標籤: Broncos

Last year, the Denver Broncos had the NFL’s third-best scoring defense. Defensive coordinator Vance Joseph’s unit was a big reason the Broncos were able to win 14 games and were then viewed as a strong candidate to play in the Super Bowl.

Of course, Bo Nix’s ankle fracture at the end of the season derailed the team’s momentum in the playoffs. Still, many would argue that the Broncos have strengthened the roster since then, such as trading their first-round pick in exchange for star receiver Jaylen Waddle. Still, the Broncos have not finished building the roster yet.

Recently, Broncos edge rusher Nick Bonitto discussed the possibility of future Hall of Famer Von Miller returning with DNVR’s Jack Stevens. Bonito admitted that he would “love” to work together with Miller.

“It’s definitely going to be pretty crazy,” Bonito said. “Obviously, everyone would love it. Not just the fans but the players as well. He’s a guy that’s very well-loved here in Denver. My personal favorite player that I’ve ever watched. Just to be able to share a room with him would be amazing.”

The three-time All-Pro is now 37 years old, but he is coming off a nine-sack season, which suggests he may still have something in the tank if a Broncos reunion is still a possibility. If he plays a 15th season, the Broncos could be a fit for someone who definitely still wants to compete for a championship.

RELATED: 4 Denver Broncos QB options while Bo Nix recovers from ankle injury

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Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton recently acknowledged that under Bo Nix, his team has recovered from the broken ankle that kept them out of the AFC Conference Championship. Nix’s injury provides the perfect excuse for Coach Payton to create more competition for the backup QB job in Denver after Jarrett Stidham completed only 54.8% of his passes for 133 yards, a TD and an INT in the team’s playoff loss.

The only other QB on the Broncos’ roster is Sam Ehlinger. But the 2021 sixth-round pick hasn’t thrown an NFL pass with the Colts since 2022. So, if the Broncos want more capable competition behind Nix to help establish their offense, who could Peyton go to coach? Here are four possible solutions.

RELATED: 2026 NFL QB rankings: From the NFL’s worst starting QBs to the best

jimmy garoppolo

Still unsigned and reportedly considering retirement at the age of 34, Garoppolo has been tasked with backing up 2025 NFL MVP Matthew Stafford for the past two seasons. Like the Knicks, Jimmy G does not have a very strong arm, and his top priority is keeping the ball out of harm’s way. He is also a proven winner, having led his team to two Super Bowl appearances. Until the Knicks get back to 100% in Denver, he feels like an ideal bridge QB.

Will Lewis

After the Titans selected Cam Ward No. 1 overall, Lewis will still be only 27 when the season starts. He was sidelined with a shoulder injury last season, but is now back at 100% and likely yearns for a change of scenery. Learning from Coach Payton could provide a springboard for the former second-rounder’s career, and the Titans would likely be willing to trade him as a backup to Mitchell Trubisky.

Anthony Richardson

Would the Broncos be willing to take a low-risk gamble on a highly talented prospect with injury concerns? Richardson is by far the most talented QB available, but the Broncos will have to find fair trade compensation for the former No. 4 overall pick. Still, having a high-potential developmental prospect on hand would be a fun project for the Broncos.

Russell Wilson

Will he really come back? It depends on how desperate Wilson is for another NFL opportunity. He is said to be considering TV job offers and even a contract from the Jets. Still, if Wilson wants a chance to join another Super Bowl contender, he may view the Broncos as a job too good to turn down. He’ll certainly bring a competitive spirit to practice until the Knicks rally the troops.

RELATED: 5 Russell Wilson landing spots before NFL training camps

Dedicated NFL copywriter/editor. My work has been found on SportsNut, Sports Illustrated, Sporting News, MSN, Yahoo, and Minnesota Sports… More about Andrew Buller-Russ

After leading them to the playoffs in consecutive seasons, the Denver Broncos have placed their full trust in franchise quarterback Bo Nix. While Nicks has quickly demonstrated that he was worth the 12th overall pick in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, Broncos general manager George Payton and head coach Sean Payton also understand the importance of the QB position.

