Dream Team Project
Denver Broncos Dream Team
The all-time Broncos lineup, position by position. Every player here suited up for the Broncos. Disagree with a pick? Leave a comment or nominate someone below.
How we pick
One real lineup per franchise, judged on what each player did in this uniform: impact, playoff moments and longevity with the team first, league honors second. Players are measured against their own era, and every entry is checked against the team site, the Pro Football Hall of Fame or Pro Football Reference.
The roster
Our picks, grouped by unit.
Offense
11 playersQB
John Elway
Career Bronco who reached five Super Bowls and retired with back-to-back titles.
2× Super Bowl champ (XXXII, XXXIII); Super Bowl XXXIII MVP; NFL MVP 1987; 9× Pro Bowl
Sources: Pro Football Hall of Fame; Wikipedia
RB
Terrell Davis
Short career, towering peak: the engine of both championship teams.
2× Super Bowl champ; Super Bowl XXXII MVP; NFL MVP 1998; 3× 1st-team All-Pro
Sources: Pro Football Hall of Fame; Wikipedia
WR
Rod Smith
Undrafted free agent who spent his whole career in Denver and won two rings.
2× Super Bowl champ; 3× Pro Bowl; 849 catches for 11,389 yards
Sources: Wikipedia
WR
Demaryius Thomas
Big-play No. 1 receiver of the Manning-era offenses.
Super Bowl 50 champ; 5× Pro Bowl (2012-2016); 2× 2nd-team All-Pro
Sources: Wikipedia
WR
Lionel Taylor
Original Bronco who led the AFL in catches five times in six years.
Led AFL in receptions 5 times; 3× AFL All-Star; Broncos Ring of Fame
Sources: Wikipedia
TE
Shannon Sharpe
Hall of Fame tight end and Elway's top target on two title teams.
2× Super Bowl champ with DEN; 7× Pro Bowl with DEN; 4× 1st-team All-Pro; Hall of Fame
Sources: Pro Football Hall of Fame; Wikipedia
LT
Gary Zimmerman
Hall of Fame blindside protector for Elway through the first title.
Super Bowl XXXII champ; 3× Pro Bowl with DEN (1994-1996); 1996 1st-team All-Pro; Hall of Fame
Sources: Pro Football Hall of Fame; Wikipedia
LG
Mark Schlereth
Tough, undersized guard on the zone-blocking line behind Terrell Davis.
2× Super Bowl champ with DEN; 1998 Pro Bowl
Sources: Wikipedia
C
Tom Nalen
Career Bronco who anchored a line that produced a string of 1,000-yard backs.
2× Super Bowl champ; 5× Pro Bowl; 2× 1st-team All-Pro (2000, 2003)
Sources: Wikipedia
RG
Quinn Meinerz
Mauling guard with consecutive first-team All-Pro seasons.
2× 1st-team All-Pro (2024, 2025); 2025 Pro Bowl
Sources: Wikipedia
RT
Ken Lanier
Thirteen-year Bronco who started at tackle for three AFC champions.
13 seasons with DEN; tackle on the Super Bowl XXI, XXII and XXIV teams
Sources: Wikipedia
Defense
11 playersDT
Trevor Pryce
Disruptive interior rusher who won two rings in his first two seasons.
2× Super Bowl champ; 4× Pro Bowl (1999-2002); 1999 1st-team All-Pro
Sources: Wikipedia
DT
Rubin Carter
Durable man in the middle of the Orange Crush front for 12 seasons.
12 seasons, all with DEN
Sources: Wikipedia
DE
Rich Jackson
"Tombstone" was the most feared pass rusher of the early Broncos.
3× AFL All-Star/Pro Bowl (1968-1970); 3× 1st-team All-AFL/All-Pro; AFL All-Time second team
Sources: Wikipedia
EDGE
Von Miller
Game-wrecking pass rusher who took over Super Bowl 50.
Super Bowl 50 champ & MVP; 8× Pro Bowl with DEN; 3× 1st-team All-Pro; 2011 Defensive Rookie of the Year
Sources: Wikipedia
LB
Randy Gradishar
Heart of the Orange Crush defense and a ten-year career Bronco.
1978 Defensive Player of the Year; 7× Pro Bowl; 2× 1st-team All-Pro; Hall of Fame
Sources: Pro Football Hall of Fame; Wikipedia
LB
Karl Mecklenburg
Twelfth-round pick who lined up everywhere on three AFC champions.
6× Pro Bowl; 79 career sacks; Broncos Ring of Fame
Sources: Wikipedia
LB
Tom Jackson
Fourteen-year Bronco who played in Super Bowls nine years apart.
3× Pro Bowl (1977-1979); 1977 1st-team All-Pro; Broncos Ring of Fame
Sources: Wikipedia
CB
Champ Bailey
Shutdown corner for a decade in Denver after the 2004 trade.
8× Pro Bowl with DEN; 3× 1st-team All-Pro (2004-2006); Hall of Fame
Sources: Pro Football Hall of Fame; Wikipedia
CB
Louis Wright
Career Bronco and the cover man of the Orange Crush secondary.
5× Pro Bowl; NFL 1970s All-Decade; Broncos Ring of Fame
Sources: Wikipedia
S
Steve Atwater
Intimidating hitter who patrolled the middle for two title teams.
2× Super Bowl champ; 8× Pro Bowl; 2× 1st-team All-Pro; Hall of Fame
Sources: Pro Football Hall of Fame; Wikipedia
S
Dennis Smith
Fourteen-year Bronco and enforcer on three Super Bowl teams.
6× Pro Bowl; played in Super Bowls XXI, XXII and XXIV; Broncos Ring of Fame
Sources: Wikipedia
Special Teams / Coaching
4 playersK
Jason Elam
Fifteen-year Broncos kicker with a famously strong leg.
2× Super Bowl champ; 3× Pro Bowl; 63-yard FG tied the then-NFL record
Sources: Wikipedia
P
Mike Horan
Punter for the late-80s Super Bowl teams and an All-Pro in 1988.
1988 Pro Bowl; 1988 1st-team All-Pro
Sources: Wikipedia
RET
Rick Upchurch
One of the great punt returners in league history, all nine years in Denver.
4× Pro Bowl; 3× 1st-team All-Pro; NFL 1970s & 1980s All-Decade
Sources: Wikipedia
COACH
Mike Shanahan
Winningest coach in team history and architect of the back-to-back titles.
Super Bowls XXXII & XXXIII champion head coach; Broncos-record 138 wins
Sources: Wikipedia
Add a comment or suggest a player
Keep it respectful. Suggestions need a player name + position (reason optional, but helpful).
Fan picks
Suggestions from the community. We’ll review and move worthy picks into the curated roster.
No fan suggestions yet. Be the first to nominate a player.
Discussion
General feedback on the roster.
No comments yet. Share what you think about this lineup.