They provide context. A frame of reference.

After watching the Broncos essentially finish their offseason Saturday with the final day of the draft, it is clear they have identified a new equation to win.

Forget addition by subtraction, they have adopted addition by a little something, something. As in a very little.

When the Broncos line up for their season opener, there is a realistic chance they will feature only two new starters: receiver Jaylen Waddle and defensive end Sai’vion Jones or Tyler Onyedim.

Of the 53 active players in the AFC Championship Game, roughly 45 will be the same.

There is consistency. And there is monotony.

Last offseason the Broncos were a blast. They talked about becoming a contender and signed safety Talanoa Hufanga, running back J.K. Dobbins, tight end Evan Engram and linebacker Dre Greenlaw. Two of the four hit, Engram had a mild impact and Greenlaw was a bust. This spring, they talked about winning a Super Bowl, and traded for Waddle.

It has not been as fun. Or interesting.

It has been boring.

Boring can be good. keeps it simple. Almost never changes its menu. And business is booming.

Boring can also be dangerous.

The Broncos were the last team to add an external free agent this offseason, signing special teams safety Tycen Anderson (you receive a door prize if you remembered his name). The Broncos were the last team to make a pick in this year’s draft, selecting Onyedim.

They have preached patience. They will not disrupt the locker room culture. They are comfortable with stability.

But it is fair to wonder if the Broncos did enough to win a Super Bowl.

After the heart-in-a-blender loss to the Patriots, an outcome that would have been different had Bo Nix played, ¶¶Ņõapountry wanted a tight end. Denver brought back Adam Trautman, a coach on the field, whom coach Sean Payton loves for his blocking.

The fans wanted a running back. The Broncos kept Dobbins, giving him a $5 million raise for playing in 10 games.

The fans wanted a playmaking linebacker known for his coverage skills. The Broncos re-signed Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad.

It is impossible not to like these players. They were part of a group that made the Broncos relevant, put them in the national conversation, turned them into AFC’s top seed.

But Denver, if we are being honest, had luck on its side. The Broncos went 12-3 in one-score games. If they only play seven such contests next season, history suggests they are likely to go 3-4 or 2-5. They were redlining without an airbag.

No one is saying they will become Evel Knievel, bones sticking out of the skin from crash landings. But there is almost no chance they repeat last season’s success in the clutch.

Again, did the Broncos do enough?

Based on the conservative offseason, it seems like they are satisfied with winning the division and not prepared to take a risk with an extra check to win the whole (darn) thing.

They put the brakes on offers to running back Travis Etienne once he reached $12 million per season, feeling he was always going to New Orleans. They never made a big play for linebacker Devin Lloyd.

They made the decision to trust general manager George Paton’s process, to believe in Payton’s vision for players and his coaches to develop them. It has worked. On this, let me be clear.

The question now is whether a virtually static roster can win a championship?

The Broncos, like the Avs and Nuggets, are a victim of lofty expectations. The only thing left is for the Broncos to deliver a fourth Super Bowl parade.

That was a motivating factor in Payton taking the job. He was not interested in hanging up division championship gear in his closet. He has a chance to make history as the only coach to win a Super Bowl with two different teams.

That is now a realistic goal.

But in pursuing it, the Broncos operated in a vacuum this offseason, unbothered by other contenders or a brutal schedule.

They were not concerned with the Rams, who added cornerbacks Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson, the Bills, who addressed their receiving corps, the Patriots, who are expected to acquire receiver A.J. Brown in June, and the 49ers, who are trying to squeeze another Super Bowl victory from Mike Evans.

And there is no denying the improvement within the division. The Chargers will always Charger, but they are a sneaky team with healthy offensive tackles and Mike McDaniel calling plays for Justin Herbert.

The Chiefs signed running back Kenneth Walker and used three picks in the top 40 to bulk up a defense that could not get off the field on third down last season. Though to be fair, any game Justin Fields starts sets back their recovery process.

And the Raiders hired coach Klint Kubiak, drafted quarterback Fernando Mendoza, and overhauled their roster in free agency.

Fun offseasons are not always smart ones. What happens in March and April does not guarantee playing in February.

