— Ed Helinski, Auburn, N.Y.

Hey Ed, thanks for writing in and getting us going in a draft-a-palooza version of the Broncos mailbag.

Denver is almost certain to move some of its picks around. Will they go up from No. 62? Back from their fourth-rounders? Vice versa? That, of course, all depends and the most likely outcome is we won’t know until Friday evening as the second round unfolds.

Teams move picks, though, and the Broncos have moved them at a high volume recently under general manager George Paton and head coach Sean Payton. Last year alone they made their own selection at No. 20 in the first round — through Paton said they considered trading back from there — and then got busy. They didn’t actually pick at any of their original spots from then on and engineered four trades that included a total of 20 draft picks. They went back from 51 to 57 and then to 60. They went up from No. 111 to No. 101 to draft Sai’Vion Jones and in the process also moved back four spots from No. 130.

Generally speaking, it’d be a surprise if Denver wasn’t similarly active this year. Especially with just one pick on Day 2, it would make sense for Paton and Payton to try to move around. That could mean trying to pick up capital by moving back from their first pick at No. 62. They could get into the third round by moving up from No. 108 or No. 111. It could mean some combination of that or something else entirely.

Paton’s reputation is that of a pick collector, while Payton is more gung-ho about trading up. Paton said last week that their styles have melded together well.

A natural inclination going into the draft with seven picks would be wanting to preserve somewhere around that number, but there’s a pretty good argument for being aggressive and moving up. It����ap basically the same they used when explaining their trade for Jaylen Waddle. Essentially: This is a deep roster as is. It����ap not going to be easy to make. If they take six Day 3 players as their current cache lines them up for, are all of them going to be on the 53-man roster?

The counter: Do you have to move up to get the players you really want? Payton talked last week about the “spray” of evaluations across the league and how it widens as the draft progresses. The Broncos traded back twice in the second round last year and got the guy they wanted in Harvey. They won’t be needlessly aggressive, but their roster is in such a place where they can go get a particular player, even without the benefit of a first-round pick.

What are the top three things you have learned about the NFL draft?

— David Brown, Silverthorne

Hey David, thanks for writing in and great question. I’m going to take this as this upcoming draft particularly.

1. Many of the best players and deepest position groups in this draft are at what the league generally considers non-premium spots. This is a great draft for inside linebackers and safeties. It����ap not teeming with top-end tight ends, but there are a boatload of solid options to work through. Similar at running back after the one true blue-chipper in Jeremiyah Love. It����ap another good year for edge rushers and receivers, so those groups will go fast in the first round — and offensive line will, too — but there’s hay to be made at some of those other spots.

2. Related to that point, a team is always better off draft-wise if it����ap armed with a first-round pick or extra capital, but this weekend actually looks like it sets up fairly well for the Broncos. Their needs — call it tight end, linebacker, running back, safety and offensive line — line up well overall with the deeper parts of this draft class. That doesn’t mean there are going to be Week 1 starters sitting there waiting for them on Day 3, of course, but the Broncos should be looking at their board and seeing realistic options at some positions of need despite having traded away their first- and third-rounders.

3. The 2026 draft is already being colored, to some degree, by next year’s proceedings. You saw it in Denver’s willingness to give up multiple picks this year for Waddle while hanging on to all of its 2027 capital. Teams around the league widely view next year’s class as shaping up to be substantially better than this year’s.

“I think everyone feels like next year is going to be a strong draft and I think that����ap based on the quarterbacks and it feels like it����ap going to be a strong quarterback draft,” Paton said. “We definitely look at that when we’re making trades.”

Paton earlier in the offseason said the Broncos pay attention to the fact that they’re in line for a fourth-round comp pick for next year due to John Franklin-Myers’ departure and perhaps a seventh-rounder, too, but that it doesn’t dictate how Denver operates. Expect a similar approach when it comes to deciding whether to part with 2027 draft capital during the 2026 proceedings.

Extra picks can benefit the Broncos next year in a strong class, but it could also benefit them this week.

“We have 10 picks, we think, next year, including the compensatories,” Paton said. “So it gives us more flexibility if we need to use one of those to help ourselves now.”

Do you think the Broncos will make a splash at the draft?

— Roger, Aurora

Hey Roger, guess it depends on what you mean by splash. Two years ago Bo Nix’s selection got all of the attention, and rightfully so. The Saturday trade they swung with the New York Jets for John Franklin-Myers and subsequent two-year, $15 million extension flew much more under the radar, but obviously ended up being quite consequential.

It would probably be bigger news if Denver acquired a veteran player during the draft —��especially if that player were at a clear position of need like tight end ��—��or if they traded a player off their existing roster to acquire more draft capital.

Not saying one or the other is a guarantee, but certainly you can’t count out the possibility of a trade involving an active player one way or the other.

Any chance we move back into the first round? We need a tight end and if Kenyon Sadiq slips, I could see us making some moves to grab him in the late 20s. What say you?

— Tim, Denver

Hey Tim, thanks for writing in. That would be spicy, but it just doesn’t seem feasible without making a dramatic sacrifice either from the existing roster or from the club’s stash of 2027 draft picks. Even then, the math is tough to square. Let����ap use the Jimmy Johnson trade chart as a guide. There are other ways of valuing picks and every team does so slightly differently, but Payton’s draft trades generally follow the Johnson chart.

Denver’s pick at No. 62 is worth 284 points. San Francisco’s pick at No. 27 is worth 680. So even if Sadiq made it that far and the 49ers were willing to deal the pick rather than take him, the gap is 396 points. Denver’s pair of fourth-rounders (Nos. 108 and 111) are worth 150. Not even close, so now you’re talking 2027 capital. Maybe 108, 111 and a 2027 second-rounder gets you there. Given the way teams generally value future year picks and the fact that Denver is likely to be good this fall, the 49ers wouldn’t be out of line asking for No. 62 and next year’s first-rounder. Maybe with a later-round pick this year coming back in return.

That just seems like an awfully steep price, which Paton said himself last week.

“You never say never, but it����ap unlikely,” Paton said about getting to the first round. “It would cost quite a haul for us to get up there. Most of our draft we would have to trade and then something next year.”

Do you think we’ll find our answer at tight end in the draft? Kenyon Sadiq is expected to go in the first round, so I know it’s not him. How about someone like Eli Stowers or someone else who’s under the radar in the middle of the draft?

— Mike, Denver

Hey Mike, it����ap possible. Sadiq will definitely be off the board and Vanderbilt����ap Eli Stowers may well be, too, by the time Denver’s pick rolls around. There will be options, though.

The terrific draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah has an interesting clump of tight ends graded right in Denver’s range. His top 150 includes this run: No. 66 Stowers, No. 71 Oscar Delp (Georgia), No. 81 Max Klare (Ohio State), No. 83 Sam Roush (Stanford), No. 84 Marlin Klein (Michigan).

Stowers and Klare are pass-catchers first. Roush and Klein are more accomplished blockers than receivers in college. Delp is tantalizing as an all-around player but never had more than 24 catches in a collegiate season. There are others that could go in the Day 2 range, among them NC State’s Justin Joly. It’ll be fascinating to see if Denver is set on one of them or if they take the view that the group’s depth will present a quality option somewhere along the way.

Parker, what do you think about the Broncos picking up Washington RB Jonah Coleman? He’s got a little shake-and-bake. I’m not sold on RJ Harvey being our back of the future and J.K. Dobbins is a liability with his injury history.

— Mike, Denver

Hey Mike, I like Coleman and my beat partner, Luca Evans, is even higher on him. The 5-foot-8, 220-pounder — Coleman, not Luca —��certainly looks like he fits what the Broncos like and what they need in that room. He visited the Broncos last week, too.

Coleman’s not the only option, of course. Does Denver feel the need to use an early pick on a running back after taking Harvey in the second round last year? Or are they looking more for a late-round add or even a post-draft veteran? One of many questions we’ll soon learn the answer to for certain.

I still don’t understand why they let John Franklin-Myers walk in free agency. I think he was a very good defensive end, an important spot next to Zach Allen, and they re-signed everybody else on the defensive line, why not him? Another thing I don’t get, if Adam Trautman is such a good blocker, how come RJ Harvey couldn’t get more than 2 or 3 yards? And if he is in the game instead of Engram, aren’t you telegraphing a running play?

