Darnold, of course, was picked No. 3 overall in the 2018 draft by the New York Jets. He flamed out there, then started a journey that featured stops and starts, more downs than ups and, eventually, a fast rise at Minnesota, a $100 million deal in Seattle and, in his first year starting for the Seahawks, a world championship.

Darnold is one of several quarterbacks in the NFL who has had to take the long route to being a coveted starter. Baker Mayfield went through the same thing. Jared Goff nearly won a Super Bowl in Los Angeles only to be dumped by the Rams to Detroit. Daniel Jones was putting together a great year last year — his first in seven seasons — before an injury cut his Indianapolis debut short.

Overall, though, winning a Super Bowl in the past decade-plus in the NFL has been the province of surefire Hall of Famers. Before the Seahawks, nine of the previous 11 Super Bowls had been won by Patrick Mahomes, Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Matthew Stafford. The other two belong to the Eagles: The Nick Foles miracle run in 2017 and Jalen Hurts in 2024.

Of course, any team would take a future Hall of Famer at quarterback, but one interesting element here: For as much as the prevailing wisdom is that quarterbacks on a cheap, rookie contract are the key to building a championship-caliber team, the only quarterbacks since 2013 to win a Super Bowl while actually playing on their rookie deal are Russell Wilson (2013 for Seattle) and Mahomes in 2019.

Mahomes’ and Brady’s dominance have a lot to do with that stat, but perhaps it����ap telling nonetheless.

While they haven’t won many titles, rookie-contract quarterbacks still have appeared in the Super Bowl frequently. Wilson made it back in 2014. Since 2018, the losing Super Bowl quarterback has been on his rookie deal six of eight years, with Mahomes holding the two exceptions in 2020 and 2024. Otherwise, the list goes Goff (2018), Jimmy Garoppolo (2019), Joe Burrow (2021), Hurts (2022), Brock Purdy (2023) and Drake Maye last year.

Of the 26 quarterbacks to start a Super Bowl in the past 13 years, 12 have accounted for 5.2% of his team’s cap that year or less. That includes the past two winners in Darnold and Hurts.

Could a quarterback on a rookie deal break through this year and win a Super Bowl? The 2024 draft class, which becomes extension-eligible after this season, looks like a decent bet. After all, Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Maye and Denver’s Bo Nix have already won division titles in their first two seasons. Maye’s played in a Super Bowl, while Daniels and Nix have come within a game.

The list of quarterbacks good enough to take up double-digit percentage of a team’s salary cap has been short over the past decade-plus. Mahomes winning two in Kansas City while taking up 17% of the Chiefs’ cap space stands as a substantial outlier.

Of course, teams are adept at suppressing the cap hit for a player long after he signs an extension, but the bill comes due at some point. So, the most efficient way is to strike while the iron is hot and the signal-caller is cheap.

QBs in the Super Bowl since 2013

* Cap data via OvertheCap

The 2024 QB class through two years

Josh Bulla has known Stidham since elementary school in Stephensville, Texas, when a young Bulla first noticed the kid who was a foot taller than everyone else. From that point, Bulla said, Stidham always knew he was headed for some greater destiny. Milestones came and went: he played college football at Baylor and Auburn, where he was a two-year starter , and got drafted by the Patriots in the fourth round in 2019. The final goal — become an NFL starting quarterback — came again on the night of Jan. 18, 2026.

Just not like this, Stidham told Bulla.

He’d gotten his chances before. Two starts in 2022, when the Raiders benched Derek Carr. Two starts in 2023, when the Broncos benched Russell Wilson. Those were exciting. But Bo Nix breaking his ankle Saturday night, as Stidham told Bulla, was “gutting.”

“The first thing that came to mind,” Stidham said, as Bulla recalled, “was, ‘No.'”

“Like, this is Bo’s show.”

Over the past two years, Bo and Izzy Nix have become “like family” to Stidham and his wife, Kennedy, Bulla said. Nix’s second-year run ended shockingly after a divisional-round win over the Bills, and the emotions Stidham felt extend much deeper than his mentorship in Denver. In Stidham’s two years starting at Auburn, from 2017-18, .

It began as simple program ambassadorship, then-Auburn OC Chip Lindsay remembered. Stidham would talk to Nix and host him on visits. Eventually, though, Stidham started asking Lindsay how Nix did in his high school games. He knew that Nix was his successor, former Auburn wideout Ryan Davis recalled.

“Jarrett was basically, like, giving him the keys,” Davis said.

Seven years later, Nix is giving them back. — Nix’s first public statement since breaking his ankle — the Broncos’ starting QB offered a hat-tip, saying he “couldn’t be more confident in Jarrett.” Denver’s season now lies in the hands of Stidham, a career backup who has started four career games in six NFL seasons and hasn’t thrown a regular-season pass in two years.

Across this week’s preparation for the Patriots in Sunday’s AFC championship, Denver’s locker room has heaped praise on Stidham to anyone with a microphone. They have no other choice.

“He’s going to rip it,” head coach Sean Payton said Wednesday. “And that will be our approach.”

In Year 2 in Denver, Nix and Payton found synergy as the second-year quarterback praised Payton for letting him be his “authentic self.” These Broncos formed an identity around Nix, a fiery 25-year-old whose white-hot competitiveness fueled a season of second-half comebacks. They are now rallying around Stidham, a cool 29-year-old whose serenity masks his own fire.

Stidham has kept the same routine for three years in Denver, left tackle Garett Bolles said. He eats the same food. He drinks the same water. He hits the steam room at the same time. He listens to the same music, on a Turtlebox waterproof speaker that he affectionately refers to as “Mr. Turtle.”

Nothing has changed in this week of madness. Stidham is who he is because he knows who he is. That is comfort, as these Broncos head into a war.

“He got some swag,” Bolles said Thursday. “He got some swag to him. So, that fuels us all.”

…
In 2023, 6-foot-4 safety JL Skinner arrived in Denver as a raw sixth-round pick out of Boise State. He took plenty of flak from Stidham, who’d just signed as a free agent and who had no more experience in Denver than Skinner.

Stidham wanted Skinner to be better. And he let him know about it. The QB chirped at him in practice.

“JL, what are you doing? What are you doing?”

“I’m like, ‘Man, (expletive) this guy,'” Skinner said Thursday.

“And then in my head,I’m like, (expletive), he’s actually throwing that ball right over my head, too. I gotta do something about it.”

He was born with that. The now 6-foot-3 Stidham played offensive line in Pee Wee football in Weatherford, Texas, because he was tall. Future high school coach Joe Gillespie introduced him to former SMU quarterback Kelan Luker for some training in middle school. The first time Luker worked with Stidham, he walked out to a field, saw him throw a few balls, and noticed the kid never missed.