What the Broncos did last season hit all the right notes. But were they wrong to stay so loyal, so conservative?

Maybe Waddle — and perhaps critical snaps from running back Jonah Coleman — will help Nix and the Broncos cross the finish line.

It feels like they needed one more big addition. Then, again, maybe it’s nothing.

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 ā€” shortly after Denver swooped on him at pick No. 20 in the first round ā€” 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 ā€” visits, calls, needs, general leanings ā€” and the countless flavors of prospects they’re coveting.ĢżWelcome to “The Horse” ā€” 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:ĢżNo. 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.ĢżTight end.ĢżBroken 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.ĢżHere’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. TheĢżifĢżcould 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 ā€” weighing at 220 pounds ā€” 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 ā€” a Denver native ā€” 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 ā€” a 4.33-second 40-yard-dash at 223 pounds ā€” “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:ĢżAs 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:ĢżClassic 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:ĢżA 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:ĢżHigh-ceiling, developmental, mid-round prospect who jumped 34.5 inches at the combine.

RB Jonah Coleman, Washington:ĢżSteady, 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:ĢżThis visit happened before the Waddle trade. Cooper will go somewhere in the first round.

ILB Kaleb Elarms-Orr, TCU:Ģż4.47-second 40-yard dash, 40-inch vertical jump at 234 pounds. Phew. A potential fourth-round difference-maker.

G Josh Gesky, Illinois:ĢżUnderrated, 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:ĢżOnly 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:Ģż321-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:ĢżSleeper! 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:Ģż24-year-old strongman who could be an instant starter, but probably won’t land in Denver.

OT Paul Rubelt, UCF:ĢżAnother 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:ĢżAthletic marvel who could be gone well before Denver could grab him at the back of the second.

OLB Josh Weru, International Player Pathway:ĢżA 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:ĢżLate-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: ā€œIf you want to hand the ball off to somebody, I think Jadarian Price is just as good, if not better (than Love). So it wouldnā€™t surprise me at all if someone took him late-first.ā€

Emmett Johnson, Nebraska

Likely draft slot:Ģż3rd-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:Ģż“The more you watch that kid, the more he looks like LeSean McCoy at Pittsburgh.”

Demond Claiborne, Wake Forest

Likely draft slot:ĢżDay 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:Ģż“Best speed-and-space back in the draft … can score from anywhere at any time.”

Kaytron Allen, Penn State

Likely draft slot:ĢżDay 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:Ģż“He was the most cerebral back I evaluated. Heā€™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 ā€” a 6-foot-3 athlete who ran for 953 yards and 15 touchdowns last season ā€” 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.

Take a spin around the football internet these days and you will find yourself soaked by a deluge of mock drafts.

Make no mistake, though, NFL front offices do them, too.

Now, they are working with full scouting staffs, extensive visibility into injury and character questions, thousands of human hours of work put into setting the stage for the real thing later this month.

A year ago, perhaps not a single mock draft paired the Broncos and Jahdae Barron at No. 20. That led head coach Sean Payton to describe the wait as Barron fell through the teens toward them and, well, to mock the mocks.

ā€œThe mocks that you guys read for the last month, what do you want me to say?ā€ Payton said then. ā€œIt¶¶Ņõap embarrassing sometimes, but it¶¶Ņõap entertaining.ā€

General manager George Paton last week said the Broncos had narrowed their list to seven or eight players they felt would be available at No. 30 before they traded that pick to Miami for star receiver Jaylen Waddle.

Projecting who will be there at No. 62, where Denverā€™s first pick now sits, is even more wide open.

That wonā€™t stop us. And no apologies for any embarrassment caused, either.

Round 2, Pick No. 62: Georgia Tech guard Keylan Rutledge

In the Post¶¶Ņõap last mock draft, we slid back a few spots from No. 62 and selected RB Jonah Coleman.

This time around, we decided to stick and pick.

The result is decidedly not flashy but also feels like a realistic outcome for the Broncos.

