What the Broncos Must Deliver to Unlock Bo Nix's Full Potential

The Denver Broncos still have work to do in the personnel department to help unlock Bo Nix's full potential.

Dec 28, 2024; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) during the second half in the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium. / Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

The Denver Broncos defied the oddsmakers and prognosticators last season, winning 10 games and making the playoffs. The Broncos were convincingly trounced by the Buffalo Bills in the Wildcard Round, but just making it to the NFL tournament snapped a heretofore eight-year drought.

Rookie quarterback Bo Nix was the reason why the Broncos managed to finally get off the scheid. That's not to say that there weren't myriad other contributing factors, like fielding a top-10 defense that led the NFL sacks, excellent coaching across the various position groups, and, of course, the stewardship and vision of Sean Payton.

But without Nix, all of those other factors would have been for naught. We've seen what top-tier defenses can achieve for the Broncos without a franchise quarterback. Various Broncos iterations from 2016-2023 showcased the ceiling, and it's about eight or nine wins, if you have a very good defense and a mid-to-low-tier quarterback.

However, the Broncos were a team that nobody really saw coming last year. They were a sleeper, flying under the radar, but that won't be the case in 2025.

Teams will come at Nix even harder, and opponents will try to attack the Broncos' defensive vulnerabilities, even though it's difficult to pinpoint what they are after a great free-agecy haul brought safety Talanoa Hufanga and linebacker Dre Greenlaw to the Mile High City.

The counterpunch to how teams will attack Nix is a prolific and reliable ground attack, which the Broncos sorely lacked last year. The Broncos' were, in fact, so deficient as a rushing offense that Nix finished second on the team in yardage behind then-starter Javonte Williams.

Nix's mobility is a weapon, but it must be tempered and used with tact. Otherwise, the young quarterback will suffer unnecessary wear and tear.

Even last year, Nix didn't escape the season unscathed, suffering a fractured bone in his back and undergoing a procedure for a separate injury this offseason, which caused him to decline a Pro Bowl invitation. He didn't miss a start, though. The Broncos got lucky there.

What happens next on the Broncos beat? Don't miss out on any news and analysis! Take a second, sign up for our free newsletter, and get breaking Broncos news delivered to your inbox daily!

Making last season's lack of rushing production all the more mystifying is the Broncos' vaunted offensive line. Denver's O-line finished as one of the top two units in the NFL last year, via ESPN and Pro Football Focus.

And yet, the Broncos couldn't run the ball to save their lives. It came down to a lack of talent in the running back stable, and that's why the Broncos have been so intent on adding new blood via the draft.

It was great to see the Broncos bring in tight end Evan Engram to give Nix a reliable interior passing target and a playmaker to help form, as Payton puts, the "interior triangle." But the Broncos are still missing the third dimension of that triangle, so to speak: the running back.

“We’ve talked about it for two years now, the interior triangle of your passing game [is] the tight end, the running back and the third receiver," Payton said on March 31. "When you’re seeing a lot of these coverage shell looks, those positions have to thrive... The matchups inside—it’s hard to play that position if you’re not able to attack the interior triangle of some of the looks we’re getting defensively. This helps Bo.”

So, yes, Engram will be a great boon to Nix in the passing game and he'll take some of the pressure off of Courtland Sutton, too. But the Broncos are still missing the running back to complete the "interior triangle."

Beyond that, though, when the going gets tough this season, the Broncos need to be able to batten down the hatches and run the ball with competence. Jaleel McLaughlin, Audric Estime, Tyler Badie, and Blake Watson make for a good list of No. 2 and No. 3 running back candidates.

None are ever going to be a difference-maker, though the jury's still out on Estime. He lacks the receiving chops to fully flush out Payton's vision, though, so we're, again, back to square one in the needs department.

The Broncos have said that they'll come out of this draft with a running back. We just don't know in which round that back will be selected.

The safest bet will be for the Broncos to draft two running backs, starting with North Carolina's Omarion Hampton at No. 20 overall (if he's there). Let's say the Broncos' first-round pick is Hampton; a great complement to infuse the offense with a one-two punch would be a running back like Tennessee's Dylan Sampson in the third round.

There are various running back combinations the Broncos could target, and it doesn't have to start with Hampton in the first round, though he's the most sure-fire guy the team has a plausible shot at drafting. The Broncos have a very balanced roster as is, with an impressive level of youth spread across it, which means they can spend on a luxury in the draft and double-dip at running back.

Recommended Articles

feed

Throw a couple of draft picks at the running back position. Nix is going to need them this year if the Broncos are going to take that next step forward in the AFC.

---

Join the most outspoken fanbase in Denver Broncos land by connecting with Denver Broncos On SI/Mile High Huddle on Instagram, X, and Facebook, and subscribe on YouTube for daily live-stream podcasts!