Broncos owner has 'high expectations' for 2024 despite youth

Following their seventh straight losing seven, the Denver Broncos had an offseason full of change, parting ways with quarterback Russell Wilson (Pittsburgh Steelers), wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (Cleveland Browns) and safety Justin Simmons (Atlanta Falcons), among others.

That has caused many to believe Denver is in a bit of a rebuild with an influx of youth, but owner and CEO Greg Penner still thinks his team can compete in 2024.

"You go back to when I spoke after the season, I said this is going to be a critical offseason and it's obviously too early to declare [it] a success, but I've been really impressed with what [Head Coach] Sean [Payton] and [General Manager] George [Paton] have done, Penner said via the team's website. "It's a young team, but I've got high expectations for what we can accomplish."

One player who will play a large role in how this Broncos season unfolds is rookie quarterback Bo Nix, the No. 12 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Last week, Denver named Nix its starting quarterback after he impressed in the team's first two preseason games, completing 23-of-30 passes for 205 yards and two touchdowns.

Nix's play is exactly why Penner feels so encouraged heading into the season.

"I've been really impressed with his poise and maturity," Penner added. "I think he's got some incredible traits. It was great to see how he played in the first two preseason games. ... I'm excited to see what he can do on the field, [as well as] the rest of this roster."

While Nix looked the part during a preseason in which the Broncos went 3-0, the regular season has proven to be a different kind of challenge.

Penner has noticed a different energy around his team this offseason than last year. He's just hoping that doesn't go away when games truly matter.

"From the first day of OTAs, just the enthusiasm and competitiveness — I'm sure you all could hear it on the field — it was different," Penner concluded. "That carried through to training camp and that passion and intensity we saw in the preseason games."

Denver is a long shot to make the playoffs, but Penner seems confident his team could surprise in 2024.