— Anthony, Venice, Fla.

Hey Anthony, thanks for writing in and for the questions.

First question: Franklin-Myers got as much per year from Tennessee as the Broncos gave D.J. Jones and Malcolm Roach combined, so that����ap part of the equation. They could have paid him, but they knew he was going to make a ton of money and they’re planning around having already paid a bunch of other players while knowing that they may well be looking at a massive Bo Nix extension a year from now. Plus, they like their depth on the defensive line. And they get a fourth-round comp pick in next year’s draft. Doesn’t guarantee that letting him go was the right move, of course, but they didn’t wake up one day in early March and say, oh, dang, we can’t pay JFM. It����ap been part of the plan.

Second question: Easy to point at Harvey’s numbers, but if Trautman is such a bad blocker, then how did Dobbins go through 10 weeks as one of the most effective and efficient rushers in football?

And last: Yeah, that����ap got to be part of Denver’s calculus as it goes through the offseason and puts together its plan in Davis Webb’s first year as the team’s primary playcaller. They have to find ways to play one, the other or both TEs without being too predictable.

Hey Parker, I’ve been hearing rumors about the Broncos being in the mix to sign De’Von Achane. How serious are these talks and do we have the money to sign him?

— Raj P., Centennial

Hey Raj, thanks for writing in. Achane sure is fun, but reporting out of Miami recently is that he showed up for their offseason program in part because extension talks have progressed. Seems like he’s going to be staying in Miami a while.

Who’s making the biggest jump in 2026? My money’s on Jonah Elliss. I think he’s due for a breakout year.

— Adam Miller, Fort Collins

Hey Adam, thanks for writing in and interesting question. If Elliss broke out while making the switch to inside linebacker, that would have present-day and future ramifications for the Broncos. They’d undoubtedly welcome that.

With the caveat that it����ap very early, I’ll put some early breakout chips in for the guy who currently stands to benefit the most from Elliss’ move inside: Second-year outside linebacker Que Robinson. Paton said after the season that Robinson has as much upside as anybody Denver drafted last year. That combined with the flashes on the field are enough to pique substantial interest.

What are the odds that we would bring back some Broncos favorites in Justin Simmons and Von Miller that are available in free agency?�� We are very deep at outside edge, so probably a harder sell for Von.�� Safety seems to be a point of some need.�� Is the price just too high for both of them?

— Michael Horn, Westminster

Hey Michael, thanks for writing. I guess you never say never never, but neither seems at all likely at this point. Miller, of course, would be a tremendous story, but if the Broncos end up adding a veteran edge rusher after the draft I wonder if longtime New Orleans star Cam Jordan is a more likely option.

Nobody, by his own admission, loves draft picks more than Broncos general manager George Paton. And yet, in the pursuit of all-in roster-building, this Denver organization has actually only held a first-round pick in two of the previous five draft cycles.

“I’ve probably traded too many, God darn it,” Paton joked, at league meetings in March. “But I think it’s worked out.”

After trading for Jaylen Waddle in March, the Broncos will pick later in this upcoming NFL Draft (spanning Thursday to Saturday) than any other team in the NFL, sitting with their first selection at No. 62. And it would be nearly impossible for Denver to drum up the capital to trade back into the first round come Thursday — the team is only opening their facility to media for draft coverage come Day 2 on Friday, clearly indicating no plans to leap into Day 1.

But the Broncos could “certainly” move up a few slots from that No. 62 selection, as Paton said point-blank in his pre-draft presser last week.

With that in mind, The Denver Post explored scenarios in which Paton and staff could move a few picks up to snag a key offensive piece for head coach Sean Payton. Spoiler alert: it’s Vanderbilt tight end Eli Stowers, who has quickly become a darling of the Broncos’ pre-draft media cycle.

Here’s The Post’s final full seven-round Broncos mock draft before the real thing kicks off on Thursday, in which the organization will inevitably take several prospects who nobody on Planet Earth predicted would land in Denver.

Round 2, pick No. 54 (from Philadelphia): TE Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt

�հ������:��Broncos receive Nos. 54 and 197; Eagles receive Nos. 62 and 108

The idea of Stowers-to-Denver couldn’t be any more obvious, as he’d give Payton and quarterback Bo Nix a hybrid WR/TE with a record-setting 45.5-inch vertical. The reality is plenty more complicated. Stowers is highly unlikely to fall all the way to No. 62, and could start receiving interest as early as the late first round. With that being said, here’s a scenario that’d make sense from multiple angles.

In this spin through Pro Football Focus’s mock-draft simulator, The Post explored trying to move up to both pick No. 46 (Buccaneers) and No. 51 (Panthers) to leap in front of two tight-end-needy franchises. The price, however, wound up too steep on the Jimmy Johnson draft-pick valuation chart — but not for the Eagles. There are ties, too, between Denver and Philadelphia’s front offices, as former Eagles national scout Jordon Dizon became the Broncos’ director of pro personnel in 2025.

Ultimately, here, the Broncos give up a fourth-rounder for a sixth-rounder and the chance to take Stowers, a 2025 All-American who’d become a tantalizing prospect for Payton. This move would likely mean Denver moves on from Evan Engram; quietly, the organization explored alternatives at tight end through free agency, but the price crept too high. Here, the price is just right.

Also considered:��Notre Dame RB Jadarian Price was somehow still sitting available here, at No. 54. There’s a very finite chance of that actually playing out Thursday and Friday, as some RB-needy team will likely stump earlier for Price’s abilities as a runner.

Round 4, pick No. 125 (from New England): LB Kaleb Elarms-Orr, TCU

�հ������:��Broncos receive Nos. 125, 171 and 247; Patriots receive No. 111

Bonanza! Payton loves trading up, and Paton loves trading back; here, the latter winds up happy. It’s highly unlikely the Broncos would jump up twice within the first three rounds with limited capital to begin with, and instead they sit and wait for a high-upside linebacker late in the fourth round.

Elarms-Orr could wind up flying higher than this if a team takes a swing on his traits, because they are a-plenty: 4.47 40-yard-dash and a 40-inch vertical. He had a low percentage of missed tackles last year at TCU, and added 25 pressures and four sacks. Vance Joseph would have a true weapon here, and let Elarms-Orr develop for a year behind Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad. Denver, of course, likes Elarms-Orr, having completed a top-30 visit with him.

Round 5, pick No. 170: S Michael Taaffe, Texas

Taaffe has told The Post he’d love to play in Denver to reunite with old Texas teammate Jahdae Barron, and had a strong first initial meeting with new Broncos defensive passing-game coordinator Robert Livingston. His leadership skills would be a direct fit in the Broncos’ locker room, as a former walk-on who grew into a star at Texas. Plus, the familiarity would likely help Barron’s development, too.

Taaffe doesn’t have a standout frame or athleticism, at 5-foot-11 and 190 pounds with a 4.5-second 40-yard-dash. He’s racked up a combined seven picks across three seasons, though, and would bring instant special-teams value.

Also considered:��We thought about trading up again from this slot to select a running back like Penn State’s Nicholas Singleton or Kaytron Allen, but ultimately decided to stay put. Both fell off the board, leaving us with…

Round 5, pick No. 171 (from New England): RB Kaelon Black, Indiana

The Post has mocked Black to the Broncos before, and lands here again. The Hoosiers back will need to show and develop more third-down value, as he caught just eight passes over two seasons at Indiana and fluctuated in pass protection. But he was considerably more productive as a receiver back at James Madison, and Black’s steadiness as a runner — 1,034 yards, 5.6 yards per carry in 2025 — makes him one of the best late-round RB fits for Denver in this draft.

Round 6, pick No. 197 (from Philadelphia): OLB Caden Curry, Ohio State

The Broncos could look to add another depth edge rusher if they shift Jonah Elliss full-time to inside linebacker, and Curry would be an excellent late-round option. The 6-foot-2, 257-pound rusher grew from a reserve into a breakout star last season for the Buckeyes, racking up 11 sacks and 16.5 tackles for loss. He’s also quick enough to drop into coverage, and could compete during camp with last year’s fourth-round pick Que Robinson for snaps.