Stidham had never played quarterback before. To this day, Luker maintains he never really taught him anything over the course of a few years.

“I think what really happened – he was so talented, he could just watch what I did,” Luker said, “and he could imitate.”

In Denver, QB3-turned-QB2 Sam Ehlinger notes that Stidham’s ball “spins really pretty.” The RPMs came naturally. So did unassuming athleticism, a trait that most every teammate or coach notes about Stidham.  Underneath six years of backup life in the NFL is years of life as a five-star gem, the No. 1-ranked dual-threat quarterback in the class of 2015 (above Kyler Murray, Sam Bradford and Joe Burrow).

“He’s just one of those West Texas boys who grew up spinnin’ it,” said Jordan Palmer, a former NFL quarterback who’s long worked with Stidham and .

After two years at Auburn, Stidham arrived in New England in 2019. It was Tom Brady’s last year; the Patriots were treating Stidham as “the next guy,” as Davis said, a former Auburn receiver who spent six months in New England’s training camp in 2019. Stidham picked Brady’s brain, and Brady once left three of his custom hoodies as a gift in Stidham’s locker. But the Patriots brought in former MVP Cam Newton two weeks before training camp the next year in 2020, and drafted Mac Jones in the first round in 2021, and shipped Stidham to Las Vegas in 2022 without ever starting him in a game.

Old habits die hard, Bulla recalled. Stidham grew up as the guy. He never stopped believing he could be. After signing in Denver, he got a taste of it late in 2023, when the Broncos benched Wilson. He lost the starting job to rookie Nix in 2024. Bulla asked Stidham how he was feeling heading into training camp this past summer, wedged squarely behind a young franchise face.

“He’s like, ‘It����ap the NFL,'” Bulla said . “‘Everyone’s talented. Crazy things can happen. And I still have to act the way I always have, and that I want to be the starter.'”

…
In December 2017, Carson Wentz tore his ACL, and the 11-2 Philadelphia Eagles had to recalibrate around backup quarterback Nick Foles. Offensive coordinator Frank Reich set about watching the “Foles highlight reel,” as he dubbed it — cut-ups of every single Foles completion from five previous NFL seasons. He sat with Foles and had the quarterback walk him through some preferred concepts: a few post routes here, a deep ball there.

Outside the Xs and Os, though, Reich and the rest of the Eagles’ staff didn’t do much to try to control messaging to the team. They let Foles roam free as a personality. And Foles — whose confidence earned him a provocative — became legend across a Super Bowl run in the weeks to follow.

“If you’re trying to cover up what you perceive as some weakness, some leadership weakness of the backup quarterback, then you’re in trouble,” Reich said.

Reich, a former quarterback himself who once stepped in as a backup to Jim Kelly for multiple Buffalo Bills playoff runs in the 1990s, has taken an interest in Stidham’s particular situation in Denver. He’s watched clips of his interviews. He’s detected moxie.

“It seems like the kid’s a winner,” Reich said. “Like, he’s a winner. And everybody knows it.”

Emotion crested and fell in Denver in the span of a single hour after the Broncos’ 33-30 overtime win over Buffalo. Sean Payton went to a podium in street clothes, told reporters Nix was out for the season with a fractured ankle, and the Broncos’ locker room came away as stunned as the rest of the world. Offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi found out from his son, driving home from the stadium. Receiver Courtland Sutton literally didn’t believe it was true.

Utter chaos has swirled around Stidham in the days since. The Copelands were deep in the woods of West Texas on a hunting trip, cracking open a few Coors Originals and playing cards, when they got the news he was starting. Friends have let Stidham know they’ll make it to Denver in any way possible for Sunday’s game. An entire fanbase has turned its social-media avatars to pictures of Stidham in a strange form of solidarity. This shot is “everything he’s ever dreamed for,” Bulla said.

Stidham has yet to flinch, in public or private.

“Is he getting sleep this week? I don’t know,” said Brian Hoyer, a longtime NFL backup who was with Stidham in New England in 2020 and 2021. “I talked to him (Tuesday). And either it hasn’t hit him yet and he doesn’t have any words, or he hid it really well.”

There is a “calmness” about Stidham, Payton said on Wednesday. There always has been. The most worked-up Bulla has ever seen Stidham — in a circumstance not involving family or football — was when Bulla pranked Stidham in high school by hotwiring his beat-up 1995 Chevy Silverado and hiding it in a different parking lot. On-field mistakes have always brought the same reaction, Palmer described: Aw, shucks, and move on.

These days, Stidham carries that “Mr. Turtle” speaker into the team shower on the daily, blasting an assortment of Kate Bush and Fleetwood Mac and country tunes. He has a rookie football card of cornerback Riley Moss pinned to the front of his locker, for some reason. He wore a full-body lion costume to the Broncos’ Halloween party in October.

“Every time I see him,” practice-squad receiver Elijah Moore said, “he’s playing music. I guess he’s just got the vibes on him. I love that.”

Stidham did not always present this way. Take it from Washington head coach Jedd Fisch, who coached New England’s quarterbacks in 2020.

“Really?” Fisch said, told the tale of Mr. Turtle. “He wasn’t like that. Yeah, I don’t remember. Maybe it����ap because we were in the middle of COVID … I would not have guessed that one.”

The years have brought Stidham’s self-awareness outward, as he’s moved into a comfortable stage of life. Stidham and wife, Kennedy, welcomed their third child in October. When he and Bulla catch up these days, they spend roughly two minutes talking football and the rest figuring out “what the hell” to do in fatherhood, as Bulla put it.

“I see a direct correlation,” Palmer said. “When people have their personal lives figured out and then get put into the spotlight on a big stage, I see that go better for the guys that have their lives figured out …. I would say Jarrett’s about as stable as it gets, for a guy his age.

“There’s no reason to change,” Palmer continued. “There’s no reason to do it different. So I’m sure that Jarrett is going into this weekend with a lot of confidence that – he is enough.”

…
Sean Payton, Skinner said, does not keep “bums” on his roster. Backups. Practice squad. Doesn’t matter.

Stidham was one of Payton’s first signings upon arriving in Denver in 2023, even as the Broncos already had Wilson. The organization made it a priority to bring Stidham back this past free agency, on a two-year deal worth $12 million. The money signals trust around the league. Moore — a 25-year-old receiver who’s now been on four NFL teams — said he’s heard of Stidham’s reputation in the past, before signing with the Broncos a month ago.

“Stiddy got signed back-to-back-to-back for a long time now,” Skinner said at his locker Thursday. “And nobody knows why, from the outside. But we know why, from the inside. Because that mother(expletive) can throw that goddamn rock.”

