The Denver Broncos roster ranks in the top-10 as they head into the 2025 season.

That, per Pro Football Focus last week.

PFF is the latest national outlet to be high on the Broncos this offseason.

Denver Broncos roster ranks in top-10 per PFF

The Broncos roster construction has gone well lately, and Denver ranks ninth overall in Pro Football Focus’ roster rankings for 2025.

Denver’s defense is arguably the best in the NFL, led by superstar cornerback and Defensive Player of the Year Patrick Surtain.

General Manager George Paton didn’t rest on his laurels though, even with Denver playing great defense last year. He added Dre Greenlaw and Talanoa Hufanga to the Denver defense too. And then took cornerback Jahdae Barron in the first round to either play opposite of Surtain or in the slot. Or both.

From PFF:

Only the Eagles allowed a lower EPA per play figure and fewer yards per play than the Broncos in 2024. They also ranked second in the league with a 39.9% pressure rate, and Patrick Surtain II became the first cornerback to win Defensive Player of the Year since Stephon Gilmore in 2019. After drafting cornerback Jahdae Barron in the first round of this year’s draft, the Broncos are on the short list for having the best defense in football.

Not only did Denver have the second-highest pressure rate, they led the league in sacks with 63.0 on the year. It was an NFL-high and a franchise record for sacks in a season.

And while they were strong up front and in the secondary, their linebackers were a weak point. That’s exactly where Greenlaw comes in to make plays in the middle of the field.

Greenlaw was a tackling machine in 2022 and 2023 before a fluke Achilles tendon tear in Super Bowl LVIII. Not only that can he make tackles from sideline to sideline, he’s a huge upgrade for the Broncos in terms of a coverage linebacker.

Travis Kelce has killed the Broncos in the middle of the field, but so have many linebackers for years. There’s hope Greenlaw puts a stop to that. Likewise, Hufanga can play a hybrid safety-linebacker role, so he’ll be tasked with covering tight ends at times, too.

Broncos upgraded offensive playmakers, too

PFF rightfully called out the lack of offensive playmakers last year while also highlighting newcomers Evan Engram and R.J. Harvey as possible remedies.

Over his three years with the Jaguars, Engram ranked fourth among tight ends with 1,163 yards after the catch. That’s even more impressive when considering he played in only nine games in 2024 due to a torn labrum. If he can bounce back, he should be a dangerous weapon in Denver’s offense.

Engram should not only be a safety blanket for Bo Nix, but he should also be a valuable red zone target and playmaker.

The Broncos haven’t had a solid pass-catching tight end since Noah Fant’s 2021 campaign. And they were so bad that year, his success didn’t mean much.

Last year as a rookie, Bo Nix played with Adam Trautman, Lucas Krull, and Nate Adkins as his tight ends. Together they totaled 450 yards and 5 touchdowns. Fant had 670 yards and 4 TDs alone in 2021.

Engram doesn’t need to be a 1,000-yard receiver, but considering the Broncos’ makeup in terms of pass catchers, he’ll likely be the team’s No. 2 option behind Courtland Sutton. Anywhere around 800 yards and 6-plus touchdowns will be a major boon for the Broncos offense.

Harvey was a bit of a reach in the second round by the Broncos, but his build and speed have people comparing him to Alvin Kamara.

From PFF:

He was one of the most productive rushers in college football during his time with UCF, placing eighth among FBS running backs with a 94.2 PFF rushing grade since 2023 and ranking fourth with 2,995 rushing yards in that span.

He’s only 5’8″ tall, but Harvey does weigh in at 205 pounds. And his massive legs help him run a 4.4 40-yard dash.

If his skills translate well to the NFL, Harvey could be a home run threat the Broncos haven’t had at running back since Phillip Lindsay’s rookie year of 2018.

Sean Payton told everyone he was looking for a “joker” in the draft and free agency. To him, that’s a tight end with exceptional ball skills (Engram) and a running back who can catch passes, too (Harvey). Payton and Paton loaded up the Broncos arsenal by getting two “jokers” to add to Sutton’s high-point abilities and the blossoming skills of Marvin Mims.

Denver didn’t stand pat after making the playoffs for the first time in nearly a decade, they continued to build a winner on both sides of the ball.