DENVER, CO — The Broncos climbed the mountain in 2025, but a Foxborough blizzard and a hobbled Bo Nix kept them from the peak. After securing the AFC’s No. 1 seed and finally dethroning the Chiefs, Denver’s Super Bowl dreams died in a frozen AFC Championship game. Now, George Paton and Sean Payton face a high-stakes 2026 NFL Draft without their most valuable asset: a first-round pick.
Denver sent its top selection—No. 30 overall—to Miami in a blockbuster move for Jaylen Waddle. The trade injected elite speed into an offense that lacked a vertical threat, but it left the draft board looking thin. With only one pick in the top 100, the front office must strike gold in the middle rounds to prevent a 2026 regression.
Trading for Waddle wasn’t just a move; it was a statement. The Broncos are in “win-now” mode. However, the cupboard isn’t entirely bare. Denver holds the 62nd overall pick and a pair of early fourth-rounders. History favors the Broncos here. They found star edge rusher Nik Bonitto at pick 64 in 2022 and Marvin Mims Jr. late in the second in 2023. They need that same magic again.
The defense took a hit when Dre Greenlaw headed back to San Francisco in free agency. While Alex Singleton remains the heart of the unit, the linebacker spot next to him is a massive question mark. Justin Strnad is a capable backup, but relying on him against the high-octane offenses of the AFC is a gamble Payton might not want to take. If the Broncos don’t find a downhill thumper who can also mirror tight ends, the run defense will suffer.
On the interior, the loss of John Franklin-Myers to Tennessee creates a vacancy at defensive tackle. Zach Allen is a force, but he needs a partner to eat double-teams. Keep an eye on Missouri’s Chris McClellan or Oklahoma’s Gracen Halton as targets. These aren’t just depth pieces; they are day-one necessities for Vance Joseph’s scheme.
“We knew the price for a player like Jaylen would be high, but you don’t pass on that kind of explosive talent. Our job now is to be surgical with the picks we have. We’ve done it before on Day 2, and we’ll do it again.”— George Paton, Broncos General Manager
Sean Payton loves his “Joker” tight ends, but the Evan Engram experiment hasn’t yielded the fireworks fans expected. Engram struggled to find rhythm in 2025, finishing with fewer than 500 receiving yards. With Engram turning 31, the Broncos need a younger, more dynamic threat. Dallen Bentley from Utah is the name buzzing around Englewood. He’s a natural pass-catcher who could thrive in the seam routes that Bo Nix loves to exploit.
The Broncos are no longer the hunters; they are the hunted. Winning the AFC West was the first step, but holding off a vengeful Patrick Mahomes requires a roster that doesn’t just rely on its stars. The 2026 season hinges on Bo Nix’s continued ascent. After a 3,931-yard, 25-touchdown campaign, Nix has the keys to the city. If the front office can use their mid-round picks to patch the holes at linebacker and defensive tackle, Denver won’t just be playoff contenders—they’ll be the favorites to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl.