Payton believes Stidham’s inside the 32 best quarterbacks in the NFL. So does Patriots defensive play-caller Zak Kuhr, that Stidham “could be a starter for a number of teams.” Stidham’s arm talent and sneaky mobility aren’t in question: quietly, he ran for a combined 84 yards in two starts for the Raiders in 2022.

Sean Payton called Jarrett Stidham a "real good foot athlete" today. Of note: Stidham ran for a combined 84 yards in the first two starts of his career with Las Vegas in '22.

Here's a first-down scramble against a top defense in the 49ers in '22. Plus a ball-flick celebration.

— Luca Evans (@bylucaevans)

The major issue, heading into Sunday’s conference championship, is whether Stidham has enough between the ears to handle the “kitchen sink” that the Patriots’ defense throws at opposing quarterbacks, as Hoyer described. Under Kuhr, a swarming New England attack stumped Los Angeles’s Justin Herbert in the wild-card round and picked off Houston’s C.J. Stroud four times in the divisional round.

“They’re going to bring a lot of (expletive), and that����ap where he has to rely on Sean Payton, and the preparation, and I’m sure there’s gonna be a lot of checks and – ‘When you see this look, you gotta get into this play or change the protection,’” Hoyer said.

The counter-move is that New England has no shred of Broncos tape on hand to prepare for Stidham. So, how does Denver design a gameplan around him in the span of a week?

Payton has made clear he sees Nix and Stidham as two different styles of quarterbacks. Others disagree. Stidham spent much of 2020 with Fisch studying tape of Jared Goff, and San Francisco’s Jimmy Garoppolo, and quarterbacks in West Coast systems with plenty of under-center looks. This Denver offense has shifted more in that direction across the second half of 2025, and Palmer and Hoyer don’t see Payton’s established system needing to change much from Nix to Stidham.

“When they can run the ball and throw the play-action game, he can reach anywhere on the field with the ball,” former Auburn OC Lindsey said. “And try to create some explosives off play-action – that would be the first thing that would come to my mind.”

On one hand, Stidham’s in a position where three weeks and a Super Bowl ring would forever change his life, Bulla said. On the other hand, friends and confidants don’t see Stidham stretching himself much for Sunday. Quarterbacks who finally receive their shot, as Palmer said, generally fall into one of two mental buckets. Some hope it’ll go well. Some think it should go well.

Stidham feels, Palmer said, that he should play well.

“When we win that game,” Skinner said, “what they gon’ say now? What they’ gon say now, you know what I mean. They gon’ say — ‘Stiddy this. Stiddy that.’

“Stiddy gon’ get a brand-new contract off this, bro,” he continued. “That����ap how I’m looking at it, man. We riding out with Stiddy.”

When the NFL schedule’s released Wednesday night, the exact path toward returning to the postseason will be known.

That makes it time for a time-honored tradition that doubles as something of a fool’s errand. It����ap time for The Post����ap beat reporters to guess the Broncos’ schedule.

This year, we’re not flying entirely blind. The NFL’s annual Thursday night Week 1 opener features two Broncos 2025 opponents in Philadelphia and Dallas, so there’s a pair the Broncos will not be opening with. And on Monday night, the NFL announced one of the centerpieces of Denver’s schedule: a titanic Week 17 Christmas-night matchup in Kansas City.

So, without further ado, a couple of projections with very much non-guaranteed hit rates from beat reporters Parker Gabriel and Luca Evans. To the winner goes eternal bragging rights.

Gabriel’s projection

Week 1: at Las Vegas Raiders

The Broncos have nine regular-season home games, but in this projection open on the road. Two years ago, Denver opened the Sean Payton era at home and lost after a poor Russell Wilson outing and a game-winning drive from Jimmy Garoppolo. Life changes fast in the NFL.

Week 2: New York Giants

Week 3: at Houston Texans

Week 4: Kansas City Chiefs

Week 5: Green Bay Packers

Back-to-back home games — albeit tough ones for quarterback Bo Nix and company — before the schedule delivers the Broncos’ first international game since 2022. Seeing C.J. Stroud, Patrick Mahomes and Jordan Love in consecutive weeks would mark a good early test for Vance Joseph’s defense.

Week 6: at New York Jets (London)

The Broncos’ stated international preference was Berlin against Indianapolis, but a Germany trip does not appear to be in the cards for Denver. They could still get London against the Jets, however. After playing at Wembley  previously, this one would at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Week 7: Bye

Week 8: Dallas Cowboys (Monday Night Football)

An extra day of rest off the bye week before a prime time game against Dak Prescott and the Cowboys? Sounds like a winner.

Week 9: at Indianapolis Colts

Week 10: Tennessee Titans

Week 11: at Los Angeles Chargers

Week 12: Las Vegas Raiders

Week 13: Cincinnati Bengals (Thanksgiving night)

These teams played a banger of a game in December last year. They could be battling for postseason position again this season. So why not get it in prime time after Detroit and the Cowboys host games earlier in the day? Bo Nix vs. Joe Burrow vs. tryptophan.

Week 14: at Philadelphia Eagles

Week 15: at Washington Commanders (Sunday Night)

Back-to-back games on the East Coast, you say? After the Broncos went 2-0 around a trip to the Greenbrier last year, Payton jumps at a chance to return, this time in December. White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia is only mildly more difficult to get to than London, but after figuring out the logistics last year, Round 2 would be a cake walk.

Week 16: Jacksonville Jaguars

Week 17: at Kansas City Chiefs

Week 18: Los Angeles Chargers

A finisher at Empower Field, potentially with major postseason implications on the line against a divisional foe? Now that would be quite a scene and a cause to ask Mother Nature very kindly for an early January snowstorm.

Evans’ projection

Week 1: Kansas City Chiefs

Because, well, why not? The Broncos want Kansas City. They want to ������Kansas City. They want to dethrone the kings of the AFC West. This would be a Week 1 matchup for the ages.

Week 2: Tennessee Titans

Let’s throw No. 1 pick Cam Ward to the wolves early against Nik Bonitto, Zach Allen and crew.

Week 3: at Washington Commanders (Monday Night Football)

This is perhaps the most buzzy matchup of the season, and will be ridiculously easy for ESPN to market. Jayden Daniels chucked and sprinted his way into the hearts of the entire NFL in his 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year campaign. Bo Nix is quickly becoming the prince of Denver. It’s a heck of a sophomore QB matchup, and the powers-that-be should take a long look at a primetime slot for Denver’s trip to D.C.

Week 4: Jacksonville Jaguars

The Evan Engram revenge game.

