The 2023 season was the Denver Broncos' 54th season in the National Football League (NFL) and their 64th overall. It was also their third under the leadership of general manager George Paton, their second under the ownership of the Walton-Penner family group and their first under head coach Sean Payton. During the off-season, the Broncos released longtime kicker Brandon McManus after spending nine seasons with the team. He was the last player from the 2015 Super Bowl 50-winning team still on the roster. His release made safety Justin Simmons, who has been with the team since 2016, the team's new longest-tenured player.
After a dismal 1–5 start, the team's first since 1994, the Broncos started to surge, winning five straight for the first time since 2015 to improve upon their 5–12 record from the previous season. However, the Broncos won just two of their final six games, suffering their seventh consecutive losing season and missed the playoffs for an eighth consecutive season. This was the first time the Broncos ranked bottom 10 on offense and defense since the 1992 season. After his worst statistical season in 2022, quarterback Russell Wilson improved his performance, but was benched for the team's final two games for financial reasons and was subsequently released the following offseason where he joined the Pittsburgh Steelers.
One of the Broncos' highlights of the season was their Week 8 win of 24–9 over division rival, defending Super Bowl champion and eventual-repeat champion Kansas City Chiefs. This win snapped a 16-game losing streak by the Broncos against the Chiefs, and their first win against quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Meanwhile, one of the team's lowlights was a 70–20 loss in Week 3 to the Miami Dolphins, which became the most infamous game of the Broncos' season.
The Denver Broncos drew an average home attendance of 76,388 in 9 home games in the 2023 NFL season, the 5th highest in the league.
Coaching changes On February 3, Sean Payton was named as the 20th head coach in franchise history. Payton previously coached the New Orleans Saints from 2006 to 2021, with the exception of 2012, and the Broncos agreed to draft compensation with the Saints—see Draft section. Payton was the Broncos' seventh different head coach since 2008, and their third since 2018. He replaced Nathaniel Hackett, who was fired on December 26, 2022, and replaced by Jerry Rosburg on an interim basis for the last two games of the 2022 season.
In the weeks that followed Payton's hiring, the Broncos underwent the following coaching changes:
+ 2023 Denver Broncos coaching staff changes Position Previous coach(es) 2023 replacement(s) Assistant head coach None Mike Westhoff Assistant to the head coach None Paul Kelly Offensive coordinator Justin Outten, 2022 Joe Lombardi Quarterbacks coach Klint Kubiak, 2022 Davis Webb Pass game coordinator Klint Kubiak, 2022 John Morton Running backs coach Tyrone Wheatley, 2022 Lou Ayeni Wide receivers coach Zach Azzanni, 2018–2022 Keary Colbert Tight ends coach Jake Moreland, 2022 Declan Doyle Offensive line coach Butch Barry (Weeks 1–16, 2022)Ben Steele (interim—Weeks 17 and 18, 2022) Zach Strief Assistant offensive line coach Ben Steele, 2022 Austin King Offensive quality control coach Ramon Chinyoung, 2022 Logan KilgoreFavian Upshaw Defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, 2022 Vance Joseph Linebackers coach Peter Hansen, 2022 None Outside linebackers coach Bert Watts, 2022 Michael Wilhoite Inside linebackers coach None Greg Manusky Pass rush specialist None Jamar Cain Assistant defensive backs Ola Adams, 2022 None Defensive quality control coach Andrew Carter, 2022 Addison LynchIsaac Shewmaker Senior defensive assistant Dom Capers, 2022 Joe Vitt Special teams coach Dwayne Stukes (Weeks 1–16, 2022)Mike Mallory (interim—Weeks 17 and 18, 2022) Ben Kotwica Assistant special teams coach Mike Mallory, 2022 Chris Banjo
Roster changes Future contracts All players listed below were signed to reserve/future contracts on January 9, unless otherwise noted. Each player was officially added to the active roster on March 15—the first day of the 2023 league year. Position Player Notes WR Victor Bolden Jr. waived March 14 G Parker Ferguson waived May 12 CB Faion Hicks waived August 29 CB Delonte Hood waived August 27 DE Jordan Jackson signed January 11, waived August 29,assigned to the practice squad on August 30 S Devon Key waived August 29, assigned to the practice squad on August 30 RB Tyreik McAllister waived May 12, re-signed May 15,waived May 31 T Isaiah Prince signed February 3, released August 27 LB Wyatt Ray released March 20 T Hunter Thedford waived May 25 LB Ray Wilborn waived August 14
Free agents Unrestricted Position Player 2023 team Notes LB Dakota Allen None T Calvin Anderson New England Patriots signed with the Patriots on March 14 CB Essang Bassey Los Angeles Chargers originally an , re-signed March 22, waived October 3,claimed off waivers by the Chargers on October 4 FB Andrew Beck Houston Texans signed with the Texans on March 14 LS Jacob Bobenmoyer Las Vegas Raiders originally an , signed with the Raiders on March 17 RB Mike Boone Houston Texans signed with the Texans on March 14 G Tom Compton None T Cameron Fleming Denver Broncos re-signed May 23 LB Jonathan Kongbo BC Lions (CFL) originally an , signed with the BC Lions on May 21 S Kareem Jackson Denver Broncos re-signed May 15 DE Dre'Mont Jones Seattle Seahawks signed with the Seahawks on March 13 S P. J. Locke Denver Broncos originally an , re-signed March 16, placed on injured reserve August 31,returned to the active roster on October 7 RB Marlon Mack Arizona Cardinals signed with the Cardinals on August 4 RB Latavius Murray Buffalo Bills signed with the Bills on May 1 CB Darius Phillips Houston Texans Signed with the Texans on May 4 G Dalton Risner Minnesota Vikings signed with the Vikings on September 18 QB Brett Rypien Los Angeles Rams originally an , signed with the Rams on May 4 TE Eric Saubert Miami Dolphins signed with the Dolphins on March 15 LB Alex Singleton Denver Broncos re-signed March 16 TE Eric Tomlinson Houston Texans signed with the Texans on May 3 T Billy Turner New York Jets Signed with the Jets on May 1 P Corliss Waitman New England Patriots originally an ERFA, assigned tender on March 13,tender rescinded on March 21, signed with the Patriots on March 23 DE DeShawn Williams Carolina Panthers signed with the Panthers on March 15 Note: Unrestricted free agents who were originally Restricted free agents (RFA) had three accrued seasons whose contracts expired at the end of the previous season, and did not receive a qualifying offer before the start of the 2023 league year on March 15.
