The Broncos are finally on the clock in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Denver watched Thursday’s first round without participating. The Broncos got their own version of a first-rounder weeks ago when they traded their first and third-round picks to Miami for wide receiver Jaylen Waddle and a fourth-rounder.
Now, general manager George Paton, head coach Sean Payton, and team officials head into Day 2 of the draft holding just one Friday pick: No. 62 overall.
The rest of Denver’s draft capital is Day 3 selections: Two picks in Round 4 (108 and 111 overall), one in Round 5 (170) and a trio of picks in Round 7 (246, 256 and 257).
Just because the Broncos hold those picks, though, does not mean they will actually draft players at those spots. Last year, they traded every pick they had except for their first-rounder, moving around the board via four trades that featured a total of 20 picks.
The same could well be on tap this year. Denver may not be satisfied making just one selection between the second and third rounds tonight. Payton and Paton may want to move up from No. 62 if one of their target players is in striking distance, but may not last all the way to their pick.
Paton last week said Denver had honed in on six players they had their eyes on at No. 62. We don’t know the exact names, of course, but if the Broncos’ need list includes tight end, inside linebacker and running back, they’re likely feeling OK about the prospects of one of them working their way down.
Thursday nightap first round featured two running backs — Notre Dame duo Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price at Nos. 3 and 32 — one tight end and one inside linebacker.
The rest are on the board. Itap considered a deep draft at both ILB and TE.
So, if the Broncos decide to move around, here’s a guide to the ways they can do it.
How the Broncos can move up from No. 62 in the second round
First, a couple of disclaimers: For this exercise, we’re going to use only 2026 capital. Denver does project to have 10 picks in 2027, so the Broncos could dip into their cache. Teams so far have been reluctant to part with 2027 picks because that class is seen as being a potentially exceptional one. As a general rule, teams discount future picks by one round. So a 2027 fourth-rounder is valued like a 2026 fifth-rounder and usually pegged around the middle of the round, since the exact ordering of picks won’t be known until after the season.
We’re using here. Itap not an exact science, but Payton’s draft trades generally follow these values. Last year, in terms of points, Denver’s four trades came out +10.2, +12, +6.4, and -6.6.
OK, onward.
If the Broncos decided to package No. 62 along with both of their fourth-rounders (Nos. 108 and 111), they could get up as high as around No. 47. That feels unlikely, but itap the ceiling for Denver without bringing active-roster players or future picks into the mix.
Other combinations of picks look roughly like this for the Broncos:
Nos. 62 + 108 or 111 = No. 53 or 54
Nos. 62 + 170 = No. 59
Nos. 62 + 108 + 170 = 51
So, as you can see, the Broncos have options in moving up in the second, but they’re going to be hard-pressed to move up 10 spots or more, and it will leave them further short-handed for the rest of the draft.
How the Broncos can trade up from the fourth round
Denver has the extra fourth-rounder from its trade with the Dolphins, meaning they’re currently set to select twice in the 11 picks of Day 3. If instead they want to use one or both of those picks to move up, here’s what it looks like.
Nos. 108 + 170 = No. 99 or 100 (the final two picks of the third round)
Nos. 108 + 111 = No. 88
So, trading both fourth-rounders would generate a mid-third round pick, but it’d be a close call if either of the fourth-rounders and Denver’s fifth would be enough to land them a pick at the end of Day 3. Maybe throwing in one of the Broncos’ three seventh-rounders is a slight sweetener.
How the Broncos can trade back from No. 62
Perhaps the most likely scenario of all is that Denver does both. They could move back — slightly or more substantially — from No. 62 and gain some extra picks. Then they could use those picks to try to get back into the third round. This is, of course, the most attractive option if the Broncos believe they can collect extra picks and also get one of their targeted players later than No. 62.
For this one, we put some possible trade partners together based on the Jimmy Johnson chart to demonstrate what such deals could look like.
Broncos receive: 65 + 104 + 217 = 355.2 points
Arizona receives: 62 + 111 = 356
In this case, Denver slides back just three spots and now has 65, 104 and 108. Itap a bit easier to use 104 to move back into the third round. Pairing 104 and 170 brings any of the final four picks of the third into play.
Broncos receive: 70 + 107 + 146 = 353 points
Cleveland receives: 62 + 111 = 356
Here, Denver slides back eight spots and slides up in the fourth from 111 to 107 while also gaining a fifth-rounder. Armed with two high fourths (107 and 108) plus two fifths (146 and 170), Paton and Payton have more avenues for further action. The Browns had two first-rounders and hold Nos. 39, 70 and 73 on Day 2. Then they have six more Day 3 picks. So they could decide they want to move up from the third and still have plenty of picks to work with.
Broncos receive: 73 + 136 + 172 = 284.4 points
New Orleans receives: 62 = 284
Payton, Paton and Saints GM Mickey Loomis are very familiar at this point and if Loomis is interested in packaging some of his five picks between rounds four and six, this could be a clean match.
Here, Denver has to take a pretty sizable, 11-spot move back, but in the process gains a fourth and a fifth. The Broncos would then have three fours (108, 111 and 136) and two fives (170 and 172) from which to try to move back up.
Broncos receive: 76 + 121 + 161 = 289 points
Pittsburgh receives: 62 + 246 = 285 points
Another option where Denver moves back quite a ways — 14 picks — but gains a fourth and a fifth. This time from the draftap hosts. Similar setup here where Denver would then have Nos. 108, 111 and 121 in the fourth plus 161 and 170 in the fifth.
