The Denver Broncos head into the 2025 NFL season with high hopes after an impressive season in 2024 with 10 wins and a playoff appearance. The team is returning second-year quarterback Bo Nix, and they added some high-profile free agents on both sides of the ball.

Former Broncos offensive lineman Mark Schlereth recently appeared on The Rich Eisen Show to talk about the Broncos’ 2025 expectations, improvements and fixes the team needs to make going into the year.

Eisen asked Schlereth about some legitimate expectations for Denver going into 2025.

“I think that you got to look at them, they go to the playoffs last year, win ten games, get throttled by Buffalo in the playoffs,” said Schlereth. “I would look at two things: defensively, they were a top defense last year, they’ve addressed (Talanoa) Hufanga in the middle of the football field at the safety position and (Dre) Greenlaw — and if Greenlaw is healthy, after coming off that Achilles tendon that he only played a handful of games last year — if that dude is healthy, he is a football-playing Jesse. That guy can flat play, so I love watching him. They also went out and got a tight end, and they have not had a tight end, really since Owen Daniels, maybe the last guy who was really productive at the tight end position.”

The Broncos signed former Jaguars tight end Evan Engram to a two-year contract back in March, hoping that he can play the “Joker” role that has been so sought after by head coach Sean Payton.

One of the areas Schlereth pinpointed as an issue in 2024 was the Denver running game.

“They’ve got to fix the rushing game, Rich,” said Schlereth. “Bo Nix was their best rusher last year. They were not very good at running the football. If they can do that — I don’t know how much better their record will be, because of the division they play in — I don’t know if their record is going to be much better than 10-7, maybe they gain a game, maybe they win one extra, 11 games, but I do think they’ll be more competitive, and they’ll be better when they get into the playoffs” (emphasis added).

You can view the three-minute clip from the show below. What are your expectations for the Broncos going into the 2025 season? Let us know on Facebook and Twitter/X!

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