Week 5: Las Vegas Raiders

Week 6: at New York Jets (London)

Going to be super boring and copy Parker here. We know, for certain, that Sean Payton wanted Berlin, as team president Damani Leech said at the owners meetings a couple months back. But New York in London — Payton’s second choice — makes too much sense, as former Broncos assistant GM Darren Mougey is now the head man in N.Y. and there’s a heap of organizational connections. To the London Eye!

Week 7: Bye

Week 8: Green Bay Packers

Week 9: at Los Angeles Chargers

Week 10: Dallas Cowboys

Going to take a swing here — this won’t be a primetime game. Yes, the NFL loves the Cowboys. But you can throw a dart at Dallas’s 2025 schedule and hit about eight other potential matchups for a cushy TV slot, and the Broncos actually finished 26th of all 32 NFL teams .

Week 11: at Las Vegas Raiders

Week 12: Los Angeles Chargers

Week 13: at Indianapolis Colts

Week 14: at Philadelphia Eagles (Sunday Night Football)

Okay, maybe this doesn’t make the most sense as a primetime game on paper. But, beyond the upstarts-take-on-the-champs angle, this could be a fascinating matchup from a football sense: What happens when arguably the best offensive line in football meets arguably the best pass-rush in football?

Week 15: New York Giants

Week 16: Cincinnati Bengals

Week 17: at Kansas City Chiefs (Christmas/Thursday Night)

The cards aligned here. A rivalry could officially brew in 2025 between Broncos and Chiefs, and this matchup could have major divisional implications while letting the NFL toss Kansas City (and Taylor Swift) onto a primetime holiday slate. Time for Christmas in Kansas City.

Week 18: Las Vegas Raiders

Let’s cap off the regular season with a potential shootout against Pete Carroll’s crew, as Las Vegas is set to be a massive divisional wild-card after pairing world-beating back Ashton Jeanty and tight end Brock Bowers.

The mock drafts continue to mock us, pinning any number of quarterbacks to the Broncos’ mane. But the most prevalent remains Oregon’s Nix. There are a number of reasons why Nix could fit as the 12th overall pick, most notably his athleticism, toughness and experience. I think he replaced Dan Fouts at Oregon, but need to double check this.

My issues with Nix are two-fold: value and projection. He is not a top-12 player in this draft even when pretzling logic because of the importance of the position. Watching Nix’s games, I struggle to see how it will consistently translate because of his so-college offense of slants, sticks and picks.

So why could this work, ending the madness of incompetence? As scouts like to say, Nix never gets bored by completions. He will take the 4-yarder on first down to stay on schedule. He will also avoid sack sabotage, which, along with goal-to-goal fizzles, drove coach Sean Payton batty about Russell Wilson.

Nix was the point guard of a quick, efficient fast break. It has left a range of comparables from a mobile Jimmy Garoppolo (ESPN’s Jordan Reid) to a taller Tua Tagovailoa (NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah and ESPN’s Mina Kimes). But what if he’s just a fringe starter and trusted backup? That is the player I saw at Auburn that I struggle to unsee.

As the draft inches closer, Nix checks boxes in what Payton seeks in a quarterback. He could be the pick. And if the coach misses, he better chuck and duck. Quack, quack.

Will he be chosen because he’s the son of the chosen one? ������’s Bronny James entered the transfer portal and the NBA draft. LeBron has made it clear he would love to team up with his son. But this isn’t the Griffeys. Not even close. I would love to see Bronny play one more year in college. It would allow him to improve his game so his entrance to the NBA sets him up for success and is viewed through the lens of his accomplishments, not his last name. …

I was not concerned about Jamal Murray’s absence until his knee popped up on the Nuggets’ injury report. This bears watching as he returns to the redline intensity of the postseason. …

Friendly reminder that in a few weeks, Nikola Jokic will become only the ninth player to win three MVP awards. The others: Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Moses Malone, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan and LeBron James. Let us never get bored by Joker’s brilliance. …

So let me get this straight. A healthy Joel Embiid has never advanced out of the second round of the playoffs, but the 76ers are now going to upset the Celtics in the Eastern Conference with their star center relying on one good knee? Riiiiight. ….

There is a controversy with Shohei Ohtani’s new interpreter on whether he translated correctly the star saying he met the woman who retrieved his first Dodgers home run ball. The story is made funnier by Ambar Roman’s Twitter display name, which will never be printed in this publication. …

How can we tell women’s college hoops has passed the men’s game in popularity? Oven-mitt-required takes are now happening with regularity to the likes of Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese. ….

Mail Time 

Rockies pitchers: Kyle Freeland 27.00 ERA and Anthony Molina 29.70 ERA. 27.00 is a lot better, right?

Fred, via email

I have never covered a Rockies opener with less optimism. Baseball is harder than calculus. And it is impossible to succeed without functional pitching. The Rockies have some intriguing hitters in their minor league system, but where are the arms? Multiple prospects are returning from injury, but draft and development remain lip service until they produce results at the big-league level.

Want more sports news? Sign up for the Sports Omelette to get all our analysis on Denver’s teams.

The Falcons found their quarterback. The Dolphins watched multiple key players leave. Derrick Henry moved to Baltimore, where he and quarterback Lamar Jackson might have the most unstoppable zone reads in football. And former Giants running back Tiki Barber sounded off on Saquon Barkley joining the Eagles.

“You’re dead to me,” will be my go-to phrase whenever someone rejects my trade request in fantasy football in the fall.

There are still more moves to be made, but let����ap take a look at some of the winners and losers from a busy first week:

Winners

Kirk Cousins: People can criticize the veteran quarterback for his lack of playoff success. But when it comes to securing big-time contracts, Cousins might be a Hall of Famer. The former Vikings star signed a four-year, $180 million deal with $100 million guaranteed with Atlanta despite being 35 and coming off a season-ending torn Achilles. Before joining the Falcons, Cousins earned $231.6 million while playing for Washington and Minnesota,

Cousins will be the best quarterback to wear a Falcons uniform since Matt Ryan. He should work well with wide receiver Drake London, tight Kyle Pitts and running back Bijan Robinson. But man, it����ap hard to not think about how he’s been able to get the Brink’s trucks constantly rolling to his house.

Offensive guards: A handful of guards around the league received the bag. Former Dolphins guard Robert Hunt signed a five-year, $100 million deal with the Carolina Panthers. Two-time Pro Bowler Landon Dickerson inked a four-year, $84 million extension with the Eagles. And the Rams signed Jonah Jackson to a three-year, $51 million contract.

