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The Denver Broncos caught my eye last season in a big way. I’m not even a Broncos fan – truth be told, Super Bowl 33 left some scars for this Falcons supporter. But what Sean Payton’s squad pulled off last year deserves respect. They were underdogs who somehow made everything click and found themselves back in the playoff picture.
Denver’s firmly in the AFC playoff conversation right now, but they’re stuck in football’s toughest division. The Chiefs aren’t just winning – they’re building a dynasty under Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes. Meanwhile, the Raiders are rebuilding but should improve from last year’s struggles. The real battle is between Denver and the Chargers – two teams that look evenly matched heading into the season.
Here’s the thing: the Broncos need to close that gap with Kansas City while keeping Jim Harbaugh’s Chargers at bay. I expected Denver to surround rookie QB Bo Nix with more weapons this offseason through both free agency and the draft. That didn’t really happen.
They passed on George Pickens – and that decision could haunt them.
The Pickens Trade That Never Happened
Pittsburgh represents exactly what the Broncos don’t want to be – a team with a high floor but low ceiling. That’s been the Tomlin formula for years now. Both squads made the playoffs last season with Denver getting steamrolled by Buffalo while Pittsburgh continued their playoff victory drought (they haven’t won a postseason game since drafting T.J. Watt in 2017). The Steelers might win 9 or 10 games again, but are they really contenders?
Pickens and Nix have history – they battled each other in the SEC when Pickens was making highlight-reel catches at Georgia while Nix was trying to live up to his father’s legacy at Auburn (before transferring to Oregon). They’re both Alabama natives who’ve faced plenty of criticism throughout their careers.
I can’t help but think they could’ve formed a perfect partnership in Payton’s offense. Pickens was miscast as Pittsburgh’s WR1 when he’s really an elite WR2 – exactly the type of player Payton knows how to utilize. Yes, acquiring Pickens would’ve cost draft capital, but it would’ve given Denver’s offense the explosive element they’re currently missing.
The only silver lining? Pickens landed with the Panthers in the NFC rather than strengthening another AFC playoff contender.