Round 7, pick No. 246: CB Latrell McCutchin Sr., Houston

This kicks off a run of four seventh-round selections for the Broncos, which Paton has used aggressively for years to keep desired prospects from hitting the open undrafted market. Despite a glut of cornerbacks, Denver is exploring late-round options, and has been in frequent contact with McCutchin through the pre-draft process. He’s a big corner with good athleticism — nearly 6-foot-2, 4.43-second 40-yard-dash, 38.5-inch vertical — and would give Denver another developmental option at boundary corner during training camp. He could become a special-teams player, too.

Round 7, pick No. 247 (from New England): OT Enrique Cruz Jr., Kansas

Classic high-upside, low-risk swing here on an offensive lineman. Cruz could certainly go earlier due to his sheer athleticism — a 4.94-second 40-yard-dash and 1.74-second 10-yard-split — but his tape needs work, as he allowed six pressures and received a PFF pass-blocking grade of 0.0 in a game against high-octane Texas Tech this year. He’d be a perfect project for Broncos offensive-line coach Zach Strief, as Denver’s tackles Mike McGlinchey and Garett Bolles continue aging quite gracefully.

Round 7, pick No. 256: QB Haynes King, Georgia Tech

Just a fun one here. King’s athleticism is off the charts, with a 4.46-second 40-yard dash and a 1.55-second 10-yard-split. Payton had immense success with Taysom Hill in New Orleans in converting an athletic quarterback to a skill-position weapon, and a source has told The Post that the Broncos see King the same way. He ran for 953 yards and 15 touchdowns last season at Georgia Tech.

Round 7, pick No. 257: WR Donaven McCulley, Michigan

Another upside swing, McCulley would become the draft’s Mr. Irrelevant. His profile is entirely relevant to Payton, though, measuring at 6-foot-4 despite poor athleticism. A converted quarterback who played four seasons at Indiana, McCulley should have some untapped upside. Broncos offensive coordinator Davis Webb was on McCulley’s pre-draft Zoom call with Denver, which should raise eyebrows.

He arrived at the Paramount Theater downtown Wednesday evening, after all, to celebrate the Broncos’ championship 2015 team and hosted a meet and greet flanked by the Lombardi Trophy.

There will be no such celebrations for the 2025 Broncos, naturally, because they came up four points short of playing in the Super Bowl back in January.

Manning, though, says Sean Payton’s team should be a contender again this fall.

“I think this team has it figured out,” Manning said before hosting his Night of Champions event celebrating the Super Bowl 50 champs. “Sean knows what they need to do. I think they’ve also got to have a bunch of unselfish guys who all can look at themselves in the mirror and say, ‘what can I do to get better this offseason and help the team?’ I think it����ap pretty unique from that standpoint. It����ap not by accident.

“Sean and (general manager George Paton) have drafted and signed guys that are unselfish. That are team-oriented. And that����ap the way you’ve got to have it in order to win.”

Ten years after Manning and the Broncos defeated New England in the AFC Championship Game, the Broncos fell, 10-7, at home. They did so, of course, without Bo Nix, who fractured his ankle in overtime of the team’s 33-30 Divisional round win over Buffalo.

Manning spent time with Nix recently at Augusta National and had a prediction about Nix’s third pro season.

“I saw him down at The Masters last week and he looked good, sounds good —��was upbeat and looking forward to getting started,” Manning said. “I think (the injury) is something only he can speak to because to play so well in that game, to beat the Buffalo Bills and then find out you’re not going to play the next week, I can’t speak for him but I know he was disappointed. He’s a competitive guy and he’s a team guy. He wants to be out there. His teammates are out there for him and he wants to answer the bell for them. I’m sure that was the hardest part.

“That’ll push him even harder and make him even hungrier this year.”

Manning may not have experienced exactly what Nix did, but over his Hall of Fame career he tasted both the highs of winning titles and also the sting of coming up just short. In addition to the pair of rings, Manning lost in the Super Bowl two other times —��2009 with Indianapolis and 2013 in Denver.

“I’ve always said, which would you rather do? Have your heart ripped out by the Patriots in the AFC Championship or win your last game of the regular season and finish 7-10 and be so far removed, but it doesn’t hurt quite as much,” Manning said. “It doesn’t sting as much. I’d rather have my heart ripped out because that means you’re knocking on the door. I’m sure Bo would tell you that and Courtland (Sutton) and all the guys that were disappointed that they got so close. It makes you hungrier for the next year, it means you’re doing something right.

“I know Sean and that bunch will rebound and pick up where they left off and I think be even better.”

Denver’s next chance to improve its roster is this weekend in the draft. The Broncos aren’t on the clock until Friday because they traded their first-rounder as part of a package for Jaylen Waddle, but Manning is interested all the same.

“Certainly curious about who the Broncos are going to draft,” he said. “I know we don’t have a (first-rounder) because of Jaylen Waddle. What a great pick-up that was.”

This is not the weekend for the Broncos’ front office to be sensible with its Walmart money. Oh, no. The 2026 NFL Draft is a free hit. An open goal. A chance to patch holes on a good roster by taking some chances.

Denver was an ankle away from the Super Bowl last season. A freak injury from waving high enough for everybody in Kansas to see.

Act like it.

Be bold.

Be brave.

Please don’t be an inside linebacker.

We’re wringing our hands about pick No. 62, of course, a second-round selection that, as of Monday, is the Broncos’ first — and maybe only — chance to make a draft weekend splash.

Six of the Broncos’ seven picks are slated to fall on Day 3 (rounds four-seven), and three of those six currently lie in the final round. History says Paton and Payton will move around some if they see someone specific they like. But a class this small needs to be about quality — not quantity. So as the weekend approaches, here are five things you’d hope general manager George Paton and coach Sean Payton keep in mind as they shop for depth:

1. If Vanderbilt tight end Eli Stowers is available at No. 62, or close, move Heaven and Earth to make him yours

Linebacker or tight end? Defensive lineman or slot weapon? You nuts? Did you watch the Commodores? Don’t overthink this. Stowers is a tight end who looks like a wide receiver (6-foot-3, 239 pounds), runs like a wide receiver (4.51 in the 40) and jumps like a wide receiver (45.5-inch vertical).

He’s a matchup nightmare, the kind of target who leaves linebackers eating his dust and safeties flailing to reach jump balls they can’t touch. Stowers the draft epitome of a “Joker,” the TE/WR/inside triangle hybrid that Payton spoke about so lustily in January 2025. He’s Evan Engram. Only younger. Sure, Stowers doesn’t grade out well as a blocker. Guess what? You’ve got plenty of “blocking” tight ends on hand already.

2. Grab a contributor Friday — save your projects for Saturday

Could you find a starting-caliber linebacker late in the second round, too? Sure. Assuming Texas Tech’s Jacob Rodriguez is still on the board, he’d make a perfect understudy for Alex Singleton, who’ll turn 33 in December. Or Justin Strnad, who turns 30 in August.

But with only seven picks, and a ton of contracts slated to end after the 2027 season, isn’t time of the essence? Shouldn’t you be saving the understudies for Saturday?

This is a back-filling draft, not the foundational one that 2024 turned out to be, thanks largely to Bo Nix. But winning now means getting guys who can play, and contribute, from the jump. Ideally, that means finding someone in Round 2 who could start for you in a pinch as soon as Week 1. Nail that, and the rest is gravy. Because if you don’t …

3. Don’t fall in love with BPA if that BPA has nowhere to play

See: Barron, Jahdae. Paton’s 2025 BPA with selection No. 20 a year ago. As in, “Best Player Available.” Or is it, Best Pick Again?

You can never have too much of a good thing in this league, given the volatility and injuries. Unless, of course, it’s nickel backs, especially when you’ve already developed an undrafted one (Ja’Quan McMillian) into one of the best in the AFC. At the time of Paton and Payton picked Barron, last spring’s first-round selection, folks didn’t whoop and holler. Barron, a speedster who raised Cain at the University of Texas, made folks sort of shrug and go, ‘Yeah, well, makes sense.’

