Most NFL players aren’t salary cap experts. They know they want to get paid as much as possible, but agents and teams handle the ins and outs. In recent days, though, several Broncos players have demonstrated an understanding of at least a couple of the basics regarding this team’s current and n ear-future positioning. They know the Broncos move into 2026 at last clear of Russell Wilson’s dead salary cap chargers — $53 million in 2024 and $32 million more this past year. They also know that they’re in the classic quarterback-on-a-rookie-contract window with Bo Nix through two seasons and headed into the third of what is essentially a five-year rookie deal. Nix and the other Class of 2024 quarterbacks are first eligible for extensions after the 2026 season, setting up a potential blockbuster summer 18 months from now. In the meantime, though, Denver players know the score. So, too, do general manager George Paton and head coach Sean Payton. That much became clear as the two leaders of Denver’s football operation spoke with reporters to wrap up a 2025 season that ended Sunday in heartbreak with a 10-7 AFC Championship Game loss to New England. It all lines up for the Broncos to take an aggressive posture this offseason to try to fortify their roster. A year ended four points shy of the Super Bowl A franchise quarterback in the heart of his rookie contract The cleanest books the club has had, essentially, since trading for Wilson nearly four years ago Related Articles Broncos fire offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi, sources confirm How will Broncos approach improving skill-position talent? Evaluation process starts at WR Broncos QB Bo Nix had ankle condition that made break inevitable, Sean Payton says Keeler: Broncos should spend Russell Wilson money on getting Bo Nix receivers without butterfingers Broncos’ Davis Webb interviewing with Raiders, Bills for head coach openings, sources say “Regardless of the quarterback, we’re always going to push it,” Paton said. “We’re going to push it this year. All these other teams are pushing it. We have to be on our game. We’ve got to make really good decisions. We’re going to be aggressive, regardless of whose contract is what. I think it’s really important.” The Broncos enter the offseason showing somewhere in the neighborhood of $30 million in cap space before the normal maneuvering and potential roster clearing that will likely create more — potentially substantially more. “I think, like in any case, if I said, I’m going give you $50,000 to decorate your home or $200,000, your home’s going to look nicer, I think — if you’re a decent shopper — if you have more money,” Payton said. “The same takes place with our sport.” They hold their first five draft picks beginning at No. 30 overall, they have an extra pick near the top of the fourth round from New Orleans after trading Devaughn Vele in August and they could end up with nine selections overall after the NFL’s compensatory formula finalizes. Not only that, but the Broncos are opening a new state-of-the-art team headquarters this summer, they’re coming off back-to-back playoff appearances, they have an ownership group with a budding reputation as among the game’s most formidable and they’ve got Nix — though he’ll spend the spring rehabbing a fractured ankle. “I think players will want to come here for a number of reasons,” Paton said. “No. 1 is ownership. You can see what they’ve done, what they’re doing, what they continue to do and all the resources and leadership they’ve shown. I think the quarterback makes a big difference. Players want to come to a place with a quarterback. And the fanbase and Denver. I mean, people love it here. That helps. Now we’re playing at a high level. “Again, it starts over, but I think players will want to be here.” Looking for more playmakers That situates the Broncos uniquely to play aggressively across the board this offseason. They have so many factors working to their advantage and their best chance of going from contender to champion is to leverage all of them in concert. That doesn’t mean recklessness, but stars don’t align like this all that frequently for NFL franchises. The 2025 season delivered a golden opportunity that went awry. Now comes a golden window. Denver Broncos general manager George Paton responds to question during a season-ending news conference Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026, at the NFL football team's headquarters in Centennial, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) Payton and Paton each took the first week of the offseason to say they like Denver’s young skill talent, though players, including left tackle Garett Bolles, mentioned Monday the need for “a couple of more playmakers.” “I think we have some talent and if we can add, we will,” Paton said. “If we can upgrade, we will.” Payton and Paton each feel good overall about the team’s roster depth and they have a series of important free agent decisions that are interesting but likely won’t break the bank. What Payton and Paton have done, perhaps better than anything over the past three offseasons, is find players who fit exactly what they want. Sometimes they come at premium prices, sometimes not. Then they’ve retained most of the core and haven’t been afraid to pay top dollar to do so. Now, they may feel a temptation to go for broke. They will certainly hear external calls to make bigger bets or incur more risk. To land an impact tight end or wide receiver, no matter the cost or the fit. To bend a bit in one area to land more juice in another. Finding that line is the offseason imperative that will determine whether this group is really in position to cement itself among the game’s elite or track back toward the pack. Together, they’ve built a roster without making many major mistakes, and they’ve done it while navigating the record Wilson salary cap fallout. Now they arrive back at the offseason starting line looking for ways to further upgrade without straying from the process that’s resulted in so much progress. “All 32 teams have to go back and go meet their parents, eat their oranges and get ready to start again,” Payton said. “That’s really important. Now, we do that with more resources. We do that without dead cap. We do that with a foundation in place. “We do that with optimism and confidence from the journey we’ve been on.” Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton, right, responds to question during a season-ending news conference Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026, at the NFL football team's headquarters in Centennial, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) ‘There’s no perfect team’ They do it with a question: Just how much needs to change from a team that won 15 games, came within a half of the Super Bowl and also had its share of limitations. “We evaluate wisely. We draft wisely,” Payton said. “We make these decisions regarding free agency with well-thought-out plans, and we go from there.” It starts, Paton said, with a week or more of deep-diving on Denver’s own roster. They stack their team, position-by-position, against the others in the AFC West and around the league. “We’ll stack each position and determine where we need to get better,” he said. “Every team needs to get better, there’s no perfect team. … It’s a puzzle. You have a plan and you hope to execute that plan.” There is always urgency. This offseason, the Broncos should feel it even more acutely after a big run that came up short and now entering the best salary cap window they’ve been in recently. “We’re going to be sound and prudent with our decisions,” Paton said. …  “I always talk about flexibility. We’re going to have all kinds of flexibility.” Want more Broncos news? Sign up for the Broncos Insider to get all our NFL analysis. ...read more read less