As guards signed deals left and right, Quinn Meinrez had to be smiling. The Broncos’ starting right guard will be an unrestricted free agent in 2025 and could be in line for a big payday if his performance in 2023 carries over into 2024.

Washington Commanders: Under new ownership, the Commanders were active. They signed a handful of veterans, including running back Austin Ekeler, defensive end Dorance Armstrong, linebacker Frankie Luvu and tight end Zach Ertz. On Thursday, Washington improved its draft capital by trading quarterback Sam Howell, a fourth-round pick (No. 102) and a sixth (No. 179) to the Seattle Seahawks for a third (No. 78) and fifth (No. 152). The Commanders currently have six draft picks inside the top 100 while adding quality veterans to the roster. Washington seems to be trending in the right direction with new head coach Dan Quinn and general manager Adam Peters.

Houston Texans: The Texans lost running back Devin Singletary, defensive end Jonathan Greenard and linebacker Blake Cashman. But they responded by trading for former Bengals running back Joe Mixon and signing edge rusher Danielle Hunter to a two-year, $49 million deal. Pairing Hunter with Will Anderson Jr. gives Houston one of the best pass-rush duos in the NFL. Hunter totaled 16½ sacks for the Vikings in 2023, while Anderson had the third-best pass-rush win rate (26%) in the league, according to ESPN.

Mixon is an upgrade from Singletary, and Houston only had to give up a seventh-round pick before giving him a three-year, $27 million deal. The Texans also added linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair and re-signed tight Dalton Schultz and kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn. It appears Houston is in win-now mode with young quarterback C.J. Stroud and head coach DeMeco Ryans.

Losers

Dallas Cowboys: The Cowboys’ nonchalant approach to the first week of free agency has been questionable. They re-signed long snapper Trent Sieg, but their only major addition thus far has been signing linebacker Eric Kendricks.

Dallas doesn’t have an answer for the running back position after Tony Pollard joined the Titans and Henry, a potential free-agent target, signed with the Ravens. has complicated things. The Cowboys could create short-term cap relief by giving Prescott an extension. However, the team reportedly hasn’t had talks with Prescott.

Carolina Panthers: The Panthers finally did it. They traded star edge rusher Brian Burns to the New York Giants for a 2024 second-round draft choice (No. 39) and 2025 fifth-round selection. Both teams also agreed to swap fifth-rounders this year.

But Carolina could’ve gotten so much more if they would’ve traded Burns in 2022.

According to ESPN, the Los Angeles Rams were willing to send two first-round picks and a second-rounder for Burns, but the Panthers decided to hold on to him. Quarterback Bryce Young should benefit from the additions of Hunt and wide receiver Diontae Johnson. Still, the fact that Carolina traded Burns for nickels on the dollar puts them in the loser category.

New Orleans Saints: The Saints were pretty much at a standstill due to their cap situation. They brought back safety Tyrann Mathieu, who lacks the speed and explosiveness from his prime years, and 35-year-old linebacker Demario Davis. The addition of former Chiefs linebacker Willie Gay Jr. was solid. Beyond that, New Orleans’ moves keep it in the same position it was last season. That����ap not good when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Falcons have improved.

Broncos quarterback situation: When free agency started, the Broncos were expected to go after a veteran quarterback to compete with Jarrett Stidham, who started the final two games of the regular season. Instead, Denver watched quarterbacks like Sam Darnold, Gardner Minshew and Jacoby Brissett sign elsewhere.

What����ap left in the free agent market is injury-prone quarterbacks Jimmy Garoppolo and Ryan Tannehill, Tyler Huntley, MVP candidate-turned-journeyman Carson Wentz and Josh Dobbs. Denver might be pressured to take a quarterback in the draft. However, the Vikings further complicated that plan when they acquired the No. 23 pick from Houston on Friday morning. With Minnesota in possession of two first-round picks, it has enough ammo to trade up and draft a quarterback like J.J. McCarthy or Drake Maye.

Perhaps, the best move for Denver is to roll with Stidham and pray it����ap in a position to draft Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders in 2025. I can already see the “Tank for Shedeur” tweets flooding my timeline on X in October.

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Denver brought back safety P.J. Locke, tight end Adam Trautman, kicker Wil Lutz, fullback Michael Burton and wide receiver Lil’Jordan Humphrey on team-friendly deals. The Broncos also added safety Brandon Jones and defensive tackle Malcolm Roach to address areas of need.

With the first week of free agency nearing an end, here are some players Denver could still target.

QB Jimmy Garoppolo

Garoppolo — recently released by the Raiders after they signed Gardner Minshew — is injury-prone and got benched after throwing nine interceptions in seven games (six starts). But the quarterback market is shrinking, and at least he would give Jarrett Stidham some competition.

C Mason Cole

It wouldn’t hurt to add another center after the Broncos watched Lloyd Cushenberry sign with the Tennessee Titans. Cole has been durable, starting in 34 games over the past two seasons before getting released by the Steelers last month.

CB Steven Nelson

Nelson and Texans cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. were one of the best cornerback tandems in the league last season. Nelson, 31, totaled 63 tackles, four interceptions and 12 passes defended. He also allowed one touchdown on 70 targets in 17 games.

DE Jadeveon Clowney

Clowney, a three-time Pro Bowler, played one year in Baltimore, and delivered. The 30-year-old pass rusher recorded 43 tackles and 9 ½ sacks — tied for a career best. Denver needs to add more juice to the pass rush, and Clowney could do so while being impactful against the run.

WR Tyler Boyd

Unless the Broncos released or traded Courtland Sutton, wide receiver isn’t a major need over positions like inside linebacker or cornerback. But if Denver wanted to add another wideout in the room, it could target Boyd, a second-round pick in 2016. Boyd spent eight seasons in Cincinnati, totaling 6,000 receiving yards and 31 touchdown catches while recording 1,000-plus yards in a season twice. In 2022, Boyd caught 67 passes for 667 yards and two touchdowns.

ILB Devin White

The Broncos could use some help at inside linebacker after Josey Jewell joined the Carolina Panthers on a three-year deal. White has registered at least 100 tackles in three of his five seasons with Tampa Bay and was named a Pro Bowler in 2021. However, he is coming off his least productive year as a pro, totaling a career-low 83 tackles and nine quarterback hits in 14 games (13 starts).

DT Quinton Jefferson

Jefferson — who is looking for his fifth team in five seasons — could be another rotational player on Denver’s defensive line. The 30-year-old could be beneficial in the pass rush, as he had a career-high six sacks for the Jets in 2023 and has logged 16 in the last three years.

