After only 48 hours of diving into the free agency pool, the Denver Broncos have made a major splash. On Monday, they made one of the top defenses in the NFL significantly better with three moves. By Wednesday, the emphasis went to the offense, where they addressed one of their top needs at the end of last season. Over a month before the NFL Draft, the Broncos filled key positions with experienced veterans instead of acquiring players out of college who may or may not develop into NFL elite players.

Two top acquisitions come to the Broncos after playing with the San Francisco 49ers, with Super Bowl experience within the past two seasons. Safety Talania Hufanga, a 25-year-old All-Pro at his position, adds instant credibility to the position. He signed a $45 million deal with $20 million guaranteed over three years. Also coming from San Francisco is 28-year-old inside linebacker Dre Greenlaw, who signed a three-year, $35 million. Both defensive players are coming off of injuries, but both are projected to be starters on day one of the 2025 season.

Before acquiring the two defensive gems from the free agent market, the Broncos took care of business at home on the defense by re-signing defensive tackle DJ Jones. Jones, 30, signed a three-year deal worth an estimated $33 million. Also formerly with the San Francisco 49ers,  Jones finished all 17 games with the Broncos last season with 21 solo tackles, three quarterback hits, and three pass breakups.

“We really like D.J.,” GM George Paton told media members in February during the 2025 scouting combine in Indianapolis. “We’d love to have him back, and we’ll have those conversations.” Other free agents that re-signed with the Broncos were backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham and long snapper Mitch Fraboni.

With all of the attention on the defense on the first day of free agency, some of the biggest needs on the team were on the offense. The defense had significantly improved in 2024, ending with a top-rated defense and the Defensive Player of the Year. With the defense adequately addressed, the attention shifted to the offense. The top two positions of need for second-year quarterback Bo Nix were the running back and tight end positions.

It was believed by Tuesday that the Broncos would have the most sought-after tight end signed in Denver with Evan Engram. After winning and dining with the Broncos brass, Engram left without a contract on Monday and headed to LA to meet with the Chargers. The tables turned again by Wednesday, and the Broncos got their man. Formerly with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Engram signed a two-year deal with the Broncos for $23 million.

Engram finished with 47 catches for 365 yards and a touchdown in nine games last season and missed eight with hamstring and shoulder injuries. He was drafted by the New York Giants 23rd overall in 2017 and had 262 receptions for 2,828 yards and 16 touchdowns in five seasons before signing with Jacksonville. The signing addresses one of the top needs for the Broncos in what Sean Payton and George Paton refer to as the joker position, a position that has been elusive in Denver over the years.

“They’re just mismatch guys,” GM George Paton said. “They’re hard to find, whether it’s a receiver, whether it’s a tight end, runner or guys that can just stress the defense in so many different ways, and you can’t single-cover them. So there’s just not many of those guys in the league. Really, there aren’t. You can count them on one hand with how many there are. So, it’s unique. We’re always searching, and we’ll find one certainly at some point.”

With a top-tier tight end now secured, the focus can pivot to the running back position, with sights set on standout back Ashton Jeanty. Jeanty was a finalist for the Heisman Trophy in 2024 and will likely be the first running back selected in the NFL Draft in April. Will the Broncos have to trade up from the number twenty selection position to get him?  

“When you pick [No.] 20, it’s not as easy to say, ‘We’re going to find that,’” Head Coach Sean Payton said about the joker position at the Combine. “That player can be a running back or tight end. Yet, it’s just something that we are mindful of as we look at both the draft and free agency. I use that term for when you have one of those guys who are matchup challenges inside, it really helps you [in] third down and [in the] red zone.”

With the likes of Jeanty in the backfield and Engram at the tight end, Bo Nix will have the luxury of weapons around him to advance to the next level. The Broncos stock is rising and headed in the right direction, moving forward by not standing still.

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