While Nix is ​​an above-average starter, it never hurts to continue evaluating the position, in hopes of acquiring a quality backup and even a developmental prospect who could turn into something more.

On Tuesday, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported that EJ Warner, son of Hall of Fame QB Kurt Warner, has accepted an invitation to the Broncos’ rookie minicamp. This doesn’t mean he has signed a contract with the Broncos, but it does mean Warner will get a chance to compete for a roster spot.

Warner, who went undrafted out of Fresno State, spent the past week at the Kansas City Chiefs’ rookie minicamp. The 5-foot-11, 213-pound QB began his college career at Temple before transferring to Rice in 2024 and finishing at Fresno State last season.

He led Fresno State to a 7–3 record while completing 69.3% of his passes for 2,030 yards, 13 TDs and 11 INTs. Warner is just 22 years old, but before embarking on a highly successful NFL career that included winning Super Bowl XXXIV, he faced an uphill climb to make the roster, just like his father.

Now his son would also like to follow his father’s footsteps unopposed. But EJ is at a severe height disadvantage, which means he’ll have to work even harder to make a lasting impression.

RELATED: 10 Pittsburgh Steelers QB options as Aaron Rodgers’ patience is wearing thin

Dedicated NFL copywriter/editor. My work has been found on SportsNut, Sports Illustrated, Sporting News, MSN, Yahoo, and Minnesota Sports… More about Andrew Buller-Russ

Explaining his joy in helping kids take their interest in football to a new level, Zeke Dobbins set himself up to go viral for the wrong reasons.

If not for some serious knee injuries during his NFL career, Denver Broncos running back JK Dobbins could be viewed as one of the better players at his position in the league. Unfortunately, he has only played 43 games since being selected in the second round by the Baltimore Ravens in the 2020 NFL Draft.

Still, when he has been healthy, he has been an impact player on every team he has been on. But, football fans may be unaware of his interest in using the notoriety he has gained to make an impact off the field. That was the focus of a recent conversation with ESPN, as he talked about some of the work he did at a youth soccer camp in Mexico. However, the way he said it was not nice at all.

JK Dobbins stats (2025): 772 rushing yards, 4 touchdowns, 5.0 yards per carry

“I also like touching kids with different types of upbringings. I like touching kids who don’t have it as fortunate as others,” Dobbins said of his recent football camp appearance. “Mexico City was a great opportunity for me because I want to touch the children, I want to touch them. I want to be able to speak not only in English, but also in Spanish.”

Of course, Dobbins’ comments were harmless, and his work in expanding the game to different countries as well as working in disadvantaged communities should be commended. However, in an era where convicted and deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein is a hot-button topic internationally, any comment about touching children will turn heads.

Not surprisingly, since the clip hit social media, it has garnered a lot of comments from the peanut gallery on those platforms, including Reddit, TikTok, and Instagram.

Dobbins’ agent and Broncos front office executives were understandably outraged when they learned of the poorly worded comments this week.

After earning a journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos worked as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sacca… More about Jason Burgos

On Tuesday, the Denver Broncos made a splash in the trade market by acquiring wide receiver Jaylen Waddle from the Miami Dolphins in exchange for hefty draft compensation that also included a first-round pick in this year’s draft. The move gives Bo Nix and company another explosive downfield weapon to pair next to Courtland Sutton, and signals the team’s full commitment to winning now after making an appearance in the AFC Championship Game this year.

Another big name that many think could be on the trade market this year is Philadelphia Eagles head AJ Brown, and now, more information is emerging from NFL insider Diana Russini of The Athletic about whether or not Denver expressed any interest in him before nixing the Waddle deal.

“Despite speculation, I’ve been told the Denver Broncos never expressed interest in trading for AJ Brown. They always had their eye on Jaylen Waddle. Sean Payton and Bo Nix are getting a new threat,” Russini, formerly of the X, told Twitter.

It remains to be seen if the Eagles will actually want to trade Brown after a tumultuous relationship with the receiver over the past few seasons, which culminated in the booing of the home fans when he dropped a key pass in the playoffs against the San Francisco 49ers last year.

