The Denver Broncos will enter the 2026 NFL season with one of the league’s most stacked rosters. However, some believe that they haven’t received nearly as much respect as they deserve among the national media.
The national media isn’t alone, either. According to DraftKings Sportsbook, the Broncos are tied for the 13th-best odds (+2000) to win the Super Bowl this season. Perhaps even more egregious, they also have the third-best odds to win the NFC West at +225, firmly behind the Chiefs at +160 and Chargers at +190.
ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky isn’t buying those odds, although he does sound ready to put some money on Denver.
“This was the number one seed in the AFC last year, and their highest-paid player was Russell Wilson. That salary is off their books. Their quarterback costs $5 million this year. This roster is absolutely loaded. They are the best team that, for some reason, we are constantly overlooking,” Orlovsky said on ESPN’s Get Up on Friday Morning.
Orlovsky then took his praise of Denver to another level. He followed up with another post on X predicting the team would reclaim their number-one seed in the AFC crown in 2026.
The Denver Broncos Are Stacked In All The Important Areas
The Broncos have check marks in the two most important boxes for sustained success; They have a Super Bowl-winning head coach at the helm and a franchise quarterback under center. They also boast one of the best (if not the best) offensive lines, playmakers at the receiver position, and a star-studded defensive front. The fact that they have the league’s premier shutdown cornerback and quality depth in the secondary doesn’t hurt their odds, either.
Yes, the Chiefs have a returning Patrick Mahomes. The Chargers have a proven coach in Jim Harbaugh and a great QB in Justin Herbert. Neither team boasts as much talent as Denver has at their disposal, though. The lack of respect from oddsmakers is alarming.
Not everyone is underrating Denver heading into the 2026 season. NFL.com’s Nick Shook hitched a ride to Orlovsky’s boat, as the Broncos landed at No. 2 in their latest Power Ranking that dropped on Tuesday.
“After falling painfully short of the Super Bowl last season, the Broncos return one of the most complete rosters in the NFL with hope spilling out of their saddlebags. There’s good reason for the optimism: Their core contributors return on both defense and offense, and they’ve added a new weapon in explosive receiver Jaylen Waddle. Theoretically, the team that finished 14-3 last season should be even better.” Shook wrote.
They Were Only One Game Away From The Super Bowl Last Year
We were one more Broncos playoff win away from being forced to watch Jarrett Stidham in the Super Bowl last season. Sean Payton might enjoy watching him sling the rock, but the rest of the NFL doesn’t share that feeling. If Bo Nix had been in the lineup in the AFC Championship Game against the New England Patriots, then they probably would’ve represented the stacked conference in the Super Bowl.
With an improved roster (and better health) in 2026, there’s no reason to believe that the Broncos can’t get to the big game. Likewise, there aren’t any reasons to think they can’t win it once they’re there.
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