The Broncos late in 2024 got badly exposed along the perimeter in the passing game — that Cleveland game on Monday Night Football was wild — while Pat Surtain II was out and a still-young Riley Moss was forced to cover more WR1s.

Fast forward to the fall of ’25, where Moss improved and cut down on his penalties. McMillian upped his game another level and rarely left the field on passing downs.

Before last spring’s draft, pundits and fans pleaded for the Broncos to add more help at running back, tight end and wide receiver. By and large, they’re making the same pleas in 2026 — which doesn’t exactly speak well for the early returns on Barron in the first round or for RJ Harvey in the second.

There’s time. But 2027, when so many of the contracts for this current core are slated to run out, gets closer by the day.

4. Remember Bo Nix — and Nix’s costs down the road

If someone offers you picks — even late ones — for the 2027, 2028 or 2029 drafts, you’d be wise to listen. Nix’s four-year rookie deal The Bo Show is slated for a $5.08-million cap hit this fall, and a $5.92-million hit in two seasons. Justin Herbert’s first post-rookie-contract extension had an average annual value of $52.5 million. Joe Burrow’s post-rookie extension featured an AAV of $55 million.

That raise is coming. More rookies will need to be coming, too.

5. Secure a RB you can trust in January

Here’s an idea. Actually, think of it as an exercise. At some point on Saturday, or before, look at the tailbacks most likely to be on the board after Round 2 or Round 3. Ask yourself, very simply, one question: Which one would I feel good about starting, at home, in late January, come rain, sleet or shine?

Because, presuming that J.K. Dobbins is going to be there is pure hubris. Or ignorance. Or both. Presume he’s not. Presume the rest of your options are still best used as pass-catchers in space (Harvey) or as special-teamers (Badie). Which of these prospects can pound the rock between the tackles 12-15 times per game against a salty defense? Which one could help grind me to a Super Bowl?

I’m partial to Nebraska’s Emmett Johnson, a workhorse for the Cornhuskers last year, a volume carrier with power who recorded just three fumbles over 550 touches as a collegian. A born closer. Johnson averaged 6.7 yards from scrimmage last November every time he saw the ball, scoring five times on 120 touches that month. Sounds like the perfect fit, on paper, for a franchise that won’t just be judged on how it finishes next season. But where.

He has already come further than anyone could’ve reasonably expected, a walk-on safety at Texas who molded himself into an All-American and legitimate NFL Draft prospect this spring. And Taaffe has existed, for two months, in the carefree limbo that comes with the utter lack of choice over his future. He’s done pre-draft training in Austin, Texas. He’s played golf. He’s hopped on countless calls with NFL teams. And his mind has wandered, naturally, to old teammates who could become new again.

Recently, after a pre-draft Zoom with new Broncos defensive passing-game coordinator Robert Livingston, Taaffe told Broncos cornerback and former Longhorns buddy Jahdae Barron that it’d be “awesome” to play with him again.

Barron, however, has learned such dreams are not so simple.

“He was like, ‘You don’t even know,'” Taaffe said, describing Barron’s advice. “Don’t even fixate on a team. Don’t even fixate on a round.”

Such is life, in particular, as a Denver draft target, as such targets are usually fairly unaware they’re actually targets. Numerous agents across the NFL landscape share similar stories of minimal pre-draft communication with this Broncos regime before their client suddenly received a call from Sean Payton. Take Barron, who told reporters on a post-draft conference call last year — shortly after Denver swooped on him at pick No. 20 in the first round — that he “truly didn’t know it was coming.”

Between Payton and general manager George Paton, the Broncos have built a particular reputation for holding pre-draft cards close to their vests. Their top-30 visits, where NFL clubs host prospects at their facilities to gather further intel, are often smokescreens. Predicting their draft leanings is often a fruitless endeavor, for the media and for players themselves.

Let’s try anyway.

Across the last two months, The Denver Post has spoken to hundreds of league sources to collect information on the Broncos’ draft process — visits, calls, needs, general leanings — and the countless flavors of prospects they’re coveting.��Welcome to “The Horse” — a Broncos-specific 2026 NFL Draft guide (and a play on ).

Coming off a 14-3 regular season and a blockbuster move for receiver Jaylen Waddle, Payton, Paton and company enter this cycle with no first-round pick and just seven choices in total. The Broncos still have plenty of flexibility to add key contributors; they’ll likely flip some capital to move up or back at some point once the festivities kick off this coming Thursday.

Here’s the breakdown.

The picks

Day 2, Friday:��No. 62 (second round)

Day 3, Saturday: Nos. 108, 111 (fourth round); No. 170 (fifth round); Nos. 246, 256, 257 (seventh round)

Fun fact: The Broncos can become the first NFL team to draft both Mr. Irrelevant and Mr. Slightly-More-Relevant since the seven-round modern era began in 1994. For the last three decades, no team has ever selected the last two picks of the draft back-to-back.

The needs, in order of importance

1.��Tight end.��Broken record here. The Broncos still view 2025 signee Evan Engram as a “key piece” and want to “add to his workload,” as Payton said in his pre-draft presser Thursday. But Denver explored potential upgrades or alternatives in free agency before the price got too high, and the 31-year-old Engram’s contract is up one way or another after this year. Denver desperately needs a young, athletic target for Bo Nix who can be a factor both as a blocker and as a receiver. There are quite a few such types in this draft.

2. Inside linebacker. Denver brought back captain Alex Singleton and ascending reserve-turned-starter Justin Strnad on multi-year deals this offseason, but cut Dre Greenlaw after an injury-plagued 2025. The Broncos are planning to deploy edge rusher Jonah Elliss inside, but that shouldn’t preclude Denver from dipping into a pretty solid ILB class. It’d make sense to take a high-upside ‘backer who can play behind and alongside Denver’s starting duo in 2026 while developing for the future.

3. Running back. On paper, the Broncos’ one-two punch of J.K. Dobbins and RJ Harvey is solid. The thing about paper is that it tears. Quite easy. Denver’s rushing attack cratered after Dobbins’ season-ending injury last year, and the Broncos can’t count on the veteran to play 17 games. They’ll be looking to add a third RB as either a change-of-pace upgrade from veteran Jaleel McLaughlin or a third-down upgrade from Tyler Badie.

4. Offensive line. As presently constructed, Denver will roll the same starting front out for the third straight year. That’s great for continuity. But the Broncos haven’t once pursued high-end draft talent on their offensive front in the Payton era, instead preferring to develop seventh-round picks and undrafted free agents. Starting left guard Ben Powers is entering the final year of his deal, and tackles Garett Bolles and Mike McGlinchey have both cleared 30.

5. Safety.��Here’s a sneaky one. Veteran Brandon Jones is entering the final year of his contract, and starter Talanoa Hufanga had been frequently bitten by the injury bug before playing in every game last year for Denver. Offseason signee Tycen Anderson profiles as more of a special-teams ace, and a young piece here would make a lot of sense.

The sinister six

At Thursday’s pre-draft conference, Paton offered an unusually forthcoming tidbit: Denver has “six players,” the general manager said, that it favors should they be available at No. 62. The Broncos have honed in on the crop available between roughly Nos. 40 to 75 on their board, Paton also said, to arrive at that determination.

Here’s a guess at those potential six, informed by learned intel and positional needs, that Denver could be favoring.

DT Caleb Banks, Florida

If Banks weren’t facing some very real injury concerns, he’d be a first-round pick. Possibly top-15. The��if��could drop Banks into the Broncos’ lap. He played just three games in 2025 with a foot injury, and . He also stands 6-foot-6, weighs 327 pounds, racked up 4.5 sacks from the interior in 2024, and . Risk. Reward.

OT Travis Burke, Memphis

A massive pre-draft riser. Literally massive. Burke measured 6-foot-8 and three-quarters at the combine, had an excellent season at Memphis in 2025, and has played at both right and left tackle in a five-year collegiate career. Denver’s done plenty of work here: meeting with Burke at his Pro Day and conducting a Zoom call with him. A source told The Post that multiple Broncos area scouts had a third-to-fourth-round grade on Burke, which could make this a slight reach at No. 62, but Burke would be off the board by the time the fourth round rolled in.