Meanwhile, the Broncos’ offense, which couldn’t do anything in blizzard-like conditions against the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game, now has another proven downfield threat who is a nightmare for opposing defenses in open space.

Giving up multiple draft picks is no small price to pay, but if Waddle can stay healthy and produce, it could pay huge dividends for Denver as they try to make another deep playoff run next year.

The rumors of a deal for AJ Brown from the New England Patriots and Los Angeles Rams got even tougher after the deal that sent Miami Dolphins star Jaylen Waddle to the Denver Broncos.

One of the biggest stories in the NFL over the past few weeks has been on the future of Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver AJ Brown. The three-time Pro Bowler didn’t hide his disappointment with the way he was used during the 2025 season. This has led to much speculation that the Eagles could move him this offseason.

While both the Rams and Patriots are reportedly the two top contenders for the 28-year-old, rumors suggest the current asking price is a significant hurdle in securing a deal. Well, the new trade sending Jaylen Waddle to Denver would strengthen Philadelphia’s case for demanding at least a first- and second-round pick in a trade for the Browns.

On Tuesday, the Broncos agreed to send a first (No. 30), third- and fourth-round pick for Waddle and a fourth-rounder in next month’s NFL Draft.

Why is the Jaylen Waddle trade bad for the Patriots and Rams?

The trade return for Miami is bad news for the Patriots, Rams and any other team interested in trading for the Browns. The expectation is that patience and the Eagles’ ongoing salary cap issues may lead to general manager Howie Roseman lowering his current price for the star receiver. That’s no longer a possibility after what the Dolphins got for Waddle.

The 27-year-old is a good pass catcher and has the talent to become a true WR1. However, he benefited greatly from being on the other side of the field from future Hall of Famer Tyreek Hill. Still, he has only had three seasons with 1,000 or more receiving yards in five years, and he has never earned Pro Bowl honors.

Brown is a three-time Pro Bowler who has had fewer than 1,000 yards receiving in only one of his seven NFL seasons. If Waddle can get a first, third and fourth rounder, Brown’s value should be much higher as he has a far better resume and is only a year older. If the Patriots or Rams want Brown, it would cost at least a first- and second-round draft pick.

After earning a journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos worked as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sacca… More about Jason Burgos

Sean Payton and the Denver Broncos fell short of their goals this season, but this group looks like they could be a step or two away from reaching the Super Bowl in the near future. Franchise quarterback Bo Nix isn’t going anywhere, and after retaining Vance Joseph, the Broncos’ third-ranked scoring defense should remain elite in 2026.

Now the Broncos may need a little more help to become the class of the AFC. Recently, Coach Payton sat down with an old friend about a position on his staff.

According to KUSA’s Mike Klis, the Broncos talked to former Minnesota Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer about a role on the coaching staff last week. Payton wants Zimmer to join the Crew in a “senior coaching” role.

Payton and Zimmer reportedly share mutual interest in making a deal, but as Klis reports, nothing is imminent. Zimmer worked with Payton on the Dallas Cowboys from 2003 to 2005. Now, almost 20 years later, the two may be reunited.

Zimmer last served in the NFL as the Cowboys’ defensive coordinator in 2024. If they can come to an agreement on a contract he will bring over 20 seasons of NFL experience to Denver. With the Broncos making back-to-back trips to the playoffs, Denver appears to be a good fit for Zimmer if he wants to add to his Super Bowl ring collection after winning one in 1995.

RELATED: Minnesota Vikings trying to trade Pro Bowl player

Dedicated NFL copywriter/editor. My work has been found on SportsNut, Sports Illustrated, Sporting News, MSN, Yahoo, and Minnesota Sports… More about Andrew Buller-Russ

週日下午的亞足聯冠軍賽在寒冷的天氣裡，新英格蘭愛國者隊和丹佛野馬隊這兩個賽季聯盟中表現最好的球隊進行了一場交鋒。恰如其分的是，即使博尼克斯缺陣，我們在亞足聯冠軍爭奪戰中也進行了一場精彩的對決，以確定誰將進入超級碗。