Exclusive-rights Position Player Tag 2022 team Notes T Quinn Bailey ERFA Denver Broncos assigned tender on March 13, released August 29,re-signed August 31 LB Jonas Griffith ERFA None assigned tender on March 13,placed on injured reserve on August 3
Signings Position Player 2022 team(s) Notes DE Zach Allen Arizona Cardinals signed March 15 WR Michael Bandy Los Angeles Chargers signed July 28, waived August 29,assigned to the practice squad on August 30 FB Michael Burton Kansas City Chiefs signed March 17 WR Marquez Callaway New Orleans Saints signed March 24, waived August 29 LB Frank Clark Kansas City Chiefs signed June 13, released October 14 NT Keondre Coburn None claimed off waivers from the Chiefs on October 20,waived November 14 QB Ben DiNucci None signed May 16, waived August 29,assigned to the practice squad on August 30 P Riley Dixon Los Angeles Rams signed March 21 G Yasir Durant New Orleans Saints signed July 31, designated as waived/injured on August 5 K Elliott Fry None signed May 31, designated as waived/injured on August 15 C Kyle Fuller Seattle Seahawks signed April 3, released August 29 WR Josh Hammond None signed August 22, waived August 29 TE Tommy Hudson None signed June 1, waived August 29 WR Lil'Jordan Humphrey New England Patriots signed March 7, released August 29,assigned to the practice squad on August 30,promoted to the active roster on September 13,released October 11,promoted to the active roster on October 18,released October 20,promoted to the active roster on October 25 RB Tony Jones Jr. Seattle Seahawks signed March 23, waived August 29 WR J. J. Koski None signed August 14, waived August 27 TE Lucas Krull New Orleans Saints promoted to the active roster on December 16 NT Tyler Lancaster None signed May 23, released August 29,assigned to the practice squad on August 30 DT Tomasi Laulile None signed August 23, waived August 29 OT Mike McGlinchey San Francisco 49ers signed March 15 K Brett Maher Dallas Cowboys signed July 25, released August 29 DE Forrest Merrill None signed August 5, designated as waived/injured on August 16 CB Fabian Moreau New York Giants signed August 2, released August 29,re-signed August 31 TE Chris Manhertz Jacksonville Jaguars signed March 15 LB Durell Nchami None signed to practice squad on December 6 NT Haggai Ndubuisi None signed as part of the International Player Pathway Program on May 12, waived August 29,assigned to the practice squad on August 30 LB Ben Niemann Arizona Cardinals promoted to the active roster on October 30 RB Jacques Patrick None signed May 16, waived June 1 RB Samaje Perine Cincinnati Bengals signed March 16 LB Ronnie Perkins None signed from the New England Patriots' practice squad on September 18,waived December 14,assigned to the practice squad on December 16 G Ben Powers Baltimore Ravens signed March 16 CB Tremon Smith Houston Texans signed March 17 QB Jarrett Stidham Las Vegas Raiders signed March 15CBReese TaylorNonesigned to the practice squad on November 8 RB Dwayne Washington New Orleans Saints signed August 16, released August 29,assigned to the practice squad on August 30,promoted to the active roster on October 4
Departures Position Player Notes LB Christopher Allen waived August 29 RB Tyler Badie waived August 29, assigned to the practice squad on August 30 RB Damarea Crockett waived June 5 CB Ronald Darby released March 14 T Christian DiLauro waived July 31 RB Chase Edmonds released March 13 C Graham Glasgow released March 13 QB Jarrett Guarantano waived July 25 WR Kendall Hinton waived August 27 CB Lamar Jackson waived March 20 K Brandon McManus released May 23 LB Jacob Martin released May 10 LB Aaron Patrick waived August 29 NT Mike Purcell released August 29, re-signed August 31 G Will Sherman waived August 29, assigned to the practice squad on August 30 WR Freddie Swain waived March 14 WR Montrell Washington waived August 29
Draft
+ 2023 Denver Broncos draft selections Round Selection Player Position College Notes 1 5 Traded to the Seattle Seahawks 29 Traded to the New Orleans Saints From Dolphins 2 37 Traded to the Seattle Seahawks 63 Marvin Mims WR Oklahoma From Chiefs via Lions 3 67 Drew Sanders LB Arkansas From Colts 68 Traded to the Detroit Lions 83 Riley Moss CB Iowa From Seahawks 4 108 Traded to the Seattle Seahawks 5 139 Traded to the Detroit Lions 6 183 JL Skinner S Boise State From Broncos via Lions 195 Traded to the New Orleans Saints From Steelers 7 222 Traded to the San Francisco 49ers 241 Traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers From Vikings 257 Alex Forsyth C Oregon From Saints Draft trades
Undrafted free agents All undrafted free agents were signed prior to the team's rookie minicamp on May 12, unless noted otherwise.