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While Denver was not in the running for top-tier candidates like Baker Mayfield or Kirk Cousins, potential veteran options such as Sam Darnold, Jameis Winston, Gardner Minshew and Jacoby Brissett have reportedly agreed to deals with other teams around the league.

With the list of free-agent quarterbacks shrinking, could this be a signal the Broncos will be aggressive in taking a quarterback during the NFL draft in April?

Unless the plan is to stick with Jarrett Stidham, who started the last two games of the 2023 season after the Broncos benched veteran Russell Wilson, that appears to be a possibility.

Mock drafts have the Broncos linked with Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy. However, his stock has risen since the NFL scouting combine, and there’s a chance he gets drafted ahead of Denver’s first-round slot at 12th overall.

While the Falcons found their answer at quarterback with the addition of Cousins on a long-term deal, the Giants and Vikings, who recently agreed to a deal with Darnold, are among several teams ahead of Denver in the draft that could use a young quarterback. If the Broncos value McCarthy, that could force them to trade up and get him.

If Denver wants to stand pat, Oregon’s Bo Nix could be available at No. 12 or later in the first round if they opt to trade back. Nix, who threw for 4,508 yards, 45 touchdowns and three interceptions in 2023, has the skill set to run head coach Sean Payton’s offense without Denver having to hinder its draft capital to get him.

Washington’s Michael Penix Jr., who was impressive at the combine, and South Carolina’s Spencer Rattler — a potential late-round option — are also options.

If the Broncos still want a bridge quarterback who can compete with Stidham during training camp, the Raiders’ Jimmy Garoppolo could make sense. After Las Vegas signed Gardner Minshew to a two-year deal, the team is expected to release Garoppolo, according to the Athletic.

Garoppolo comes with multiple red flags, however. The veteran struggled during his time in Vegas, throwing for 1,205 yards, seven touchdowns and nine picks before getting benched for rookie Aidan O’Connell in Week 9. He also hasn’t played a full season since 2019 and will be suspended for the first two games in 2024 after violating the league’s performance-enhancing drug policy.

At the same time, the 32-year-old could allow the Broncos to remain competitive amid a rebuild. An argument could also be made that he’s better than current free-agent options Ryan Tannehill, Carson Wentz, Mason Rudolph and Tyler Huntley.

The trade market remains an avenue to address the position as well.

Washington’s Sam Howell is an intriguing option. With the Commanders reportedly agreeing to terms with Marcus Mariota and expected to draft a quarterback with the second overall pick, Howell is a prime candidate for a new home.

Howell had his moments in 2023, throwing for 300-plus yards in five games and engineered an 18-point comeback over Denver in Week 2. However, he also threw 21 interceptions — the most in the league. Perhaps, Payton could help Howell correct the turnover issue. If so, that could change the trajectory of the 23-year-old’s career while giving Denver a quality quarterback for cheap.

A fifth-round pick in 2022, Howell has a base salary of $985,000 in 2024 and $1.1 million in 2025, according to Over The Cap.

For a team that still has $85 million in dead cap space attached to Wilson over the next two seasons, that just might be enough to prove appealing.

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Hi Parker! Again, thanks again for all of your insights into the Broncos. With that, I am starting a new club: G.R.O.W. — Get Rid Of Wilson! The offense needs to revolve around the quarterback and Russell Wilson is not looking very good. Yes, he had two drives for touchdowns at the end of the game, but if he had played like that the whole game then all would be OK. He seems to not see open receivers, looks afraid to make any mistakes, and is just going through the motions. If he is let go this offseason, which I do hope, will George Paton be held accountable for this huge mistake, giving up a lot for basically nothing? Again, I have never been a fan of Wilson, but I was rooting for him when we traded for him, but now it is scary to think about him behind center going into the future.

— Del, Lamar

Hey Del, certainly Wilson hasn’t played as well in recent weeks as he did during the Broncos’ five-game winning streak. He’s not the only one, but he’s the most visible one. One thing I will say in your list of concerns: He’s not going through the motions. He’s about as competitive as you’ll find.

At the same time, the numbers recently aren’t great.

During the winning streak, Wilson turned the ball over only one time, completed 71.6% of his passes, threw eight touchdowns and no picks, and ran for 116 yards (3.7 per carry) while playing to a quarterback rating of 109.5.

As the Broncos have lost three of their past four, he’s turned the ball over five times, completed 61.7% of his passes, thrown six touchdowns and four interceptions, run for 75 yards (2.8 per carry) and two touchdowns, and played to an 84.5 quarterback rating.

I don’t know what Wilson’s future is in Denver at this point — we’ve been through some of the options and factors and certainly will be covering more in the coming days and weeks — but it hasn’t been the finishing kick they were hoping for offensively, that����ap for sure.

Hello and merry Christmas! I have a question about our rookies. If we look at the 2023 class, many of them had promise (including the undrafted ones), but for the most part and for various reasons we barely saw them. Is this how Sean Payton usually works with rookies — waiting a year before really putting them in and trusting them? With not much draft capital and a tight cap space, might they be the major reinforcements of 2024 and be part of the vision Payton says he has for next year? Riley Moss and Drew Sanders play two positions of need for next year for example.

P.S.: If I can add, do you know how KJ Hamler is doing?

— Yoann, Beine-Nauroy, France

Yoann, thanks for the questions! The short answer is yes. Payton in New Orleans typically had older, more experienced teams. Obviously there are exceptions when it comes to rookie production, but if you look at the roster composition, his teams have usually skewed older. It����ap part of the reason he and the Broncos loaded up in free agency after he got hired.

Payton believes in his staff’s ability to develop players, and he talks often about the “vision” for a guy not just in Year 1 but beyond. For example, when they drafted Drew Sanders, Payton said he thinks Sanders prototypes to the “Mike” inside linebacker position, basically the quarterback of the defense. This year, he’s got on the field mostly on the edge and as a pass-rusher, and Payton last week acknowledged that now he could see Sanders inside or outside long-term.

It����ap interesting because Payton speaks highly of several of Denver’s rookies — Sanders, corner Riley Moss, receiver Marvin Mims Jr., running back Jaleel McLaughlin, even some others like center Alex Forsyth — but the playing time doesn’t really match. In some cases, the reasoning is obvious. In others, less so. So it’ll be interesting to watch how that group develops into next season and also if any of the next crop of rookies can make an immediate impact.

As for Hamler, I haven’t talked to him, but he’s currently on Indianapolis’ practice squad as that team pushes for a playoff spot. Good on him for getting back from the heart issue that cropped up in training camp and landing back with an NFL team.

Parker, it’s frustrating how many opportunities we had early against the Patriots and yet we managed only seven points in the first half. Losing Courtland Sutton was big but how did no one else step up until the fourth quarter? That was a winnable game. Now instead of sitting at 8-7 and being a game out of first place in the AFC West, we need to win out and pray for everything to shake out for a shot at that final wild-card spot.