讓我們深入了解一下亞冠冠軍賽中愛國者隊對陣野馬隊的勝者和敗者，新英格蘭隊以亞冠冠軍的身份重新登頂。

獲勝者：德雷克·梅耶，四分衛，新英格蘭愛國者隊

現代 NFL 優先考慮雙重威脅四分衛是有原因的。週日在丹佛，德雷克·梅耶 (Drake Maye) 沒有取得任何進展，最終在 26 次回撤中僅淨傳球碼 65 碼。新英格蘭隊贏得這場比賽的並不是他的手臂。梅耶衝球 65 碼，包括新英格蘭隊唯一的達陣和他在 3 號和 5 號球上鎖定比賽的 7 碼衝球，被證明是至關重要的。梅耶在 NFL 季后賽中的表現並不出色，但他總是在新英格蘭隊絕對需要的時候上場。

失敗者：肖恩·佩頓，丹佛野馬隊主教練

肖恩·佩頓毫不掩飾他對野馬隊四分衛賈勒特·斯蒂德漢姆參加亞足聯冠軍賽的信心。狂妄自大是一件危險的事情，這對丹佛來說肯定代價高昂。第二節愛國者隊14碼線外，野馬隊打出4比1，有機會通過投籃領先10分。每個人都知道這將是一場低得分的比賽，但佩頓對待這種情況就像他有波尼克斯一樣，而丹佛隊不能滿足於投籃命中。第四次進攻失敗。

然後，就在半場結束前，掘金隊在還剩 41 秒時從愛國者隊 40 碼線投進了 2 分和 10 分。佩頓並沒有簡單地定位為較短的射門嘗試，而是讓斯蒂德漢姆打出侵略性。丹佛最終不得不接受一個 54 碼的射門，但威爾·盧茨 (Wil Lutz) 投丟了。佩頓對他的替補四分衛過於自信，導致野馬隊今天丟了 6 分。

獲勝者：馬文·米姆斯，外接手，丹佛野馬隊

有了一名替補四分衛，一場比賽就可以在亞足聯冠軍爭奪戰中發揮重要作用。丹佛外接手馬文·米姆斯 (Marvin Mims Jr.) 用他的長距離擊敗了前場深處的克里斯蒂安·岡薩雷斯 (Christian Gonzalez)，他接球 52 碼，將野馬隊的進攻定在愛國者隊 7 碼線處。兩回合後，斯蒂德姆擊中了空位的考特蘭·薩頓，取得了本場比賽的第一次達陣。事實證明，米姆斯的這場精彩表現更為關鍵，因為天氣和斯蒂德漢姆的困境阻止了丹佛在空中做出任何其他爆炸性的事情。

失敗者：安迪·博雷加萊斯，K，新英格蘭愛國者隊

新英格蘭隊的新秀踢球手在亞冠賽上的處境並不好。半場結束前，球隊要求他在63碼外嘗試一腳射門，但他偏出了左側。他在下一次突破中投進一球，為愛國者隊取得領先。然而，第三次嘗試時，風雪並沒有給他帶來任何好處。在八次進攻後，博雷加萊斯完成了 51 碼的射門，博雷加萊斯在右側完成了一次 46 碼的射門，這將使新英格蘭隊以達陣的方式領先。這也給了丹佛掘金一些急需的信心，讓他們有機會在第四節通過射門扳平比分。對於博雷加萊斯來說，環境很重要，但他的投籃命中率仍然是 3 投 1 。

獲勝者：萬斯·約瑟夫，丹佛野馬隊防守協調員

進入亞足聯冠軍賽時，野馬隊的防守是 NFL 中防守覆蓋率最高的球隊之一。在防守協調員萬斯·約瑟夫的領導下，它一直是這支球隊的主力。在超級碗岌岌可危的情況下，這位丹佛防守球員向德雷克·梅耶和愛國者隊拋出了一些新的東西。在狂風和大雪接管比賽之前，野馬隊在上半場將愛國者隊的進攻控制在72碼，其中第一節的淨傳球碼數為-2。這是自 1991 年以來亞足聯冠軍賽第一節第五少的淨傳球碼數。這一切的關鍵是什麼？正如本·索拉克（Ben Solak）所指出的，約瑟夫部署了賽季最高的區域覆蓋率。這是來自丹佛的防守診所，這正是它所需要的中鋒替補四分衛。