Rutledge is widely considered a Day 2 player and is one of the better interior offensive linemen in this class. He played right guard in college ā€” the Broncos are set there long-term with All-Pro Quinn Meinerz ā€” but should have the versatility to play left or even center. Essentially, if he didnā€™t win a job over Ben Powers or make Denver reconsider going into the season with Powers on the roster, heā€™d be in position to slide in in 2027 or potentially back up multiple spots along the interior.

Offensive line,Ģżin general, is a sneaky need for the Broncos. Theyā€™ve got all five starters back from one of the best fronts in football, but general manager George Paton acknowledged at the combine that the team is wary of aging out too many players at the same time. Plus, all five players at the moment are on premium contracts.

Also considered: The dream was for tight end Eli Stowers to fall, but he went in the middle of the second round. Another tight end option and the pick at No. 62 in our first Post mock draft, Ohio Stateā€™s Max Klare, was still on the board. We passed to avoid too much repetition, but he looks like a potential fit in the second round. Also still on the board, among others: Arkansas RB Mike Washington and Mizzou linebacker Josiah Trotter.

Round 4, Pick No. 114: Oregon inside linebacker Bryce Boettcher

Trade: Broncos receive Nos. 114 and 197. Philadelphia receives No. 111.

The fourth rolled around and the Paton, sans ā€˜Yā€™, in the Post¶¶Ņõap drafting team emerged. We were hoping to move back from No. 108 to get an extra pick or two and, sure enough, found enough suitors to land a deal we liked. That trade with Green Bay involved moving back to No. 120 and the details are below.

Then the surprise popped up. Philadelphia wanted to move up and we felt good about sliding back just a handful of spots and still getting our guy. What was Howie Roseman thinking?

At No. 114, the pick is Boettcher from a school Denver is quite familiar with. Heā€™s a physical player and a good leader who had 136 tackles for the Ducks in 2025 and contributed each of the past three seasons to one of college footballā€™s stoutest defenses.

Denverā€™s had an active offseason at ILB, retaining Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad, releasing Dre Greenlaw and now moving Jonah Elliss inside. Still, hereā€™s a young player who can be a special teamer early and a potential Singleton replacement down the line.

Round 4, Pick No. 120: Boston College offensive tackle Jude Bowry

Trade: Broncos receive Nos. 120 and 160, Green Bay receives No. 108

Is this draft scintillating enough yet? The Broncos have only drafted one offensive lineman on Day 2 in Patonā€™s five drafts so far ā€” Meinerz in the 2021 third round ā€” but now are up to two in this draft alone. Again, it¶¶Ņõap not an immediate need, but Bowry checks boxes the Broncos like.

Offensive line coach Zach Strief told The Post last fall, ā€œWe love guys that can anchor. If you donā€™t get bull-rushed in this league, youā€™re 80% of the way there.ā€

Bowryā€™s got good strength and heā€™s a good athlete. Heā€™s got experience at both left and right tackle in college. Ideally, he doesnā€™t have to play right away.

In this scenario, though, Denver rolls into the summer with a pipeline that includes Rutledge and Bowry out of this draft, plus Alex Palczewski, Frank Crum, and Alex Forsyth. That¶¶Ņõap building to withstand the rigors of an NFL season and also preparing for a future in which the quarterback is no longer on a rookie deal and the front line must be cheaper ā€” but not without some incubation time in one of the leagueā€™s best offensive line development programs.

Round 5, Pick No. 160: Notre Dame tight end Eli Raridon

Now things are heating up at the offensive skill positions. Teams across football have found ways to identify tight ends on Day 3 that end up making a real impact. Not everybody can land George Kittle, of course, but there are going to be quality tight ends from this draft class that donā€™t hear their name called until Saturday.

Raridonā€™s got a chance to be one of them. Heā€™s enormous at 6-foot-6 and 250 pounds. Heā€™s got a good blocking foundation to his game ā€” though like most young players, heā€™s not a finished product ā€” and heā€™s athletic enough to believe heā€™s going to be a good receiver, too.

Like it or not, Denverā€™s going to play Adam Trautman and Evan Engram a ton this fall. The Broncos trust Trautman and theyā€™re hoping to get more from Engram as a receiver in his second season in the offense. Could a rookie tight end blow up that plan? In an outlier scenario, perhaps. More likely, a young player gets a chance to carve out a role as a rookie with the hopes that he blossoms late in the year, if injuries arise or in 2027 and beyond.