LB Kyle Louis, Pittsburgh

It’s wholly rare to find a linebacker who can capably hold their own in man coverage against tight ends or running backs. Louis, a safety-LB hybrid, can be that guy. He ranked in the top four at his position in every single speed and agility drill at the combine, and has proven ball production (six INTs combined between 2024 and 2025). The size — weighing at 220 pounds — is a slight concern against the run, but Louis could be an excellent, versatile piece in Vance Joseph’s defense.

G Emmanuel Pregnon, Oregon

There’s no way Pregnon slides to Denver. Right? Probably not. The Oregon product has visited with a handful of teams who sit in the late-first-round to early-second-round range, and will likely fly off the board shortly after consensus top guard Olaivavega Ioane gets snapped up. If Pregnon — a Denver native — slides a bit into Day 2, though, the Broncos could look to move up. Denver did a top-30 visit with him, which raises the antenna on a prospect they seem to have little shot at with their current slot.

TE Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt

Stowers set the modern combine record for all tight ends with a 45.5-inch vertical, so let’s start there. He ran a faster 40-yard dash than first-round WR prospects Makai Lemon and Carnell Tate, and profiles more as a hybrid receiving weapon rather than a true tight end. Drafting Stowers could bring an end to Engram’s time in Denver, as Stowers doesn’t profile as a piece that Payton would trust to stay on the field in blocking situations.

RB Mike Washington Jr., Arkansas

One NFL assistant coach who spoke with The Post on this year’s running-back class described Washington’s 2025 season as a “tale of two halves,” but noted his size and speed — a 4.33-second 40-yard-dash at 223 pounds — “might fit” what Denver’s looking for in a third back. The traits are all there, and the consistency isn’t.

The top-30 visits

Here’s a run-through of every Post-confirmed prospect who’s taken a top-30 visit with the Broncos.

DT Caleb Banks, Florida:��As much potential as an interior pass-rusher as anybody at his position, but the foot injuries are tough to swallow.

DT Uar Bernard, International Player Pathway: Literally the most athletic defensive tackle in the history of the NFL pre-draft cycle. The issue: he’s never played a snap of professional football.

TE Nate Boerkircher, Texas A&M:��Classic blocking Y-type tight end who could have a tinge more receiving upside than he showed in college, with a career-best 19 catches last year.

RB Kaelon Black, Indiana:��A combine snub after a 1,060-yard rushing season for the national-champion Hoosiers. He’ll be 25 in October. A possible Day 3 fit.

OT Jude Bowry, Boston College:��High-ceiling, developmental, mid-round prospect who jumped 34.5 inches at the combine.

RB Jonah Coleman, Washington:��Steady, solid back who doesn’t wow but doesn’t make many mistakes. Denver might have to move into the third round to get him.

WR Omar Cooper Jr., Indiana:��This visit happened before the Waddle trade. Cooper will go somewhere in the first round.

ILB Kaleb Elarms-Orr, TCU:��4.47-second 40-yard dash, 40-inch vertical jump at 234 pounds. Phew. A potential fourth-round difference-maker.

G Josh Gesky, Illinois:��Underrated, productive left guard in college who ran a 4.94-second 40-yard dash and had a 33-inch vertical at Illinois’s Pro Day. Would be a seventh-round or PFA target.

TE Justin Joly, NC State:��Only 6-foot-3, but a productive receiver who had 49 catches and seven touchdowns in 2025. Could be right there in the fourth round.

DT Chris McClellan, Mizzou: Draft riser who racked up six sacks last year.

LB Dasan McCullough, Nebraska: Hybrid-type linebacker who never quite found a consistent role in collegiate football but has intriguing size (6-foot-5, 235 pounds).

DT Christen Miller, Georgia:��321-pound nose tackle who can be a consistent presence in the middle of an NFL defensive line. Might not be there at 62.

OT Gavin Ortega, Weber State:��Sleeper! A late visit this cycle, Ortega was terrific in pass protection at Weber State and should have some versatility at several spots at the NFL level.

G Emmanuel Pregnon, Oregon:��24-year-old strongman who could be an instant starter, but probably won’t land in Denver.

OT Paul Rubelt, UCF:��Another skyscraper. Rubelt stands 6-foot-10, and the Broncos will have a good read on him from watching Harvey’s tape last year.

TE Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt:��Athletic marvel who could be gone well before Denver could grab him at the back of the second.

OLB Josh Weru, International Player Pathway:��A converted rugby player who’s studied tape of Nik Bonitto for a year and has been timed at a 4.45-second 40-yard dash. Obvious PFA target.

The larger-scale takeaways from all this: the Broncos are pretty intent on evaluating both top-end and sleeper talent across the defensive line, and are exploring high-upside offensive linemen.

The runners

Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love might just be the best outright player in this draft, regardless of position. After him, though, there’s an unusually steep drop to the next tier of running-back options, a glut that stretches anywhere from the back of the first round to the back of Day 3.

Payton said at league meetings in late March that running back was a position that “could get addressed, if the opportunity presents itself.” It will present itself next week, no matter how the chips fall. Washington, Coleman and Black have already been covered here; for more options, The Post spoke with an NFL assistant coach who’s done extensive work on this RB class for thoughts on the post-Love crop.

Jadarian Price, Notre Dame

Likely draft slot:��Late-1st, early-2nd round

Love’s complementary option for the Fighting Irish, Price carries lead-back NFL potential in his own right. His per-touch production over the last two years at Notre Dame has been ridiculous. Price, though, caught just 15 passes across three seasons and will need to develop three-down value.

Coach’s comments: “If you want to hand the ball off to somebody, I think Jadarian Price is just as good, if not better (than Love). So it wouldn’t surprise me at all if someone took him late-first.”

Emmett Johnson, Nebraska

Likely draft slot:��3rd-to-4th round

The testing wasn’t inspiring, as the 202-pound Johnson ran a 4.56-second 40-yard dash. The tape and the production, though, tell a different story. Johnson led the Big Ten in rushing last year (1,451 yards), and caught 46 passes in 12 games.

Coach’s comments:��“The more you watch that kid, the more he looks like LeSean McCoy at Pittsburgh.”

Demond Claiborne, Wake Forest

Likely draft slot:��Day 3

Huge pop here, as Claiborne ran a 4.37-second 40-yard dash and has standout agility. He increased his yards-per-carry average every season of his collegiate career, but has less-than-ideal size at 5-foot-9 and 188 pounds.

Coach’s comments:��“Best speed-and-space back in the draft … can score from anywhere at any time.”

Kaytron Allen, Penn State

Likely draft slot:��Day 3

Allen, rather quietly, became Penn State’s all-time leading rusher this past fall, and ran for 1,303 yards and 15 touchdowns in a rough overall season for the program. The athleticism doesn’t stand out, but the motor does.

Coach’s comments:��“He was the most cerebral back I evaluated. He’s extremely smart. Football IQ is very high … that’s a guy that won’t get you beat, that you’d love to have on your team.”

The nuts and bolts

A young Joker? Clemson’s Adam Randall could be an incredibly intriguing fit in Payton’s offense. A receiver-turned-running back, the 232-pound Randall ran for 10 touchdowns last year and caught 36 passes in his first year playing full-time RB. In a best-case scenario, Randall could become a matchup-threat TE/RB hybrid from the backfield; Denver has enough interest in him that a coach flew out this past week to visit him, a source said.

QB options. Denver is set to roll its same quarterback room from last season into 2026, with Nix, backup Jarrett Stidham and QB3 Sam Ehlinger all under contract. But the Broncos have been active in evaluating young depth in this class. Quarterbacks coach Logan Kilgore has hopped on Zoom calls with Rutgers’ Athan Kaliakmanis, Illinois’s Luke Altmyer and Minnesota-Morehead (DII)’s Jack Strand. Denver also sees Georgia Tech’s Haynes King — a 6-foot-3 athlete who ran for 953 yards and 15 touchdowns last season — as a potential Taysom Hill-type, a source said.

