free agency the draft, the Broncos should address these positions this offseason.

Broncos’ top positions of need in 2023 NFL draft

What are the Broncos’ top needs going into the 2023 NFL draft?

After patching up a bunch of holes during NFL free agency, the Denver Broncos do not have a massive list of needs for the 2023 NFL draft.

That’s good news because the Broncos currently only hold five picks overall, and the team does not have any selections in the first or second rounds. Denver general manager George Paton will have to make the most of his limited draft capital later this month.

Two of the team’s biggest positions of need are at cornerback and center. Most of the Broncos’ other positions of need are mostly depth related.

Here’s a quick look at the team’s biggest remaining roster needs.

What are the Broncos’ biggest remaining needs after free agency?

What are the Broncos’ top positions of need after the initial waves of free agency? Center and cornerback rank near the top of the list.

Before the start of NFL free agency, Broncos Wire published a list of 10 positions of need for the Denver Broncos.

The positions on the list were guard, right tackle, inside linebacker, running back, defensive line, backup quarterback, punter, cornerback, wide receiver and center.

Denver has signed players at all of those positions except WR and C. The Broncos did target a pair of WRs during free agency.

Denver seems to be done making its biggest splashes in free agency, but a few more budget signings could be on deck. So, what are the top positions of need remaining for the Broncos?

1. CB
2. C
3. DL depth
4. OT depth
5. OLB depth
6. RB3
7. WR

And, depending on how confident the team is in Caden Sterns, safety may or may not be a remaining position of need as well. Sterns has made it clear on social media that he is up for an increased role in 2023.

Most of the team’s remaining needs are depth issues, and some of them could be addressed with in-house players such as running back Latavius Murray, swing tackle Cam Fleming and safety Kareem Jackson.

Right now, the team’s top positions of need as the NFL draft approaches seem to be center and cornerback. Perhaps Denver could use their third-round picks to address those two positions in April.

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Broncos’ biggest remaining draft needs after re-signing Kareem Jackson

Safety is less of a priority for the Broncos now, but the team still has a few positions of need ahead of the NFL draft.

After bringing back veteran Kareem Jackson on a one-year contract, the Denver Broncos no longer have a big need at safety going into the 2022 NFL draft. The Broncos might still opt to draft a safety, but the position doesn’t need to be among the team’s primary needs on their to-do list.

So what positions should Denver target in the draft later this month? Here’s a quick look at seven remaining positions of need for the Broncos.

Best draft prospects at Broncos’ biggest positions of need

Here’s a look at the top five draft prospects at each of the Broncos’ biggest positions of need.

It’s never too early to begin looking ahead to the NFL draft, right? Luke Easterling of Draft Wire recently published his list of the top five players at each position for the 2022 NFL draft.

Here’s a look at those players at Denver’s biggest positions of need: quarterback, right tackle, inside linebacker, outside linebacker, defensive line and cornerback.

NFL Draft: Which position will the Los Angeles Rams draft first?

Assessing the 2020 NFL Draft odds and looking at which position the Los Angeles Rams will look to draft with their first pick.

The 2020 NFL Draft began Thursday night with the first round. The Los Angeles Rams did not have a pick in the first round and will make their first player selection in the second round Friday, April 24. They currently hold the 52nd overall pick in the draft. Here, we give you the odds and the best bet for the Rams and their first draft pick based on the odds at BetMGM.

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NFL Draft: Position of LA Rams first drafted player

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Odds last updated Friday, April 24 at 1:30 p.m. ET.

Offense: -110

Defense: -110

The Rams have many needs. Some of their biggest needs entering the 2020 NFL Draft are on the offensive line, linebacker, wide receiver and running back.

Based on the best players available for the second round of the draft, the positions that appear to have the best talent are at receiver, running back and the defensive line.

Only one running back has been selected so far in the whole draft and with the Rams cutting ties with Todd Gurley this offseason, it might be their main focus on Day 2 of the draft.

The best bet for the Rams is to pick OFFENSE (-110).

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4 positions Broncos must improve this offseason

The Denver Broncos need to look for upgrades at these four positional groups during the NFL offseason.

The Denver Broncos are a team with many holes on the roster following a 7-9 season. Those holes could grow bigger should certain players leave as free agents.

The team will need to make upgrades at several spots whether that be through free agency or the draft. How the team goes about making those changes remains to be seen, but here, you will be able to read more about the four most important positions of need for the team.

1. Wide receiver

Without any doubt, the Broncos need to look for a player who can provide more productivity at the wide receiver spot.

Courtland Sutton is a terrific No. 1 target, but Tim Patrick won’t cut it as a No. 2, nor will DaeSean Hamilton, though the latter offers some promise.

Sutton caught 72 passes in 2019 and all other wide receivers on the team combined caught 82. That includes 30 for Emmanuel Sanders, who the Broncos traded to the San Francisco 49ers in October.

Sanders finished with the second-most receptions on the team by a wide receiver, which isn’t a great sign.

Guys like Patrick and Hamilton can be nice role players and added depth, but the Broncos need to find a guy who can fill the role once occupied by Sanders.

Peyton Manning had a ton of success with the combination of Sanders and Demaryius Thomas. This is not to say that Drew Lock is Manning, but if the team gave him another serious threat on the outside to go with Sutton and Noah Fant, it would be supplying the young quarterback with enough tools for ultimate success.

2. Interior offensive line

The Broncos should move on from Ronald Leary this offseason. They can do that by declining his club option. In addition, starting center Connor McGovern is set to become an unrestricted free agent.

At least one of those players won’t be with the team next season and the Broncos need to look for replacements.

Dalton Risner had a terrific rookie season, but the Broncos don’t have much depth in the way of an interior lineman that can play guard or center. Ideally, the team should re-sign McGovern and look to free agency or the draft for a replacement for Leary.

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