Broncos Player Grades From Impressive 12-2 Start

The Denver Broncos have three games left, so let's examine how the players have graded out through 14 games.

Nov 30, 2025; Landover, Maryland, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) scrambles with the ball against the Washington Commanders in the second quarter of the game at Northwest Stadium. | Peter Casey-Imagn Images

The Denver Broncos sit with a 12-2 record, alone at the top with the best record in the NFL, and a chance to clinch the AFC West and the top seed in the Conference on Sunday vs. the Jacksonville Jaguars. It has been a magical roller-coaster season for the Broncos, with key players stepping up in a big way when the team has needed it. 

To see how the Broncos have gotten to where they are, we will look at the players individually through this point in the season. There have been a few underperforming players, with those who started the season poorly having improved and are now playing at the caliber expected when the season began. So, let’s get to it. 

To qualify, a player must have 360 total snaps on the season, or have played at least 40% of the snaps on their side of the ball. That left out running back RJ Harvey, defensive linemen D.J. Jones, Malcolm Roach, and Eyioma Uwazurike, and wide receiver Marvin Mims Jr., among others. 

Offense 

Bo Nix | QB | Grade: 75.9

Nix has been stringing together great games since the Broncos took on the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 11. With Nix emerging as a legitimate top-10 quarterback, his play has put the Broncos squarely in the Super Bowl conversation as AFC favorites. 

Courtland Sutton | WR | Grade: 69.1

Sutton has been an excellent receiver for the Broncos this year in all phases. He has his quarterback's trust, and whenever the Broncos need a spark or yards, nine times out of 10, Sutton is the guy they look to. 

Troy Franklin | WR | Grade: 60.2

When the Broncos play zone-heavy teams, Franklin has a significant impact when he can secure the ball. He has struggled against man coverage all season long, however. Franklin ranks in the top 20 on multiple metrics for receivers against zone coverage, while being in the bottom 10 against man. 

Pat Bryant | WR | Grade: 63.1

Bryant’s blocking quickly earned him more time on the field, and he has shown his ability to make plays as a receiver, with reliable hands and better-than-expected route running. While he isn’t overly dynamic with the ball in his hands, he could be a good-quality receiver for the Broncos with continued development. 

Evan Engram | TE | Grade: 48.6

Nov 30, 2025; Landover, Maryland, USA; Denver Broncos tight end Evan Engram (1) celebrates after a play against the Washington Commanders with wide receiver Pat Bryant (13) in overtime of the game at Northwest Stadium. | Peter Casey-Imagn Images

Engram has been unable to make a consistent impact on the Broncos' offense as a receiver, and they do everything they can to avoid having him on the field in blocking situations. While Denver is stuck with his 2026 contract, it's a signing the team may already regret. 

Adam Trautman | TE | Grade: 63.5

It was a terrible start to the season for Trautman, who was practically unplayable from Weeks 6 to 11, but he has been great over the last three games. He is trending in the right direction and has looked like a more than capable No. 2 tight end over the previous three games. 

Garett Bolles | LT | Grade: 76.7

Bolles has been exceptional this season, with only one game where he was bad. In every game except the Broncos' game against the Chiefs, Bolles has graded out above 65 and above 75 five times. 

Alex Palczewski | LG | Grade: 39.8

There is a clear weak link on the offensive line, and it's the left guard. The Broncos can't get Ben Powers back quickly enough, as he should provide more help and stability to the run game than Palczewski has. 

Luke Wattenberg | C | Grade: 70.9

The Broncos' center was solid through the season, but ever since he got his extension, he has kicked it up a notch. Since he signed his extension, Wattenberg hasn’t graded below 70, and since becoming a starter in 2024, he has only one other game with at least a 70 grade. 

Quinn Meinerz | RG | Grade: 73.4

Meinerz had a rough start to the season, but he bounced back quickly, and it has all come while he has been dealing with an illness. Meinerz is as reliable as it comes when running behind a blocker.

Mike McGlinchey | RT | Grade: 63.3

Throughout the season, McGlinchey has been maddeningly inconsistent, but the last three games have easily been the best of the season and could be the best of his Broncos career, at least. He has been exceptional, even with some of the NFL’s toughest matchups. 

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Defense

Nov 6, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos defensive end Zach Allen (99) reacts with defensive end John Franklin-Myers (98) during the first half at Empower Field at Mile High. | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Zach Allen | DL | Grade: 67.6

Allen is a dominant force as a pass rusher, and while he has some issues against the run, they haven’t been as prevalent this season. It has been a lot of near misses when it comes to netting sacks, but another season with at least 40 hits is still a significant impact on the game. 

John Franklin-Myers | DL | Grade: 55.2

Franklin-Myers started the season hot, but he has been a big issue for the defense over the past few games. He is still making an impact as a pass rusher, but teams are attacking him in the running game. 

Jonathon Cooper | OLB | Grade: 54.9

The Broncos' pass-rush duo off the edge is dangerous, but Cooper has been undisciplined in his rush lane, opening the door for opposing quarterbacks to move the chains with their legs. That is a problem the Broncos need to correct for their upcoming game, and beyond. 

Nik Bonitto | OLB | Grade: 63.8

Bonitto will never be a great run defender, but he is showing improvement and is now a solid defender who can make big splash plays against the run. His pass-rush prowess is dangerous, and opposing teams continue to choose to leave their offensive tackles on an island, which benefits Bonitto. 

Alex Singleton | LB | Grade: 65.4

It was a terrible start for Singleton, but he has bounced back as the Broncos have found ways to protect him in coverage and limit the negative impact he can have there. His play against the run has been great, even though he struggled there last week. 

Patrick Surtain II | CB | Grade: 71.3

Dec 14, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain II (2) attempts to run for a gain as Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson (9) lies on the field with an injury during the third quarter at Empower Field at Mile High. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

While Surtain missed time, the Broncos' defense still did well, but it was clear they were still missing their star corner. With him back in the starting lineup, he's been quick to show why he is one of the best corners in the NFL. 

Riley Moss | CB | Grade: 61.1

While the penalties haven’t been as frequent, Moss has had more issues with getting beaten in coverage. From a technical standpoint, he's a mess, and that plays a role in many of the penalties he has received. 

Ja’Quan McMillian | CB | Grade: 67.7

While teams have a higher EPA when attacking the slot than they do on the boundary, it comes at the expense of mismatches in the slot rather than McMillian. There have been more struggles from McMillian in recent weeks, but he has played the best out of all Broncos corners for most of the season. 

Brandon Jones | S | Grade: 58.3

The Broncos started using Jones to help cover for Singleton, and it was highly effective. There were plenty of bad moments from Jones, but his injury is concerning for the Broncos' secondary, even with P.J. Locke playing well in relief in their last game. 

Talanoa Hufanga | S | Grade: 59.5

Hufanga has been more than worth the contract and the best non-quarterback free-agent signing in the NFL this year. That remains true, even though he has played two bad games in the last three.