Concerns with WR Room in the Denver Broncos

For the Denver Broncos, a team with Super Bowl aspirations built on a balanced offense and elite defense, the wide receiver room has quietly emerged as a critical area of concern as the 2025 playoffs approach. While starters Jerry Jeudy and Courtland Sutton have delivered solid production (combining for 1,780 yards and 14 touchdowns), the lack of consistent depth behind them, coupled with pending free agency and injury risks, has created uncertainty that could derail the Broncos’ postseason push. What makes these concerns more pressing is their timing: the Broncos face a stretch of playoff-caliber opponents (including the Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens) who boast top-tier secondaries, meaning they’ll need more than just their two star receivers to move the ball. Concerns with WR Room in the Denver Broncos is a look at a unit that’s flying under the radar but could make or break the team’s championship hopes.

The most immediate concern is the inconsistent production from the Broncos’ third and fourth wide receivers—players who are supposed to provide relief for Jeudy and Sutton but have failed to deliver reliable contributions. Rookie Pat Bryant, who showed promise earlier in the season (18 receptions, 278 yards), has cooled off significantly, with just 5 catches for 42 yards in his last four games. Bryant’s struggles have been tied to his difficulty adjusting to tighter coverage; opposing defenses have started to key in on him when he’s on the field, limiting his opportunities to make plays. Behind Bryant, the options are even more underwhelming: veteran Marquez Callaway has just 9 receptions all season, and rookie seventh-round pick Tyrie Cleveland has yet to record a catch in meaningful snaps. This lack of depth has forced Jeudy and Sutton to play an unsustainable number of snaps—Jeudy has been on the field for 89% of offensive plays, while Sutton has played 85%—increasing their risk of injury and fatigue. In Week 14 against the Chargers, Sutton left the game briefly with a hamstring cramp, a minor scare that highlighted just how thin the room is. Concerns with WR Room in the Denver Broncos are amplified by this overreliance on two players, as any injury to Jeudy or Sutton would leave the offense without a proven playmaker.

Pending free agency adds another layer of concern, as the Broncos face the possibility of losing Jerry Jeudy—their most dynamic deep threat and Bo Nix’s top target—to other teams in the offseason. Jeudy, who is set to hit unrestricted free agency, is having a career year (68 receptions, 1,020 yards, 8 touchdowns) and is expected to command a contract worth \(15–18 million per year. While the Broncos have expressed interest in re-signing him, salary-cap constraints (they’re projected to have \)18 million in space) could force them to choose between Jeudy and other key free agents (like defensive tackle Zach Allen). If Jeudy leaves, the Broncos would be left with Sutton as their only proven wide receiver, and no clear replacement for his deep-ball ability—Sutton excels in short and intermediate routes but has just 3 receptions of 40+ yards this season, compared to Jeudy’s 8. The lack of a clear succession plan for Jeudy is worrying; the Broncos’ 2025 draft class didn’t include a wide receiver, and their practice squad options (like former XFL standout Josh Hammond) are unproven at the NFL level. Concerns with WR Room in the Denver Broncos extend beyond the current season, as the team risks losing a core piece without a backup plan.

The Denver Broncos’ offensive scheme also highlights the WR room’s weaknesses, as it relies on a diverse set of skills that the current depth receivers can’t provide. Offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi’s system requires three distinct types of wide receivers: a deep threat (Jeudy), a possession receiver (Sutton), and a slot receiver who can win in tight coverage and create yards after the catch. The problem is that the Broncos don’t have a reliable slot receiver—Bryant has played slot in 40% of his snaps but has struggled with route precision, and Callaway lacks the quickness to separate from nickel corners. This has forced Lombardi to adjust the scheme, using tight ends or running backs in the slot instead of wide receivers—a move that limits the offense’s flexibility and makes it easier for defenses to predict plays. In Week 12 against the Bills, the Bills’ defense focused on stopping Jeudy and Sutton, and with no slot receiver to exploit the middle of the field, the Broncos’ passing offense managed just 189 yards. The Denver Broncos’ inability to fill the slot role has become a predictable flaw, one that playoff defenses will likely exploit. Concerns with WR Room in the Denver Broncos are made worse by this scheme misfit, as the team can’t fully utilize its offensive playbook.

Injuries, while not a major issue for the WR room this season, remain a lingering concern—especially given the Broncos’ history of bad luck with receiver health. Over the past three seasons, the Broncos have lost an average of 12 games per season to wide receiver injuries, with Sutton missing 10 games in 2023 and Jeudy sitting out 5 games in 2022. This season, both Jeudy and Sutton have stayed healthy, but their heavy snap counts increase the risk of a late-season injury. If either goes down, the Denver Broncos would be forced to start Bryant and Callaway—a tandem that has combined for just 27 receptions and 1 touchdown against NFL defenses. The team’s lack of injury depth is even more apparent when looking at their practice squad; none of the WRs there have more than 10 career NFL receptions, meaning they’d be thrown into the fire with little preparation. This injury risk is particularly concerning in the playoffs, where single-elimination games leave no room for error. The Denver Broncos have built a championship-caliber team, but a single injury to a wide receiver could undo all that hard work. Concerns with WR Room in the Denver Broncos are a reminder of how fragile NFL rosters can be, even for teams that seem healthy.

Looking ahead, the Denver Broncos have limited options to fix the WR room before the playoffs, but there are small adjustments they can make to mitigate the risks. One possibility is promoting Josh Hammond from the practice squad; Hammond has impressed in practice with his quickness and hands, and he could provide depth in the slot. The Broncos could also use more two-tight end sets, featuring Greg Dulcich and Adam Trautman, to create mismatches in the middle of the field and reduce the reliance on wide receivers. Long-term, the team will need to address the room in free agency or the draft—either by re-signing Jeudy or drafting a young receiver who can fill the slot or deep-threat role. For now, though, the Broncos will have to lean on Jeudy and Sutton, hope for good health, and pray that their depth receivers can step up when called upon. The Denver Broncos’ Super Bowl hopes rest on many factors, but none are more uncertain than the performance of their wide receiver room. Concerns with WR Room in the Denver Broncos are a test of the team’s adaptability—and a warning that even the best rosters have flaws that can derail a championship run.