How’s Courtland Sutton doing? If he’s not back next week, I don’t think we have a shot.

— Will, Aurora

Now with only a 5% chance of making the playoffs, what����ap left for the Broncos to play for this season after this devastating loss? Why such a slow start against the Patriots?

— Ed Helinski, Auburn, N.Y.

Combining Will and Ed’s questions and concerns here since they fall in the same vein.

That loss to New England was bad. Really bad. Amazingly, the further we get past it, the worse it looks, too. Part of that is obviously because of the Patriots’ 3-11 record entering the game and because the Broncos just had to beat three teams with a combined 14-28 record to likely secure a playoff spot. But there are two things that make it even worse sitting here the week after.

1) Denver is now 4-4 at home this year. Not good enough. To make matters worse, the Broncos have led seven of those eight games at halftime, including Sunday night. The teams that came back to beat them: Las Vegas, Washington, the New York Jets and the Patriots. Those teams were quarterbacked by Jimmy Garoppolo, Sam Howell, Zach Wilson and Bailey Zappe. Ouch.

2) This appears to be the most vulnerable Kansas City team since Patrick Mahomes got drafted, and the Broncos have done absolutely nothing with it. The Chiefs lost again Monday. The Broncos would be a game back in the division and looking at the possibility of just needing one KC loss over the last two weeks paired with two wins of their own for a West division crown. Instead they need two Chiefs losses and two wins.

Mahomes is 28 years old. Assuming good health, he can go another decade-plus if he wants to. There aren’t going to be many lean years in that stretch. This was a chance to make it stick for a year regardless of whether Denver’s real level is mediocre or somewhere in that range. So far it����ap been a swing and a miss.

At this point, then, to Ed’s question, you’re trying to beat two more division opponents. That’d put you at 9-8 on the year and 4-2 against the West. If almost literally everything breaks right the next two weeks, maybe you sneak into the postseason. Otherwise you set about trying to build off it into 2024.

As for Sutton, no real update from Payton on Tuesday. The protocol is pretty straightforward, so Sutton’s progress will be measured through the week on whether he can get back into meetings, then into conditioning work, then on to the practice field as the week progresses.

Good morning from the Sooner state! We’re as frustrated with the Broncos down here as you are in the high country. Quick question: With the dearth of productivity from the tight end corps, do you wonder if Sean Payton misses Albert Okwuegbunam yet?

— Randy Swanson, Yukon, Okla.

Hey Randy, thanks for writing in! Good question. Maybe, but really probably not. If you want to put the hindsight glasses on and say that the staff should have assumed they’d be without Greg Dulcich for most of the season, then maybe. But Dulcich, for all the injury issues as a rookie, had a healthy offseason and training camp.

Not only that, but the Broncos basically swapped out Okwuegbunam for Lucas Krull. That big third preseason game that some folks thought nailed down Albert O’s roster spot, well, it felt an awful lot like a trade showcase. He had seven catches for 109 and a TD. Krull for New Orleans in Week 3 of the preseason: Seven for 106.

So far this season: Okwuegbunam’s played in four games and hasn’t caught a pass for Philadelphia. Krull’s played in five games and has six catches for 81 yards and a touchdown. Different teams, different situations, etc. But at the end of the day I’m not sure the preseason decision-making at tight end is where Denver ran into trouble this year.

Winning in the NFL isn’t that difficult, half the teams win every weekend.

— Dave, Golden

My kind of math, Dave. Except wait, with an odd number of games on the season, that means you either go 9-8 or 8-9. Sounds kind of familiar, now that you mention it.

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Herbert’s fading star. Oh, how the world has turned on Justin Herbert. A year ago, the Chargers quarterback received MVP votes after leading his team to the playoffs. Seven months later, he signed the richest contract in NFL history in terms of average salary ($52.5 million). Now, he’s the chic pick as the league’s most overrated QB, with critics pointing to his admittedly so-so record (30-32) as an NFL starter. Of course, the Chargers took the field without him Thursday night, and it was hard not to come away from that debacle — hello, 63-21 loss in Las Vegas — feeling like Herbert is the least of that franchise’s problems. At the top of that laundry list? How about since-fired head coach Brandon Staley, who never saw a fourth down he didn’t want to go for?

Anyone wanna win this? Don’t look now, but the AFC is completely up for grabs. The defending champion Chiefs can no longer catch footballs (or line up onside). Miami just choked away a double-digit fourth-quarter lead to a rookie quarterback (Will Levis). Jacksonville has lost two in a row — both to backup quarterbacks. And we’ve gotta see it in the playoffs from Lamar Jackson and Baltimore before we actually believe it. With the NFL’s top three teams (San Francisco, Dallas and Philadelphia) all residing in the NFC, it’s starting to feel an awful lot like the 1980s around here. And we all know who tended to rep the AFC in the Super Bowl back in those days.

Flacco’s aflame. Remember when Joe Flacco was John Elway’s answer at quarterback? Perhaps if the Broncos would’ve got the version currently slinging the rock for Cleveland, Vic Fangio would still be walking the practice fields at Dove Valley. OK, we kid. Still, the 38-year-old Flacco has sure turned back the clock over the past two weeks — both starts. While his numbers (565 yards on 55.1% passing) aren’t blowing anyone’s socks off, he did enough to take down AFC South leader Jacksonville last week. Given the Browns’ record (8-6) and schedule (vs. Chicago, at Houston, vs. N.Y. Jets and at Cincinnati), there’s a real possibility he’ll get another shot at the playoffs, where the Elite One is 10-5 with a Super Bowl ring. Time to stock up on Icy Hot in The Land.

Around the NFC

It’s McCaffrey, folks. At the risk of offending former Post sports editor Scott Monserud (a proud Iowa State Cyclone), quarterback Brock Purdy isn’t what makes the San Francisco 49ers special. That would be coach Kyle Shanahan; receivers Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk; tight end George Kittle; and, yes, Valor Christian’s own Christian McCaffrey. The 49ers have played 24 regular-season games since they traded for McCaffrey last fall. Their record since then? A tidy 20-4. This was a team that was so good, the infinitely average Jimmy Garoppolo consistently won games with them. In fact, he was 5-1 with McCaffrey at running back last year, and 2-2 without him. And one of those losses was to Nathaniel Hackett’s Broncos (Yikes!). So if you want to look for an MVP from the Bay Area, look no further than McCaffrey. You know, the guy with 1,614 total yards, 17 touchdowns and the sort of unique, multidimensional game that unlocks an entire offense.

