A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | CH | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9
| 2020 Denver Broncos season | |
|---|---|
| Owner | The Bowlen family (via Pat Bowlen’s estate) |
| General manager | John Elway |
| Head coach | Vic Fangio |
| Home field | Empower Field at Mile High |
| Results | |
| Record | 5–11 |
| Division place | 4th AFC West |
| Playoff finish | Did not qualify |
| Pro Bowlers | OLB Bradley Chubb FS Justin Simmons |
| AP All-Pros | OT Garett Bolles (2nd team) |
| Uniform | |
 | |
The 2020 season was the Denver Broncos' 51st in the National Football League (NFL), their 61st overall and their second under head coach Vic Fangio. It also marked the team's 20th season playing their home games in their current venue, Empower Field at Mile High, as well as the 10th and final season with John Elway serving as the general manager.
The Broncos failed to improve on their 7–9 record from 2019, while decimated by numerous injuries and struggling with poor offensive performances, ranking in the bottom quarter in several statistical categories. The Broncos suffered their fourth consecutive losing season—the team's second-longest streak behind 1963–1972, and missed the playoffs for a fifth consecutive season—tied with 2006–2010 for the second-longest streak in franchise history, behind 1960–1976.[1] In addition, it was the Broncos' second season of 11 or more losses in four seasons, after only having two such seasons from 1990 to 2016.[2] For the first time since 2010, the Broncos were unable to win two consecutive games in consecutive weeks without a bye.
Coaching changes
- January 10: Outside linebackers coach Brandon Staley departed to become the defensive coordinator of the Los Angeles Rams.[3]
- January 12: Offensive coordinator Rich Scangarello was fired after only one season, following a 2019 season in which the Broncos ranked in the bottom five in several offensive categories, including scoring offense and total yardage. Two days later (January 14), Scangarello was replaced by Pat Shurmur, who served as the New York Giants' head coach during the previous two seasons. Shurmur will become the Broncos' fifth offensive coordinator in as many seasons.[4]
- January 15: Quarterbacks coach T. C. McCartney was fired after only one season.[5]
- January 28: Mike Shula, who served as the Giants' offensive coordinator in 2018 and 2019 alongside Pat Shurmur, was named quarterbacks coach.[6]
- February 6: John Pagano was named outside linebackers coach, replacing Brandon Staley. Pagano worked in the same position with the Houston Texans during the previous two seasons.[7]
Roster changes
Future contracts
All players listed below were signed to reserve/future contracts on December 31, 2019, unless noted otherwise. The signings include all ten players who were on the practice squad of the final roster at the end of the 2019 season. Each player was officially added to the active roster on March 18—the first day of the 2020 league year.[8]
| Position | Player | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| OT | Ka'John Armstrong | waived April 28[9] |
| WR | Trinity Benson | waived September 5,[10] assigned to the practice squad on September 6[11] |
| LB | Malik Carney | waived September 5[10] |
| RB | Jeremy Cox | waived September 5,[10] assigned to the practice squad on September 6,[11] promoted to the active roster on October 31[12] |
| LB | Tre' Crawford | waived July 27[13] |
| P | Trevor Daniel | waived April 23[14] |
| TE | Bug Howard | waived April 27[15] |
| OT | Tyler Jones | signed January 15,[16] waived September 5[10] |
| S | P. J. Locke | waived September 5,[10] assigned to the practice squad on September 6,[11] promoted to the active roster on September 24[17] |
| WR | Kelvin McKnight | waived July 27[13] |
| RB | Khalfani Muhammad | waived July 27[13] |
| S | Tyvis Powell | waived April 27[15] |
| QB | Brett Rypien | waived September 5,[10] assigned to the practice squad on September 6,[11] promoted to the active roster on September 25[18] |
| S | Kahani Smith | waived July 27[13] |
| DT | Jay-Tee Tiuli | waived April 27[15] |
| LS | Wes Farnsworth | waived August 27[19] |
Free agents
Unrestricted
| Position | Player | 2020 team | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| QB | Brandon Allen | Cincinnati Bengals | signed with the Bengals on August 1[20] |
| LB | Jeremiah Attaochu | Denver Broncos | re-signed March 23[21] |
| CB | De'Vante Bausby | Denver Broncos | originally an RFA, re-signed March 20,[22] waived September 5,[10] assigned to the practice squad on September 6,[11] promoted to the active roster on September 18,[23] released October 24,[24] claimed off waivers on November 10[25] |
| RB | Devontae Booker | Las Vegas Raiders | signed with the Raiders on May 7[26] |
| DE | Adam Gotsis | Jacksonville Jaguars | signed with the Jaguars on August 2[27] |
| CB | Chris Harris, Jr. | Los Angeles Chargers | signed with the Chargers on March 18[28] |
| NT | Shelby Harris | Denver Broncos | re-signed March 27[29] |
| DE | Joel Heath | TBD | originally an RFA, re-signed March 27,[30] waived July 27,[13] re-signed and placed on the Reserve/Higher Risk Opt-Out list on August 25[31] |
| CB | Cyrus Jones | TBD | |
| LB | Joseph Jones | Denver Broncos | originally an RFA, re-signed March 27[30] |
| LS | Casey Kreiter | New York Giants | signed with the Giants on April 1[32] |
| G | Ronald Leary | TBD | |
| C | Connor McGovern | New York Jets | signed with the Jets on March 18[33] |
| LB | Corey Nelson | TBD | |
| S | Will Parks | Philadelphia Eagles Denver Broncos |
signed with the Eagles on March 21,[34] claimed off waivers from the Eagles on December 2[35] |
| DT | Kyle Peko | TBD | originally an RFA, placed on the Reserve/Higher Risk Opt-Out list on July 28[36] |
| RB | Theo Riddick | Las Vegas Raiders | signed with the Raiders on August 23[37] |
| S | Justin Simmons | Denver Broncos | assigned franchise tag on March 13,[38] signed one-year franchise tag on July 15[39] |
| DE | Derek Wolfe | Baltimore Ravens | signed with the Ravens on March 28[40] |
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 2020 league year on March 18.
Restricted and exclusive-rights
| Position | Player | Tag | 2020 team | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S | Trey Marshall | ERFA | Denver Broncos | assigned tender on March 17[41] |
| WR | Tim Patrick | ERFA | Denver Broncos | assigned tender on March 17[41] |
| DE | Mike Purcell | RFA | Denver Broncos | assigned tender on March 18,[42] placed on injured reserve on October 27[43] |
| OT | Jake Rodgers | ERFA | TBD | assigned tender on March 18,[44] waived September 5,[10] promoted to the active roster on October 10,[45] waived November 25[46] |
| WR | Diontae Spencer | ERFA | Denver Broncos | assigned tender on March 17[41] |
| CB | Shakial Taylor | ERFA | TBD | assigned tender on March 17,[41] waived July 27[13] |
| S | Dymonte Thomas | ERFA | TBD | |
| OT | Elijah Wilkinson | RFA | Denver Broncos | assigned tender on March 17,[41] placed on the PUP list on July 28,[36] activated from the PUP list on August 3,[47] placed on injured reserve on September 29[48] |
| Restricted Free Agent (RFA): Players with three accrued seasons whose contracts expired at the end of the previous season Exclusive-Rights Free Agent (ERFA): Players with two or fewer accrued seasons whose contracts expired at the end of the previous season | ||||