OLB Nik Bonitto: In his third season, Bonitto established himself as one of the top pass rushers in the league. He totaled 13.5 sacks and 54 pressures en route to being second-team All-Pro honors. Perfect timing for a player who is eligible for a contract extension in the offseason. According to Over the Cap’s Valuation metric, which measures contract value with on-field production, Bonitto could fetch $14.55 million per year. Just like teammate Jonathon Cooper, who signed a four-year, $60 million extension during the season, Bonitto is trending upward.

Running game: Denver needs to take a serious look at its run game, from a schematic and personnel standpoint. The Broncos’ rushing attack didn’t show up when it mattered, totaling 79 yards on 17 attempts in Buffalo. And that’s been a problem throughout the season. The Broncos were 16th in the league in rushing at 112.2 yards per game and largely inconsistent. The Broncos rotated between running backs Javonte Williams, Jaleel McLaughlin and Audric Estime — and none emerged as a true No. 1. Williams, an unrestricted free agent this offseason, still hasn’t reverted to the player he was before tearing an ACL in 2022. He averaged 3.7 yards per carry and was held to under 30 yards in eight games.

QB Bo Nix: The Broncos have found their quarterback. Nix had an impressive rookie year despite a lack of playmakers at his disposal. He displayed resilience and learned from mistakes. After Nix threw for no touchdowns and four interceptions in his first two games, he totaled 29 touchdowns and eight interceptions the rest of the season. Nix added 92 carries for 430 yards and four scores, displaying elite athleticism. He even led the team in rushing six times, including Sunday’s loss to the Bills. Scouts critiqued Nix’s arm strength in the lead-up to the 2024 NFL draft. But he showed multiple times he could make big-time NFL throws, including a 43-yard TD pass to rookie Troy Franklin at Buffalo. Nix proved to be a good fit for Sean Payton’s offense. Now it’s time to capitalize.

Inside linebacker: Denver’s inside linebacker room was put in a tough spot when starter Alex Singleton suffered a torn ACL in Week 3. Even though Justin Strnad gave a valiant effort filling in, Denver’s middle linebacker play was an issue. Strnad and Cody Barton struggled in coverage, and were mismatches against tight ends and running backs in the passing game. Both players combined to give up 845 yards on 73 catches.

S Brandon Jones: In navigating through $89 million in dead cap, Broncos general manager George Paton had to find a few diamonds in the rough. Jones was one of those under-the-radar players. The former Dolphins safety ably replaced departing Pro Bowler Justin Simmons in Denver’s starting defense. At 26, Jones is an ascending player who is under contract until 2027. He had a career-high in tackles (115), interceptions (three) and passes defended (10). As the nearest defender, Jones gave up a passer rating of 56.6.

Pass catchers: Nix will need more weapons at his disposal outside of wide receiver Courtland Sutton, who recorded 81 catches for 1,081 yards and eight touchdowns. Marvin Mims Jr. was the team’s second-best pass catcher at 503 yards, while Denver’s tight ends combined for 455 yards. Wideout Devaughn Vele had an inspiring rookie year, but he, Sutton and Troy Franklin had costly drops in Denver’s biggest game in nine years. Maybe the Broncos make a run for Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins in free agency. Or target tight ends like Tyler Warren (Penn State) or Colston Loveland (Michigan) in the draft. Either way, Denver needs to build around Nix if Payton wants to paint the perfect picture for his offense.