失敗者：賈勒特·斯蒂德姆（Jarrett Stidham），四分衛，丹佛野馬隊

除了達陣之外，賈勒特·斯蒂德漢姆在亞冠冠軍賽中表現不佳。我們將從失誤開始。在丹佛 21 碼線處的第三長球上，球隊以 7-0 領先，他向後爬，在一次脫衣袋/向後傳球中失去了足球，這讓新英格蘭隊在野馬隊 12 碼線處獲得了足球。他送給愛國者隊7分。顯然，他還沒有完成。隨著丹佛賽季的臨近，斯蒂德漢姆在第 1 號和第 10 號中僅投出一球，洩氣的深球被克里斯蒂安·岡薩雷斯輕鬆接下。我們還可以指出斯蒂德漢姆在半場結束前出界進行 1 碼擒殺，而不是將足球扔掉。也許威爾·盧茨投籃命中，或者距離更近一碼。或者，也許時間上多了幾秒鐘，愛國者隊甚至沒有機會在半場前投籃（射失）。

獲勝者：克里斯蒂安·岡薩雷斯，CB，新英格蘭愛國者隊

克里斯蒂安·岡薩雷斯在丹佛觸地得分時犯了罕見的錯誤。此後他鎖定了自己的位置，表現得像全職業球員一樣。在當天早些時候搶斷傳球後，岡薩雷斯進行了跳躍式攔截，將匕首插入了野馬隊的心臟。岡薩雷斯在 2023 年 NFL 選秀中以第 17 順位被選中僅僅幾年後，現在就成為愛國者隊進軍超級碗的最大原因之一。

獲勝者：倫納德·泰勒三世，DT，新英格蘭愛國者隊

總有一個不太可能的英雄發揮作用，幫助他的球隊進入超級碗。在亞冠賽上，愛國者隊的防守截鋒倫納德·泰勒（Leonard Taylor）。這位身高 6 英尺 3 英寸的防守鋒線球員在常規賽中只打了 55 次防守搶斷，如今他主要在特勤隊中使用。然而，他舉起了手臂，利用巨大的身軀擋開了威爾·盧茨可能扳平比分的射門。事實證明，這才是決定比賽的關鍵。對於一名前落選自由球員來說，這還不錯。

馬特·約翰遜 (Matt Johnson) 是《Sportsnaut》雜誌《NFL》和《大學橄欖球》的高級編輯。他的工作包括每週 NFL 和大學……有關馬特·約翰遜的更多信息

亞足聯冠軍賽的舞台已準備就緒，新英格蘭愛國者隊和丹佛野馬隊將於週日下午進行對決。這當然不是每個人都預測的本賽季亞冠冠軍爭奪戰，但常規賽中最好的兩支亞冠球隊現在正面交鋒是很合適的。

讓我們深入了解我們的亞足聯冠軍賽預測，我們的每個選擇還提供統計數據和分析，作為愛國者隊與野馬隊的預覽。

丹佛野馬隊、新英格蘭愛國者隊第一節一分未得

愛國者隊本賽季往往開局很快。 2025 年，新英格蘭隊的第一節進攻平均得分排名第二（6.8）。憑藉德雷克·梅耶在前場的出色進攻能力和拉蒙德·史蒂文森在賽季末的表現，愛國者隊在熱身方面做得非常出色。不過，我們認為亞冠賽第一節兩隊都無法拿分。

在對陣洛杉磯閃電隊和休斯頓德州人隊的比賽中，愛國者隊的進攻拿下 7 分，六次進攻總共推進 75 碼。季后賽第一節，新英格蘭隊在六次進攻中兩次失誤，場均推進僅 3.6 碼。面對野馬隊常規賽第一節失分第十少的防守（3.9分），愛國者隊的進攻將在客場的早期位置陷入停滯。同樣，賈勒特·斯蒂德漢姆自 2024 年 1 月 7 日以來的第一次首發將很難取得任何進展，當時他在第 18 週對陣拉斯維加斯突襲者隊的比賽中四分衛評分僅為 82.0。

