ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — In the days after Denver's 2024 season ended, General Manager George Paton outlined the need for the Broncos to have "another really good offseason."

And over the past several months, they've worked to reach that mark.

Since January, the Broncos added talented pieces in free agency. They drafted several potential immediate contributors and developed their existing players. They also re-signed a pair of key players to long-term contracts.

In 10 days, Paton will get his first real chance to see the new-look team in action, and he spoke highly on Thursday of the team's depth and potential for 2025.

"We like our roster," Paton said. "We like the depth of this roster. You could see that depth throughout the preseason. We extended leads with our second and third phases. How talented this roster is, we'll see.

"… We do think we have a strong roster, and obviously, that's day to day, that's week to week. We feel we're strong in the trenches. Obviously, we feel like we have a franchise quarterback. We like the weapons we have on offense, and we play really good defense. That's a recipe to win a lot of games. We feel good about this roster."

The Broncos' belief in their trenches led them to keep seven defensive linemen — the most on their initial 53 since 2016 — and signified a commitment to winning in a certain fashion.

"We're trying to keep the best 53. and we've talked about it a lot: building through the trenches," Paton said. "We felt all seven were really good players, and that's how we won last year and that's how we want to win this year: offensive and defensive line. So shame on us if we were to get rid of a really good defensive line player."

Paton said Zach Allen, whom the Broncos recently extended, is the player that "makes this thing go up front" and highlighted his contribution to that unit.

"He's had a tremendous few seasons here," Paton said. "Really good on the field, even better off the field. Obviously, [it] was a priority to get Zach done. We feel good that he's going to be here hopefully for the rest of his career."

The Broncos' depth across the roster also extends to the team's 16-player practice squad, and Paton said he expects many of those additions to play in 2025.

"Really, that's an expansion of our 53," Paton said. "We consider those guys a part of the 53. A lot of these guys — much like last year — are going to play. It just gives players who aren't quite there a chance to develop. I think that's really good for the league. You could go around the league, you could go around different rosters of players that have really taken off due to the development on practice squad. I think it gives the teams flexibility now that you can elevate players and they can get a taste of what it's like in a game. It's been great for the players. I think it's been really good for the teams and the league."

In just 10 days, Paton and Co. will see the roster they've assembled in action.

REID MAKES THE ROSTER

The Broncos saw their undrafted free agent rookie tradition continue as inside linebacker Karene Reid earned a spot on the initial 53-man roster, and Paton spoke to Reid's skillset.

"He's exactly what we saw in college," Paton said. "We've had some luck with these Utah guys. It's a credit to Coach [Kyle] Whittingham and the program he's had there. He's mature, obviously went on a mission. He's 25 years old, but smart, instinctive, nose for the ball, playmaker, urgent. He's going to be a good [special] teamer. [He is] everything we want in a football player."

Paton also said their decision to keep Reid on the active roster was not a direct competition with inside linebacker Levelle Bailey, who played 10 games in 2024 as a rookie and signed to Denver's practice squad on Wednesday.

"We feel the same about Levelle," Paton said. "The second year in the program. Took that next step playing Mike linebacker and got stronger. Did everything in the offseason that we asked. We feel like he's going to be a good player. We're high on both these players, so we're lucky to have them both."

'WE PLAN ON KEEPING HIM HERE'

The Broncos signed veteran quarterback Sam Ehlinger to their practice squad on Wednesday, but Paton said Denver views the signal caller like an active-roster player.

"It was a priority for us to keep Sam," Paton said. "… We consider him a 53-man player. Sam has been outstanding since he showed up. Always been high on Sam at Texas and then you watch him at the Colts, he didn't play a whole lot there but you watch the preseason. And then when you got him here, he was better than I anticipated. Always been a good athlete. I thought he was always efficient. I didn't realize he had the arm strength, and I think he's developed that arm strength over the last couple years."

Ehlinger completed 73.7 percent of his passes for 415 yards, two touchdowns, an interception and a 98.2 quarterback rating during the preseason.

"He played really well," Paton said. "We're glad that he's here. We know teams are after him, and we plan on keeping him here."