Windy City winners. If the Bears could’ve held on to a 21-point second-half lead against the Broncos in Week 4, they’d be in the thick of the NFC playoff race right now at 6-7. While that might say something about the bottom of the NFC (it’s bad, friends), it also says something about the job coach Matt Eberflus has done to pull his team back from 0-4. Quarterback Justin Fields is looking like he might be worth keeping around. And even if he falters down the stretch, Chicago still has the Carolina Panthers’ first-round pick, which is just about a lock to be No. 1 overall. Not a bad spot to be in. Not bad at all.

In-A-Gadda-Devito. Think the New York Giants regret extending quarterback Daniel Jones? It sure looks like rookie Tommy DeVito, who’s currently , can do the job just fine. After getting off to a shaky start, DeVito has won three straight with a Giants team that was trending toward 2-7 when Jones went down with a season-ending injury Nov. 5. Devito’s last win, coming Monday night vs. Green Bay, included a clutch game-winning drive that capped a 17-of-21, 158-yard evening for the Illinois product. QB controversy in the Big Apple? Sounds like a hoot.

Game of the Week

Baltimore at Jacksonville

In a battle of AFC division leaders, the Ravens can take a major step toward locking up the conference’s No. 1 seed with a win in Duval County on Sunday night. While Baltimore is surging with three straight wins — the last an impressive 37-31 victory over the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday — the Jaguars are reeling from back-to-back losses to Cincinnati and Cleveland. The Jacksonville defense, a sturdy bunch early on this season, has given up 30-plus to Jake Browning and Joe Flacco over the last two games. Hard to imagine the Jags faring any better against Lamar Jackson. Which is probably why they are three-point home dogs.

Ravens 31, Jaguars 24

Lock of the Week

Kansas City at New England

As bad as the Chiefs have looked of late, there’s no better medicine than a game against Bill Belichick’s Patriots. Don’t let that win in Pittsburgh fool you. These Patriots are bad. Real bad. After a week of (rightfully) getting blasted for his poor behavior in the wake of last week’s loss to Buffalo, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is going to come out guns blazing. Even with the Chiefs laying 8.5 points, this one’s in the bag.

Chiefs 27, Patriots 13

Upset of the Week

Philadelphia at Seattle

There’s something about the Seahawks on Monday night. Whether it’s a 64-yard field goal try (hey there, Nathaniel Hackett) or the dreaded , they always seem to find a way. Fun fact: (29-12), including a 24-3 win over the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium in Week 4. Not a great spot for an Eagles team that’s gotten blasted two games in a row (vs. San Francisco, at Dallas) and is laying three points on the road.

Seahawks 28, Eagles 22

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Denver won two straight games before the bye week, leading to the decision to stand pat at the trade deadline and attempt to make a postseason push in the second half. , so the odds are slim.

Since Denver (3-5) plans to fight until the bitter end, let����ap try to predict how the rest of the season could play out.

at Buffalo Bills (Nov. 13)

Let����ap get wild. The Broncos are motivated, and the week off shouldn’t take away that fire. Buffalo is 2-2 in its last four games, while each matchup has been decided by six points or fewer. The Bills have not been the best at defending the run, allowing 122 yards per game. Denver will pound the football, and the defense will force Bills quarterback Josh Allen to throw a couple of interceptions. Prediction: Win

vs. Minnesota Vikings (Nov. 19)

The Vikings have won three straight after starting the season at 1-4. But they recently lost quarterback Kirk Cousins, who is out for the season with a torn Achilles tendon. Star wideout Justin Jefferson has missed the last three games due to a hamstring injury.

Rookie wide receiver Jordan Addison has been a stud, but it will be interesting to see how the Vikings’ offense operates under Joshua Dobbs, who was traded from Arizona following Cousins’ injury. This game will come down to the wire, but expect the best quarterback to come out on top. Prediction: Win

vs. Cleveland Browns (Nov. 26)

Cleveland’s gamble on quarterback Deshaun Watson hasn’t gone as planned. But the Browns will bring Denver back to reality with their physical defense. Cleveland is first in the league in total yards allowed (260). Defensive end Myles Garrett might have a field day against Denver’s offensive line. Prediction: Loss

at Houston Texans (Dec. 3) 

First-year head coach DeMeco Ryans has the Texans competing. Houston has won three of its last five games, while rookie C.J. Stroud has looked like a franchise quarterback. Stroud has thrown for 1,800 yards with nine touchdowns and a pick. The former Ohio State star will put up some impressive numbers against the Broncos as Denver drops to two games below .500. Prediction: Loss

at Los Angeles Chargers (Dec. 10) 

The Broncos have lost three straight games to the Chargers on the road and expect that streak to continue. Denver and Los Angeles have been two of the worst passing defenses in the league. The Chargers have allowed a league-worst 297.4 passing yards per game. This game has the makings of a shootout, with Los Angeles getting the upper hand in Round 1. Prediction: Loss

at Detroit Lions (TBD) 

The Lions are legit. They are second in total offense (390.6), and quarterback Jared Goff is fourth in passing yards (2,154). Rookie running back Jahmyr Gibbs and tight end Sam LaPorta have already made an impact.

Detroit����ap run defense has been solid, allowing 100-plus rushing yards in one game this season. Denver’s losing streak will continue in an ugly way.  Prediction: Loss

vs. New England Patriots (Dec. 24) 

Life would be so much better if the NFL didn’t schedule the Broncos to face New England in prime time on Christmas Eve. Led by quarterback Mac Jones, the Patriots have been dreadful to watch (31st in scoring at 14.8 points per game).

Denver will give ����apountry something to cheer about before the holiday by pulling off a win that will match the vibes of its matchup against the Packers in Week 7. Prediction: Win

vs. Los Angeles Chargers (Dec. 31) 

Denver and Los Angeles have split their two divisional games each of the past three seasons. That trend will continue after the Broncos get their revenge on the Chargers with a victory at home.  Prediction: Win

Las Vegas Raiders (TBD) 

The Broncos should’ve won their matchup against Las Vegas in Week 1. The Raiders are a mess, and things got even worse when they fired head coach Josh McDaniels, general manager Dave Ziegler and offensive coordinator Mick Lombardi. Interim coach Antonio Pierce announced the team will move forward with rookie Aidan O’Connell as the starting quarterback instead of Jimmy Garoppolo.

The Raiders offense is broken, ranking 31st in total offense (268.3) despite having wide receiver Davante Adams and running back Josh Jacobs. Denver will end its seven-game losing streak to Las Vegas but also likely finish outside the playoff picture. Prediction: Win

Final record: 8-9