Round 5, Pick No. 170: Indiana running back Kaelon Black

Black fits the Payton running back threshold of ā€œshort but not smallā€ at 5-foot-9 and 210 pounds. Heā€™s a physical runner who was second on the national champsā€™ offense in carries at 180 behind Roman Hemby (230). Black averaged 5.6 per carry and, though he wasnā€™t used at IU in the passing game, he did have 44 catches and six receiving touchdowns his last two years at James Madison.

At Indianaā€™s pro day, Black reportedly ran 4.45 in the 40-yard dash and jumped 37.5 inches vertical. Heā€™s taken a top-30 visit with the Broncos. Black isnā€™t a prototypical third-down back, but he could carry some of that load and would be an intriguing fit with J.K. Dobbins and RJ Harvey.

Round 6, Pick No. 197: USC safety Bishop Fitzgerald

In looking for safety depth, the Broncos here lean on the connection to USC in new defensive backs coach Doug Belk. Belk had Fitzgerald, an undersized safety, in his room for one year after Fitzgerald transferred from NC State.

Checked into the combine at 5-11 and 201 pounds and ran 4.55 in the 40-yard dash. He produced takeaways throughout his college career, with five interceptions in 2025 for USC and five combined in two seasons at NC State before that.

Denverā€™s got special teamers galore in its safety room behind starters Talanoa Hufanga and Brandon Jones. Fitzgerald could add to that and perhaps push toward more.

Round 7, Pick No. 246: North Carolina cornerback Marcus Allen

Round 7, Pick No. 256: Kansas wide receiver Emmanuel Henderson

Round 7, Pick No. 257: IPP outside linebacker Josh Weru

In the seventh round, as Paton said last week, teams are often trying to get a jump on post-draft free agency. If you donā€™t think youā€™re going to win a battle for a player or donā€™t want to risk a bidding war in the post-draft chaos, this is the time.

Denverā€™s had success recently in the seventh round, finding contributors in WR Devaughn Vele and OL Alex Forsyth, plus players with still-interesting development arcs in OL Nick Gargiulo and TE Caleb Lohner.

In this rendition, a trio of seventh-rounders begins with Allen, who is 6-2, ran 4.5 in the 40, and comes from a program now led by a coach Payton really respects: Bill Belichick.

Denverā€™s receiver room looks pretty darn full, but Henderson is a receiver plus a special teams asset. Heā€™s a good returner ā€” even if Marvin Mims Jr. doesnā€™t see an uptick in playing time, NFL teams have realized you need two good ones given the kickoff ruleā€™s evolution ā€” and can handle other duties, too.

Mr. Irrelevant? Try Mr. Freak. Weru hasnā€™t gone mega-viral like IPP classmate and defensive lineman Uar Bernard, but make no mistake, heā€™s a ridiculous athlete. The 6-4, 244-pounder reportedly ran 4.45 in the 40 and jumped 41.5 inches vertical at the HBCU showcase. Heā€™s training with Javon Gopie, who also works with Nik Bonitto and trained Que Robinson last spring. Gopie told The Post recently, ā€œI think heā€™d be a no-brainer fit in (the Broncosā€™ scheme).ā€

Most of all, though, his ex-Utah coaches believe he will succeed at inside linebacker in the NFL because of his DNA.

“I would never count any of Luther Ellissā€™ sons out,” said Freddie Whittingham, once Utah’s recruiting coordinator and now Michigan’s tight ends coach. “I would always bet on his sons.”

Indeed, the Elliss family is to tweener linebackers as the Manning family is to pocket-passing quarterbacks. Luther Elliss, the former Broncos defensive tackle and chaplain who’s helped raise a litter of 12 children, will swear he didn’t do anything special. But four Elliss brothers have reached the NFL, with one more, Elijah, in college. And most remarkably, fit the same profile: 30-year-old Kaden Elliss is an outside-turned-inside linebacker who just signed a $33 million contract with the Saints, and 27-year-old Christian Elliss is a larger ILB who just signed a $13.5 million contract with the Patriots.