Big-bodied targets. No matter how much WR depth the Broncos accumulate, Payton will always love big receivers. A few notable prospects Denver has called about or hosted Zooms with: Baylor’s Josh Cameron (6-foot-2, 872 yards, nine TDs in 2025); Texas Tech’s Caleb Douglas (6-foot-3, 846 yards, 7 TDs); SMU’s Jordan Hudson (6-foot-1, 766 yards, six TDs); TCU’s Joseph Manjack IV (6-foot-3, 579 yards, three TDs); St. Thomas’s David Hayes (6-foot-4, 790 yards, 10 TDs); and Michigan’s Donaven McCulley (6-foot-4, 588 yards, three TDs). Keep an eye on McCulley in particular, as a source said newly-crowned Broncos OC Davis Webb was on a Zoom with him — notably different from normal pre-draft calls with position coaches or scouts.

Local day? Denver hosted Wyoming QB-turned-TE Evan Svoboda and OL Jack Walsh at their facility earlier this week, among others, for what sources termed a “local day.” This, however, wasn’t open to anyone, as multiple prospects from Colorado and CSU weren’t in attendance. Svoboda is an interesting project who caught 11 passes for the Cowboys this past year.

Broncos’ in-house offseason moves:��Traded first-round, third-round and fourth-round pick for Dolphins receiver Jaylen Waddle and fourth-round pick; re-signed Lil’Jordan Humphrey on one-year, veteran-minimum contract; re-signed Michael Bandy to futures contract.

Under contract:��Waddle, Courtland Sutton, Troy Franklin, Pat Bryant, Marvin Mims Jr., Humphrey, Bandy

Need scale (1-10):��4. The Waddle trade completely upended the outlook at this position. The Broncos landed the truly elite route-runner they’d been searching for. Waddle and veteran Sutton, now, will lead the room as interchangeable pieces at the X and Z receiver, with Franklin continuing to develop as a field-stretcher and Bryant needing sun as a possession target. The key here is Mims’ contract: his rookie deal is up after 2026, and the Broncos want another returner in the kicking game to preserve Mims for punt and receiving duties. It’s highly unlikely Denver targets a receiver with any of its first few picks, but the franchise could look to add speed late.

Top Five

Carnell Tate, Ohio State

The latest off the Buckeye assembly line. Tate steadily improved over three years at Ohio State and flourished as a senior in 2025, with 875 receiving yards and nine touchdowns while playing alongside Jeremiah Smith, who’ll be leading this space next year. He’s got ideal size at 6-foot-2 and 192 pounds, but didn’t exactly explode at the combine, with a 4.53-second 40-yard dash. Still, he’s probably as NFL-ready as anybody in a deep receiver class.

Makai Lemon, USC

Not the biggest. Not the fastest. Not the strongest. Just a player. Lemon won the Biletnikoff Award for the best receiver in college football this past season for a reason, after racking up 1,156 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns. He’s got strong hands, incredible body control and plus run-after-catch ability from any alignment. . He’s just an LA dude.

Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State

A one-time Colorado receiver in 2022, Tyson’s stock has careened all over the map during the pre-draft process, after initially being in contention as the first receiver off the board in April. He missed the combine and Arizona’s Pro Day with a hamstring injury, and random character concerns around durability have begun to swirl around the 6-foot-2 wideout. Take that with a grain of salt. He’s caught 18 touchdowns in 21 games the last two seasons, and has as much big-play ability as any receiver in this class.

KC Concepcion, Texas A&M

Denver would’ve probably been in the mix here at pick No. 30, and even scheduled a top-30 visit with Concepcion, before canceling it after the Waddle trade. Concepcion has produced wherever and in whatever role he’s been across three years at NC State and Texas A&M, and was an All-American in 2025 after racking up 919 receiving yards and nine touchdowns. He’ll likely be a late Round 1 pick and a slot weapon for somebody.

Omar Cooper, Indiana

Similar to Concepcion, Denver was doing work on Cooper, as the Hoosiers wideout took a visit in Denver before the Waddle trade. Cooper was Fernando Mendoza’s top target in 2025, with 69 catches and 13 touchdowns in 16 games, and has produced both from the slot and outside in his collegiate career. He profiles similarly, actually, to Waddle in that vein.

More Broncos fits

Malachi Fields, Notre Dame

Fields will probably go before the Broncos can circle back around to the fourth round, but this is a receiver in the Sean Payton mold (big). He’s 6-foot-4 and a half, weighs 218 pounds, and has a 38-inch vertical jump. Think Sutton’s ability to track balls in the red zone and make big third-down contested catches in one-on-one opportunities, here. Denver doesn’t really need Fields because of circumstance, but system-wise, he’d be a gem for Bo Nix.

Eli Heidenreich, Navy

How about a multidimensional weapon who ran for 499 yards and caught for 941 more in Navy’s triple-option offense? The 6-foot-0 Heidenreich’s best fit as a pro is completely unclear (is he a running back? A fullback? A slot receiver? A special-teamer?) but the production and speed is real. It’s easy to see Payton salivating over the gadget possibilities here, and Heidenreich will probably be there on Day 3.

Donaven McCulley, Michigan

McCulley’s done a Zoom with Denver, and the Broncos’ interest makes sense for one very large reason. The Michigan product stands 6-foot-4 and had a decent season in 2025, with 588 receiving yards in 13 games. He’s a converted quarterback, too, so there’s some untapped upside here. The top-end speed might not be there, but McCulley could be a seventh-round or free-agent target for Denver.

Caleb Douglas, Texas Tech

The tools here are top-of-the-line. Douglas stands 6-foot-3 and a half and ran his 40-yard-dash in 4.39 seconds at the combine, an intriguing blend of size and speed. He had great production for two years at Texas Tech, with two straight seasons of 800-plus receiving yards. In a deep draft for receivers, Douglas could easily drop to Day Three.

Kaden Wetjen, Iowa

This would be a return play, as Wetjen has had an unreal stretch on kicks and punts across a three-year career for the Hawkeyes: he led the FBS in kick-return yardage in 2024, and led in punt-return yardage in 2025. If Denver is seriously considering moving on from Mims, Wetjen would be a good play. Without much receiving tape, though (23 catches across three years), this would be too steep a price unless the Broncos could nab Wetjen late in Day Three.

Broncos’ in-house offseason moves: Re-signed Sam Ehlinger to a one-year, $2 million deal

Under contract: Bo Nix, Jarrett Stidham, Ehlinger

Need scale (1-10): 2. Easily could have been a 1 on the scale, except teams are always in the market for quarterbacks. If you don’t have one, you must find one. If you do have one, as the Broncos do in Nix, then you’re in the business of developing your room and generating as many options as you can. Head coach Sean Payton always says he tells quarterbacks his job is to make them a lot of money. Plus, if a development model works, it can result in excess draft capital. So, even with Nix expected to be healthy and on the field for OTAs in early June, Denver will want a quarterback for its rookie minicamp and perhaps as a practice squad type through training camp and the regular season.

Top Five

Fernando Mendoza, Indiana

Mendoza is about as surefire a No. 1 overall pick as they come. Any moment Denver spent working on him in recent months might as well be chalked up to advance scouting work, since he’s going to be playing in the division with the Las Vegas Raiders. He’s big, strong, competitive and smart. And set to learn in a Vegas ecosystem that includes new head coach Klint Kubiak, veteran Kirk Cousins and, of course, limited shareholder Tom Brady.

Ty Simpson, Alabama

When Simpson was good at Alabama, he was really good. The issue: He started just one year, was up-and-down a bit for the Crimson Tide in that season and overall has just 523 collegiate passes to his name. Bo Nix, by comparison, had 1,936. Simpson’s a risk, but someone might be willing to roll the dice in the back half of the first round.

Garrett Nussmeier, LSU

Nothing against Nussmeier, but this is a good draft year to not need a quarterback. Even teams that do besides the Raiders must be at least quietly considering punting until what looks to be a loaded 2027 class. Nussmeier’s best year was 2024 and he was limited to nine games last fall by injury.

Carson Beck, Miami

Beck decided to play in college in 2025 after a 2024 elbow injury and he turned in an admirable lone season with the Hurricanes, leading them to the national title game and throwing 30 TDs vs. 12 INTs. In five years at Georgia and one at Miami, Beck completed 69.5% of his passes.

