7 Young Broncos Who Must Step Up in 2025

The Denver Broncos have a strong but young roster. Making it back to the playoffs in 2024, the Broncos are now looking to take the next step: a playoff victory.

To do so, naturally, the Broncos need some of the young guys on the roster to either turn another corner or step up. While youth is associated with age, it also means inexperience.

All but one of the players we'll talk about today are either rookies or entering their second year. The lone player who isn’t in Year 1 or 2 is entering his third NFL season.

Bo Nix | QB

The most obvious player is the quarterback. No player on the roster will have a bigger impact on the outcome of the Broncos' season than Nix. That's what comes with being the franchise quarterback. 

Nix delivered a great rookie year, but he had some issues working under pressure and with his decision-making, at times. Those two areas are critical for Nix to improve in Year 2 and should be a significant focus for his development throughout the offseason and training camp. 

The Broncos will only go as far as Nix can take them. Sean Payton is a talent magnifier, but the talent still has to show up.

The early returns on Nix scream franchise quarterback, but now it's time to go out and erase all doubt about his ability to be that guy for the Broncos.

Jonah Elliss & Dondrea Tillman | OLB

The Broncos have two good pass rushers — Nik Bonitto and Jonathon Cooper — but the defense has issues when they come off the field. Elliss had some bright spots as a rookie, as did Tillman, combining for 10 sacks last year, but the defense was worse whenever Bonitto and Cooper were off the field. 

For that reason, the Broncos need both of their young edge rushers to step up. The defense can’t sustain that level of regression when Bonitto and Cooper are off the field. Both Elliss and Tillman made plays, but they weren't consistent enough for the defense to survive Bonitto and Cooper catching a breather.

Sai’vion Jones | DL

Jordan Jackson was lackluster on the Broncos' defensive line last year. Jones, a rookie third-rounder, is coming in as the Broncos' third man in their 3-4 defensive end rotation behind Zach Allen and John Franklin-Myers. This was a much-needed upgrade for the Broncos because Allen played two full games worth of snaps more than the next defensive lineman with the highest snap count in the NFL. 

As a result, Allen lost his effectiveness at times for the Broncos, which is why Jones needs to step up. Also, with the contract status for Allen and Franklin-Myers, Jones could help give the Broncos front office options, particularly with Franklin-Myers. The Broncos don’t have a good rotation at the position, so they need Jones to step up and create one and allow Allen to get some rest during games. 

Riley Moss | CB

The Broncos drafted a cornerback early, in Jahdae Barron, but they will still utilize Moss heavily. The odds are that Moss will be in the No. 3 corner, but when he takes the field, he will play the boundary with Barron taking the slot. With what the Broncos do defensively, this will still be 90-plus percent of what they do. 

Last year, Moss had consistency issues on the boundary, even before suffering his injury. The Broncos need him to find that consistency on a snap-to-snap basis. Additionally, the team needs him to stay healthy because its depth at the corner is still questionable, though it's better this year with the addition of Barron, who can play inside or out. 

Devaughn Vele | WR

In Vele's case, the youthful aspect of Vele is his relative inexperience, because the 27-year-old is, well, old for a second-year player. Vele is projected to take over as the No. 2 receiver role for the Broncos opposite Courtland Sutton, but he has to show some serious growth over what he displayed as a rookie. 

It was a good rookie season for Vele, but he had some issues with his routes, drops, and protecting the catch point, leading to disappointing plays for him and the offense. If he's going to be the Broncos' second receiver, they need him to take those steps to where he can be that reliable option and even help pull some coverage away from Sutton. Right now, it's the Sutton show, and all the other young receivers must step up. 

Even though Vele is singled out because of his projection as the No. 2 wide receiver, Marvin Mims Jr., Troy Franklin, and Pat Bryant are also young guys who need to answer the bell. Ideally, two of them do just that, giving the Broncos a much-improved receiver room.

Audric Estime | RB

The second-year Estime is slated to be the Broncos' power back, and he is only 21 years old, so there is plenty of room for him to grow. He came along well as a runner to close out the season, including a 4.1 rushing average. However, his two fumbles on nine carries to start his career still raise a concern, even though he didn't fumble again after spending some time in Payton's doghouse. 

Estime will need to improve ball security, pass protection, and receiving ability to give the Broncos more options in using him. If he doesn’t show those improvements, he might have a minimal role as a short-yardage back, and the Broncos need more.