23-year-old Jonah Elliss, now, will be the latest Elliss to try to make his money at inside linebacker. With a glut of edge options and further depth needed at ILB, Broncos head coach Sean Payton told reporters at league meetings earlier this week that Jonah Elliss will “take some snaps inside.” Privately, the move has been discussed inside the Broncos’ building since the 2025 season ended, multiple sources told The Denver Post at the February NFL Combine.

“Sometimes, that inside ā€˜backer position ā€” one of the best in our league in San Francisco, Fred Warner, you saw him play more out in space, outside ā€˜backer,” Payton said in Arizona. “So, sometimes, you have to look at the skillset and then project where you think it can go.”

It’s a drastic shift. Jonah Elliss played just 3% of his snaps in three seasons at Utah (2021-2023) from the box, according to Pro Football Focus.

Quietly, though, the potential for this move has always lingered in his background, from his very bloodline to his maturation as a prospect.

“Iā€™m excited to see how he functions there,” former Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham, now Michigan’s head coach, told The Post. “Because, like I said, heā€™s fully capable of it.”

A skill set that translates inside

Back in 2021, a then-210-pound Jonah Elliss committed to Utah out of Idaho, . At the time, the Utes weren’t sure if he’d step in immediately as an inside linebacker or grow into a defensive end, Kyle Whittingham said. Utah ended up moving him outside, where he racked up 12 sacks as a junior All-American, because of the scheme fit ā€” not because “oh, he can’t play inside linebacker,” as Kyle Whittingham put it.

As Jonah Elliss went through the pre-draft process in 2023, there were “some teams” who were looking at him as an ILB, Kyle Whittingham said. Evaluators asked the former Utah coach how he thought Jonah Elliss could profile as an inside ‘backer, and he told them he simply played OLB at Utah because it was more valuable given their personnel.

“Heā€™s certainly got the physicality to destroy blocks ā€” block destruction is something heā€™s really good at,” Kyle Whittingham told The Post. “Heā€™s also got very good just, flat-out speed ā€¦ I think heā€™s got what it takes to be a very good all-around (inside) linebacker.ā€

Jonah Elliss has landed in a near-impossible path to starting edge snaps in Denver, as Nik Bonitto and Jonathon Cooper have become one of the best OLB duos in the league. In two seasons since the Broncos drafted him in the third round in 2023, Jonah Elliss has shown plenty of flashes as a rotational edge rusher, but rarely played in any alignment except at OLB: 96% of his snaps came there in 2025, according to Next Gen Stats.

It’s easy to see his frame and downhill speed transitioning to ILB in Denver, if he makes a full-time switch. Bonitto has said previously that Jonah Elliss is a frequent winner of get-off timing drills in practice, and he’s missed just three tackles in two seasons, according to PFF.

The key to any success at ILB, now, will be his ability to cover in open space and read the middle of the field. The Post watchedĢż all 31 of Jonah Elliss’ regular-season snaps when dropping back into coverage last season; he struggled at times in the first half of the year with his assignment in match-coverage situations, but improved dramatically over the course of 2025 in blanketing multiple opposing tight ends in one-on-one situations.

Jonah Elliss improved a *ton* in coverage throughout '25. Can see ' ILB vision for him.

Clip 1: 3rd-down stop vs. GB TE John FitzPatrick in space.
Clip 2: Blows up screen to Travis Etienne.
Clip 3: Blankets TE Brenton Strange, takes away 3rd-down Trevor Lawrence's read.

— Luca Evans (@bylucaevans)

Jonah Elliss also played substantial reps early in his Utah career on the Utes’ punt-coverage teams, and has done the same in two years in Denver. His stickiness there, as Freddie Whittingham told The Post, is a “pretty good indication” that Jonah Elliss can cover.

“As far as football intellect and also the discipline to get in the film room and watch tape and learn and understand assignments and adjustments, and everything that the linebackers need to be able to understand,” Freddie Whittingham said, “I think theyā€™re going to be able to count on that guy.”