Drew Allar, Penn State

Allar has prototypical size, tantalizing arm strength and… well, hit-and-miss production. His best collegiate year was 2024 and, had he parlayed that into a major jump forward, might have rocketed up boards. Instead, Allar played in just six games and has a 63.2% career completion rate. A project, though one with considerable tools.

Broncos options

Cole Payton, North Dakota State

Payton, like Simpson, is a long-time collegiate quarterback who started just one year. Earlier in his career with the Bison, Payton was used extensively as a runner. In his lone year as a starter, he averaged just 17 attempts per game. But, to use what is perhaps already an overworked comparison, he’s got some Taysom Hill to his game. And, well, that makes a Sean Payton-coached team an intriguing option.

Luke Altmyer, Illinois

Altmyer’s experienced and productive, having started three years at Illinois after transferring from Ole Miss. He’s got experience with Denver WR Pat Bryant and helped guide the Illini from 5-7 his first year to 10-3 in 2024 and 9-4 last year. One issue: Sean Payton believes a QB who gets sacked a lot in college is likely to get sacked a lot in the pros, and Altmyer took 30-plus three straight years. Still, an interesting developmental player.

Athan Kaliakmanis, Rutgers

The Broncos had Kaliakmanis on a Zoom call during the pre-draft process, so there’s some connection here. Good size at 6-foot-4 and 205 pounds, but never completed better than 62.2% fora season between Minnesota (2022-23) and Rutgers (2024-25). His last year was his best, though he was sacked 36 times.

Jack Strand, MSU Moorehead

Another player Denver has talked with via Zoom in the predraft process. Strand was not invited to the NFL Combine but worked out with Cole Payton at NDSU’s pro day. Started four years for the D-II Dragons and threw for 13,161 yards, 126 TDs and 50 INTs in his career.

Taylen Green, Arkansas

Why not? Green is a massive player at 6-6 and 227 pounds, and he wowed at the NFL Combine by running 4.36 in the 40-yard dash, jumping 43.5 inches vertical, and 11-foot-2 broad. Played in 53 games between Boise State (2021-23) and Arkansas (2024-25), is turnover-prone and completed 60.5% of his passes the past two years, but if you’re looking to let a guy develop and play on your practice squad, you might find other uses when he’s got this kind of athletic profile.

“To me, personally, it speaks about the rich getting richer, and (everyone else) has to absorb the cost of everything,” Hayes sighed when I reached her by phone on Monday. “Honestly, I don’t know how you get around that.”

Mary is a Josh Allen gal in Bo Nix territory, a Bills Mafia transplant, a Rochester, N.Y., native who’s lived in Boulder County for eight or nine years now. When she hears talk about the Burnham Yard stadium site and the Walton-Penner Group, or when folks start whispering about “Personal Seat Licenses,” or PSLs, in Denver, she circles back to her ex-father-in-law.

Almost every adult Broncomaniac has met somebody like Mike from upstate New York at some point. He had Bills season tickets for five decades. He was a combat veteran who served in Vietnam, was awarded a Purple Heart, and became a true Don of Bills Mafia. Now in his 70s, Mike recently elected to give up his tickets rather than pony up for a PSL — a fee paid by customers of some NFL franchises to gain the right to purchase season tickets. In essence, it’s a cover charge for a cover charge.

Major pro franchises that agree to foot the bill for privately financed stadiums these days often seek to defray at least some of those costs by adding PSL fees to their customers’ bills. The Walton-Penner Group is working on a privately financed stadium and entertainment district for the Burnham Yard area near I-25, with an estimated $4 billion price tag. It’s not hard to do the math on the possibility of PSLs landing here.

The Bills announced last December that it had sold out its PSLs —��reportedly more than 53,000 —�� The average annual cost of a PSL at its new Highmark Stadium ranged from a reported $750 to $50,000 per seat, depending on location. Just to give you a ballpark figure, literally, of what might be coming down the pike for ����apountry. And why she thinks of Mike.

“And those are the people who are behind the scenes, with personal stories,” Hayes continued. “Growing up a Bills fan, to me, that was all about family. I remember watching games with my dad on the couch on Sunday afternoons. And him taking us to games that we could afford … it’s just become this thing, now, where that (tradition) is getting lost in everything. To me, that’s the heart of being a Bills fan or a Broncos fan, is generational memories. And its connection.

“Those were the people that want it and need it the most, that are struggling to make ends meet every day. And now you’re taking away the one thing that they look forward to year-round.”

That one thing — the Broncos — is more than a line item on a tax return. It’s fathers and daughters, mothers and sons. It’s woven into the fabric, baked in the blood. It’s passed on, like a grandfather clock, from generation to generation.

“But we’re winning now,” chuckled Lori Hosmer of Rochester, N.Y., child of two massive Bills fans “We have to pay up. If you want Josh Allen, you’ve got to pay Josh Allen. If you want James Cook, you’ve got to pay James Cook.”

The Bills are not a perfect comp, granted. For one thing, the new Highmark is jointly funded by public and private sources, with at least $850 million coming from New York taxpayers. For another, the Bills’ home upgrade is estimated to feature about 10,000 fewer seats (62,000) than the current version’s reported 71,608. Empower Field features a capacity of 76,125 for football.

But in terms of passion, devotion, organization, loyalty, national presence and a blue-collar ethos, ����apountry and the Mafia are cousins cut from the same AFL cloth. And the ones in upstate New York have some advice for Denverites on the fabric of PSL life:

1. Do your homework

If you treat PSLs sales like Black Friday at Walmart and storm through the doors at midnight, you might get your bank account trampled, Hosmer noted. Have a plan.

“Understand what your budget is before you walk in, so you don’t get excited about the hype,” she said. “Your experience depends on who your rep is … we had some (fans) who felt very pressured (initially).”

Hosmer’s old seats were above one of the Bills’ tunnel entrances, but that section wasn’t offered to her in the new Highmark.

“It’s a very good idea to have written down what you can actually want to afford and what you can afford, and what you actually want to spend on (seats),” Hosmer said, “before going forward. It’s a big commitment. It’s easy to get caught up in that (sales pitch).

“Our rep said, ‘Guys, no pressure, but all these other people are going to have a chance to (have these seats) the next couple weeks, I’m not sure where you’ll land.'”

2. Be patient and prepared to change seats

Hosmer described the PSL selection and confirmation process as “very long” and “very confusing, because you had no idea when you’d be called … that was just an odd thing.”

Another layer of odd? Her PSL ‘rep’ was not the same person as her season-ticket rep.

“My understanding is that every team does it how they want to do it,” she stressed, “but (Buffalo) was not based on seniority, because seniority didn’t matter. People spending the most money got first dibs. That makes sense. It’s a business.”

While preaching patience, Hosmer also would advise Broncos fans to “be prepared to change seats.”

“Someone who was sitting next to me (for years) was like, ‘I’m not paying $2,500, I’m not paying $3,000 (for this),’ so he ended up in a different (section),” she said. “He said, ‘I wanted to be in the new stadium, but it was too much of a (financial) ask. It was just too much.'”

3. Brace for sticker shock

Hosmer’s end-zone seats cost $450 a head in 2010. The ones she’ll be getting this fall landed at $1,895 — and that’s before parking.

“If (a Broncos fan) is not sure (about a purchase), you make sure you find out before you sign any paperwork,” she said. “People in our group were really mad to find out afterwards, after we signed our (contract), that the Bills were actually going to go in and out at the end of the half and at the end of the game by their bench and not by (the end zone).”

The community hand-wringing picked up when the Bills began charging $8,000-$50,000 annually per patron on PSLs for club seats. Late last year, Bills ownership introduced a $1,000 PSL cost for an upper-deck seat, and some higher-up end zone seats were offered at a three-figure level — $500-750 per patron.

In all cases, Hosmer said, financing options were made available, “so it’s not killer .. you have to have a credit card, you have to put down a deposit.”

