3 Reasons Broncos Can Overtake the Chiefs for the AFC West Crown in 2025

The Denver Broncos are happy to see the Kansas City Chiefs stumble and fall flat on their face in the Super Bowl, ending their three-peat dreams. With the Chiefs losing their footing, Denver must capitalize and make the push to surpass them for AFC West supremacy.

Three major factors will determine whether the Broncos will secure the AFC West crown for the first time since 2015. Let's break them down.

Building Around Bo Nix

It’s no secret that Nix had a limited offensive cast around him in 2024, and this Broncos offense is due for significant upgrades. Denver’s tight end and running back rooms were dull and void of any game-changers, making it difficult for the offense to take off.

Without a solid run game and reliable pass catchers, it’ll be much harder for Nix to take the next step in his development. This year's draft class has several backs and tight ends that can give Denver’s offense the shot in the arm it needs. Adding more weapons for Nix and the offense will make them formidable even to the defending AFC Champions.  

Chiefs Losing Key Free Agents

Several of Kansas City’s most prominent contributors are on their way to hitting free agency, and it’ll be challenging to retain them as they’re ninth-lowest in cap space in the NFL, with $11.5 million. The biggest Chiefs names are wideouts DeAndre Hopkins and Marquise Brown, linebacker Nick Bolton, safety Justin Reid, and guard Trey Smith, who were big parts of their Super Bowl run this season.

In total, the Chiefs are set to lose four wideouts, leaving them with Xavier Worthy, who’ll be in his second year, and Rashee Rice, who is coming off LCL surgery, and may be suspended for a few games to start 2025 after causing a six-vehicle crash in April last year. Bolton is an excellent tackler and easily one of the best linebackers in the NFL.

Losing him would be a massive blow to Kansas City's defense, as would Reid, who’s been their starting safety for three years. Smith was a solid pass protector and an even better run blocker, allowing the Chiefs running backs to gash teams up the middle. Retaining all these pieces will be impossible, making Kansas City much more vulnerable, and that's to say nothing of Travis Kelce's coming retirement decision.

Defensive Continuity

The Broncos retained defensive coordinator Vance Joseph, who made their defense one of the best in the NFL, boasting a franchise record 63 sacks. Denver is set to lose starters defensive tackle D.J. Jones and linebackers Cody Barton and Justin Strnad. However, the Broncos will return everyone else on defense.

Jones could be re-signed, but Strnad and Barton might not be worth retaining, as their play was pedestrian at best, and Alex Singleton will return from an ACL tear. The Broncos will be looking to add to their off-ball linebacker room and interior defensive line in free agency and the NFL draft, but otherwise, they’re set on defense.

This group held Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs to 16 points and notched four sacks in Week 10. The Broncos defense kept the team competitive and gave the offense more opportunities to score points. The defense retaining most of its members and its coordinator means a greater chance to match or even surpass what it did in 2024.

Despite the Chiefs living in the AFC Championship scene, the Broncos aren’t as far off as many might think. Kansas City is reeling from its embarrassing blowout loss in the Super Bowl, and now is the time to leapfrog them.

2025 can be the year the Broncos take back the AFC West and dethrone the tyrannical Mahomes.