Horse Tracks: The Denver Broncos boast the highest player retention rate in the NFL

According to Jason Fitzgerald, founder of Over The Cap, the Denver Broncos have the most players set to return to their roster for the 2025 season.

Good morning, Broncos Country.

Continuity matters. That’s especially true when it comes to forging a roster that can compete for championships in the National Football League.

Entering the third year of the Sean Payton era, the Denver Broncos have embarked on a positive turnaround in short order. From the depths to the abyss to playoff contenders in just a few seasons, the Broncos’ Brass has done a tremendous job bringing a winning culture back to Dove Valley.

According to Jason Fitzgerald, owner and founder of Over The Cap, the Broncos are poised to have the highest player retention rate of any team for the 2025 season. Per his calculations, the franchise sits at 86-percent of players from last season coming back again. Rounding out the top five are the Green Bay Packers, Buffalo Bills, Detroit Lions, and Cincinnati Bengals. Four of those franchises made the playoffs last year.

Overall, seven teams in the top ten made the post season. Whilst only three teams in the bottom ten made the postseason.

The Broncos made multiple upgrades from the outside during free agency at positions of need like safety, linebacker, and tight end. In the draft, they utilized two of their first three picks to build around Bo Nix and the offense. All those moves should help move the needle forward.

However, I believe the most significant reason for optimism is the number of starters the Broncos are bringing back at key position groups. Their offensive line, which was rated one of the best in the NFL last year, will be returning all five of its starters. On defense, all their top defensive linemen are scheduled to come back along with their quality core four at EDGE. That stability should pay off in a big way. There aren’t too many other teams in the league who can say the same.

On top of that, the development of their young players entering their second and third seasons on both sides of the ball will be paramount to the team’s continued ascent this coming season. It’s pretty remarkable to see how solid the foundations of talent are for the Broncos considering the boondoggle they were in just a few years ago.

With a young quarterback leading the way and plenty of cap space in the future, the franchise will have the ability to utilize continuity to their benefit in the coming years. Though it’s just not player retention that’s key here, but the fact they also one of the best coaching staffs that will get the most out of their players.

This is just another reason I’m pumped to see how the team performs in 2025.

As always, thank you for reading. Here is today’s slate of articles for Horse Tracks.

Broncos News & Tidbits

Denver Broncos rank 12th in ESPN FPI, projected to make playoffs in 2025
The Denver Broncos rank 12th in ESPN FPI, meaning they are projected to make the playoffs.

‘He left a special mark in this city’: Ring of Famer Rod Smith reflects on Demaryius Thomas’ election to Broncos Ring of Fame
“It just made me smile, because he’s so deserving because of what he was able to do — not just as an athlete but as a man,” Smith told DenverBroncos.com of the news.

Pat Bryant Dynasty Outlook
Pat Bryant was a third-round pick by the Denver Broncos. After being compared to Michael Thomas, what is Pat Bryant’s dynasty outlook?

Predicting Broncos’ 2025 Defensive Stat Leaders in 3 Key Categories
Here’s who will lead the Denver Broncos defense in the stats department.

NFL News & Tidbits

Top 10 most complete NFL teams for 2025 season: Bills, Eagles, Lions among well-rounded squads
Eric Edholm ranks the top 10 most complete teams — the ones with the most talent/depth and the fewest remaining question marks — heading into the 2025 NFL season. Where do Josh Allen’s Bills land in the pecking order?

Rookies who most need to succeed in Year 1: Heat on Jaguars’ Travis Hunter, Packers’ Matthew Golden
In this edition of The First Read, Jeffri Chadiha identifies 11 rookies who must step up for their teams in 2025. Who faces lofty expectations right out of the gate? Check out his full list, which includes four receivers.

2025 NFL season: Teams most under microscope 100 days out from Kickoff Game
Are the Buffalo Bills the team most in need of a Super Bowl win? Which franchise must reduce the drama once and for all? Judy Battista assesses the squads most under the microscope with 100 days to go before the start of the 2025 NFL season.

Center David Andrews retiring following decade with Patriots
Center David Andrews, who was released by the Patriots in March following 10 years with the team, is retiring.