The Denver Broncos finally broke their playoff drought, which stretched from Peyton Manning’s final NFL game. While it was a short postseason stint, the Broncos have reset the clock and can establish a new era of success.
However, renowned sports commentator Colin Cowherd doesn’t see the Broncos reaching the playoffs for a second consecutive season. The Fox Sports 1 analyst shared his views on the March 15 episode of ‘The Herd.’
Cowherd started his argument by pointing out that there have been at least four new playoff teams for 35 consecutive seasons. These teams range from those who returned to the postseason picture after missing for one season to franchises that endured lengthy absences, like the Broncos.
That said, Cowherd predicts the Broncos will end their 2025 campaign after 17 regular-season games. Instead, he placed the New England Patriots and the Cincinnati Bengals as wild-card qualifiers for the seven-team AFC postseason picture.
Furthermore, Cowherd sees the Buffalo Bills (AFC East), Baltimore Ravens (AFC North), Houston Texans (AFC South), and the Los Angeles Chargers (AFC West) winning their respective divisions. Meanwhile, he placed the Kansas City Chiefs as a wild-card team.
Colin Cowherd Praised Broncos’ Free Agency Haul
While Cowherd doesn’t envision the Broncos as a playoff team, he did praise the franchise’s moves during the first round of free agency. He said, “I think Denver made two big swings on defense in (Talanoa) Hufanga and (Dre) Greenlaw. I think they’ll both pay dividends.”
Denver signed Greenlaw to a three-year, $35 million contract, which includes a $6.5 million signing bonus and $13.5 million in guaranteed money. Greenlaw had back-to-back seasons with at least 120 tackles and 4 passes defended.
Meanwhile, Hufanga signed a three-year, $45 million deal with the Broncos. He will get $20 million guaranteed, including a $7.5 million signing bonus. The safety with Tongan descent was a 2022 First-Team All-Pro member after tallying 97 tackles, 9 pass deflections, 4 interceptions, 2 forced fumbles, and 2 sacks in 17 games.
However, while Cowherd sees both players as significant contributors to a solid Broncos defensive unit, the former San Francisco 49ers stalwarts have injury concerns. Hufanga played 17 games over the last two seasons, including seven in 2024 due to a broken wrist. The defensive back from USC did receive a 74.5 run defense grade from Pro Football Focus last season.
Likewise, a torn Achilles limited Greenlaw to only two games last year. He’s also dealing with torn quadriceps that could force him to miss some games in 2025. Despite the limited playing time, Greenlaw received an 82 overall grade from PFF.
Cowherd Declares the AFC West as the NFL’s Best Division
In the process of predicting the AFC playoff picture, Cowherd complimented the AFC West by saying, “I don’t think the winner of this division wins more than 12, whoever it is, and I don’t think the fourth-place team wins fewer than eight. I think it’s the best division going away in football.”
Cowherd bets on a competitive division because of the elite coaching acumen of each team. Three of the four head coaches are Super Bowl winners, starting with the Broncos’ Sean Payton guiding the New Orleans Saints to victory in Super Bowl XLIV. Andy Reid won three Vince Lombardi Trophies with the Chiefs, while current Las Vegas Raiders head coach Pete Carroll won with the Seattle Seahawks in XLVIII.
Meanwhile, Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh led the 49ers to a Super Bowl appearance. He also won the 2024 College Football Playoff National Championship with the Michigan Wolverines.
The football genius of these proven coaches has Cowherd predicting the AFC West to be a hotly contested division.
Broncos Get Bold Playoff Prediction From Colin Cowherd