閱讀更多：2026 年 NFL 防守排名，分區冠軍周末防守排名

Kayshon Boutte 衝球 60 碼以上達陣

對於 Kayshon Boutte 來說，這是一個突破性的賽季。常規賽期間，他場均接球推進 69.6 碼，每次接球推進 16.7 碼，同時達陣數創下職業生涯新高（6 次）。這位前第六輪新秀在季后賽的傳球比賽中也發揮了不可或缺的作用，他在 9 個目標上總共傳出 141 碼，每場比賽至少有一次傳球碼數超過 30 碼。德雷克·梅耶 (Drake Maye) 是 NFL 中深投命中率最高的球員之一（12.5%），你可以保證他會在周日的亞足聯冠軍賽中將目標瞄準布特。

尤其如此，因為布特可能會吸引萊利·莫斯的大量報導。丹佛這位身高 6 英尺的角衛本賽季在防守範圍內被瞄準 118 次，在防守範圍內允許接球碼數為 850 碼，平均目標深度為 11.9。梅耶將在周日測試他，而布特將能夠在前場創造一些分離。他要么在紅區內受到防守傳球干擾的處罰，要么擊敗莫斯取得 30 碼以上的達陣。也許點球讓布特無法進入達陣區，但我們認為他推進了 60 多碼並得分。

賈勒特·斯蒂德漢姆在亞足聯冠軍賽中下蛋

博尼克斯的受傷讓亞冠冠軍賽的興奮感大打折扣。肖恩·佩頓對賈勒特·斯蒂德姆充滿信心，他自 2003 年起就加入了野馬隊。這位經驗豐富的四分衛非常了解佩頓的體系，我們毫不懷疑，這位 NFL 最好的進攻頭腦之一會找到方法讓他的信號呼叫者看起來更好，同時盡可能減輕他的壓力。

然而，這仍然是斯蒂德漢姆帶領的進攻。他最後一次參加比賽是在 2023 年，自 2019 年進入聯盟以來，他在常規賽中只嘗試了 197 次傳球。斯蒂德姆上一次獲得重要出場時間是在 2023 年的第 17-18 週，野馬隊的進攻場均得到 15 分，總碼數為 299.5 碼，成功率排名第 22 位（40.9%）。在那兩場比賽中，斯蒂德漢姆在閃電戰中的完成率為 43.8%，在壓力下的四分衛評分為 76.9。將所有這些與職業生涯 4.1% 的攔截率相結合；我們預計斯蒂德漢姆在這場比賽中至少有 1 次攔截、3 次以上擒殺，並且每次嘗試的平均碼數將低於 6 碼。

愛國者隊贏得亞冠比賽

如果野馬隊擁有出色的衝鋒進攻能力，能夠真正承擔起進攻的重擔，那將是一回事。不幸的是，尼克斯的爬行能力是他們在地面上取得成功的一部分。 RJ 哈維現在面臨更大的壓力，自第 10 週以來，他在 102 次嘗試中平均每次傳球推進僅 3.4 碼。丹佛可以使用更高效的賈里爾·麥克勞林，但這場地面比賽沒有爆炸性元素。這只會留下太多的問題需要在進攻端彌補。

德雷克·梅耶在季后賽中表現不佳，在兩場比賽中出現六次掉球並多次被攔截。話雖如此，他仍然在關鍵時刻做出了一些絕對華麗的投籃，為新英格蘭隊得分。愛國者隊絕對可以在這裡休息一下，亞足聯冠軍賽只是增加了歷史上疲軟的賽程。然而，梅耶和邁克·弗拉貝爾只是擊敗了擺在他們面前的對手。週日，新英格蘭隊將成為亞足聯冠軍。

馬特·約翰遜 (Matt Johnson) 是《Sportsnaut》雜誌《NFL》和《大學橄欖球》的高級編輯。他的工作包括每週 NFL 和大學……有關馬特·約翰遜的更多信息