She recalled being offered a six-year plan to pay off her PSL at an interest rate of around 8.7%. Hosmer was also told she couldn’t sell her PSLs until at least a year after its purchase, and that there were restrictions as to how those licenses could be resold, and to whom.

“I’ve heard fans complain about the (lack of stadium giveaways and bobbleheads) here,” she said, “and I’m like, ‘You don’t get that, but you get Victory Mondays.’ Take your pick. Do you want cheap sunglasses, or do you want AFC Championships? I know what I’m choosing. Every time.”

When general manager George Paton met the media on Monday at the NFL owners meetings, he provided an interesting nugget about Nix and the acquisition of receiver Jaylen Waddle.

“I wasn’t with him when he found out, but he was pretty excited when I walked down to the training room. He obviously went to dinner with all of us. I think Bo thinks he is a quasi-GM sometimes,” Paton said. “Sometimes he is right, and sometimes he is wrong, but I think he’s right on this guy. This guy is pretty special.”

So, too, is Nix. The Broncos know this. A transition is happening right before our eyes. Nix’s stature in the organization is growing, a testament to his maturity and remarkable first two seasons.

Reticent to question anything from coach Sean Payton as a rookie, Nix began voicing his opinion about preferring uptempo last season. He also has no issue screaming at Payton over slow substitutions, something that played out on a weekly basis.

And the offseason has only amplified his gravitas.

He cemented every belief about his character by the way he tackled his ankle rehab, and showed his growth by speaking up about Waddle. Write it off as him having a strong opinion because he played against the receiver at Alabama in the Iron Bowl if you must.

In my belief, there is more to it than that.

Folks in charge want to know what Nix thinks. And we would be foolish to believe that Nix did not welcome Davis Webb’s promotion to offensive coordinator with anything but open arms. He became close to Webb over his first two seasons, his development progressing rapidly under the quarterback coach.

Webb had leverage this offseason as a hot head coaching candidate. There was no reason for him to stay without being given some play-calling duties. Payton reluctantly relinquished the role — don’t blame him, since he remains good at dialing up gems. And in case you didn’t hear, it was — all together now — his decision.

But there is no way this change happens without Payton, Paton or owner Greg Penner — or some combination thereof — having a conversation with Nix.

This is how the NFL works. As a rookie, it was Nix’s time. Last season, it was his team. In his third season, he will become the face of the Broncos, a role filled by Payton since 2023, as he navigated a hairpin U-turn.

Nix should be coming off a third straight playoff berth and in line for a $50 to $60-million a year contract. That kind of deal comes with perks, spoken or not.

We have seen this evolution with Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson. They were all rookies once. Now, you can’t mention their team without thinking of them.

Nix is quickly ascending into this role. The good news? He gets it. He knows the Spider-Man principle — with great power comes great responsibility.

The star franchise quarterback is the answer to every question. And he is both the excuse and the target of criticism when expectations are not met. It all comes with it, especially when the salary matches a gross national product.

Since being drafted, Nix has passed every test. If he reaches his potential next year with a Super Bowl berth, it will be obvious that he is the fulcrum on which the organization pivots.

Avs sweaters: The Avs are in position to clinch the NHL’s best record. It is not because of a certain sweater. Best line seen on this: The Avs are the favorites to win the Stanley Cup. The Quebec Nordiques are the favorites for the top draft pick. Time to stop wearing the blue jerseys.

Go-Go Rox: Adding Jake McCarthy and Willi Castro has given the Rockies a throttle. They had 10 stolen bases through six games. They posted 87 last season. The Rockies have no plans to stop running. “It’s how we are going to play,” outfielder Mickey Moniak said. Coors Field awards more than power. Nice to see a front office recognize this.

“I’m listening to things that are happening so that it sounds better,” Greg “Hoffer” Hoffius, hunched over in Section 401, top o’ The Rockpile, told me on Friday while the Phillies were using the right-field scoreboard at Coors Field for target practice. “But I just watched the first half-inning, and I was like, ‘What?'”

Philadelphia 10, Bleak Street Bummers 1. Rockies starter Michael Lorenzen surrendered a touchdown in the top of the first. The Phils tacked one more each in the second and third. The Local 9 didn’t record a scoreless inning until the fourth.

What the heck happened to “our 2-4 start is better than the usual 2-4?”

“That’s narrative every year, right?” Hoffius said. “‘Hey, we killed it in spring training.'”

They spent Friday afternoon crushing souls. The Rockies’ Mickey Moniak lost Bryson Stott’s flyball to short right in the Colorado sunshine, playing it into a double and a 3-0 deficit.

“That was a good start,” Hoffius groused.

Brandon Marsh launched a 454-foot home run into the bullpen trees. 6-0.

“Oh, wow,” Hoffius’ buddy Ryan Masters said.

Double. Ground out to third. Trea Turner, batting for the second time in the half-inning, singled to right. 7-0.

“There ya go,” Hoffius quipped.

“Here we go,” Masters countered.

“No biggie,” Hoffius said.

Philly 7, Colorado 0. Where’s Bo Nix when you need him?

“It was sad,” Hoffer sighed. “It was crazy.”

Hoffius digs his Rockies through thin and thinner. Honest. He’s been coming to Coors for more than two decades, four or five games a year, almost always Opening Day, if he can swing it.

“I don’t pay attention like it used to, to be honest,” Hoffius continued. “And this is not that great. I don’t know. You just quit doing it. You know, after a while, you’re like, ‘Dude, they’re not going to do anything.'”

Except, maybe, break your heart.

“Wouldn’t it be cool to be, like, proud to be a Rockies fan?” Hoffer wondered out loud. “Right?”

Not this month. Not yet. Not when you’re taking your own crowd out of the game from the jump.

“I don’t know that (the Rockies) aren’t not spending money. It just doesn’t seem like it,” Hoffius said. “When you see what the Broncos did, they brought in the Waltons (the Walton-Penner Group) and they went, ‘Bam, bam, let’s fix this (expletive).'”

They also paid Russell Wilson to go the heck away, more or less, nipping a franchise-QB mistake squarely in the bud. Not the Rox. While we’re comparing historically awful 2022 contracts, the Rockies continue to keep a seat warm for Kris Bryant.

“I go to Nuggets games. I got to Avalanche games. It’s awesome to win,” Hoffius continued. “At the end of the day, the (Rockies) ask, ‘What’s our bottom line? ‘We’re still making the money. Are we going to make any more money with a better team?'”

With that, half the crowd went nuts again. The Philly half. 8-0, bad guys.

No baseball community dies harder, without reward, than the Rockies faithful, spring after spring. You feel for those who wear their purple hearts on their sleeves, such as Denver super fan Gregorio Banuelos, better known ’round these parts as “Mexican Elvis.”

About 90 minutes before the first pitch, I watched as a Phillies fan, head-to-toe in red, pinstriped replica garb, ran up to Banuelos on Blake Street and wagged a cocky, condescending finger in his face.

“You are losing!” the interloper shouted. “You’re losing!”

“The Rockies are going to score 22 runs on you, just for that,” Banuelos countered.

Poor Elvis. For most of the last seven years, Coors Field has been Banuelos’ Heartbreak Hotel.

“You know, I couldn’t care less,” Elvis shrugged. “Because I still support my home team. And I’m going to tell you something. I like when somebody says something like that. You know why? It makes them more excited. If everybody goes for the same thing, it’s not going to be any fun.”

9-0.

9-1.

10-1.

This is fun?

“They started slowly, but they’re going to figure it out,” Banuelos said. “I know they’re going to figure it out.”

It’s the hope that kills you. One April at a time. Even random TV shows are taking potshots now. Hoffius was watching the on Hulu recently when two characters, a young man and the title character,

YOUNGSTER: You’re real bad at this, bro.

DECKER: OK.

YOUNGSTER: Seriously, if breaking into cars were baseball, you’d be the Rockies.

DECKER: Well, maybe if I had a better teacher.

Hoffer just shook his head.

“I mean, that’s like, A-B-C, dude. Like, prime time, 7:30 (at night),” he said. “You’re like, ‘Ow. Wow.'”

10-1? Ow. Wow. New year. New players. New front office. New coaches. To Hoffius, Dick Monfort’s world looks just the same.