A hole to plug at ILB

The question: how much Denver wants to count on Jonah Elliss at ILB. He is a legitimate asset even in a rotational edge role, with 7.5 sacks and 11 quarterback hits across his last two seasons. But Payton’s voluntary admission at league meetings suggests this won’t be just a specialty-situation role, which could influence the Broncos’ plans come April.

After the Broncos cut Dre Greenlaw, Denver has a clear hole at LB3 entering the draft. There will be a glut of options available at No. 62: Texas Tech’s Jacob Rodriguez, Cincinnati’s Jake Golday, and Mizzou’s Josiah Trotter are all potential young targets who could eventually grow into starters in Denver.

If defensive coordinator Vance Joseph and the staff like Jonah Elliss as a legitimate LB3 option who can also take some outside snaps, though, the Broncos could opt to go offense at the back of the second round ā€” tight end, running back, offensive line ā€” and sit on a linebacker like TCU’s Kaleb Elarms-Orr in the fourth round.

The move could also be a way to preserve Jonah Elliss’ body, as the 246-pound linebacker has an undersized frame for banging against opposing offensive tackles. He missed four games in 2025 with a variety of ailments, and Luther Elliss told The Post during the playoffs that Jonah is “really looking at how he trains” and could add “a little more finesse” to work on staying healthy.

It’s not the most lucrative option for his career, as the market for pass-rushers has exploded in recent years. But older brother Kaden Elliss just earned himself $11 million a season back in New Orleans ā€” where Broncos head coach Sean Payton originally drafted him. And Jonah Elliss’ old college coaches believe he has the pedigree and profile to pull off the move.

“Athletically and mentally, if anybody can make that switch, it¶¶Ņõap a kid like him,” Freddie Whittingham said.

Asking for a friend. OK, asking for several thousand friends. The hockey wonks up in the Grading The Week offices are a superstitious lot, especially where playoff juju is concerned. And they’re starting to seriously wonder if the Avs’ Quebec Nordiques retro sweaters are cursed.

If once is a fluke and twice is a pattern, three times is officially a problem. Colorado’s puzzling 8-6 loss to woebegone Vancouver this past Wednesday was the Avs’ sixth game dressed as the Quebec Nordiques, and they’re now dropped three straight games while going retro — including two straight in regulation. That Vancouver shocker came on the heels of an even more stunning 7-2 loss at Ball Arena to Pittsburgh back on March 16, also in Nordiques blue.

Avs’ Quebec throwbacks karma ā€” D

In the six games in which they’ve dressed in Quebec throwbacks, the Avs are 2-2-2 this season. And the results haven’t made anyone’s nostalgia grow fonder:

Oct. 23 vs. Carolina — L, 5-4/SO

Nov. 29 vs. Montreal — W, 7-2

Jan. 3 vs. Carolina — W, 5-3

Jan. 12 vs. Toronto — L, 4-3/OT

March 16 vs. Pittsburgh — L, 7-2

April 1 vs. Vancouver — L, 8-6

Coincidence? Maybe. Yet before visiting Dallas on Saturday afternoon, the Avs put up a record of 47-13-8 when dressed as — well, themselves.

For the year, Colorado’s been outscored 29-27 when honoring the Nordiques, an average setback of 4.8-4.5 per game.

More context: Take out the contests with the Nordiques look, and Colorado’s drilled everybody else by a margin of 253-158. The Avs have given up 18.3% of their goals this season in the six games in which they’ve worn Quebec throwback gear.

So … not boring, right? Not all that good, either. Especially when the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference holds more weight than usual this spring.

And because we know loyal GTW readers (love ya, Ma!) keep receipts, yes, we were positively effusive about those Nordique throwbacks this past fall when they were unveiled. What can we say? We love the old WHA. And many of the GTW staffers grew up with NHL trading cards and hockey sweaters from the early-to-mid-1990s. Names such as the ‘Diques and the Hartford Whalers will always hold a special place in what’s left of our hearts.

Of course, it’s also worth noting that most of those early-to-mid ’90s Quebec teams were no dang good. And once the franchise moved to Denver, and the newly christened Avs hit the ground dominating, it was as if all of Les Nordiques’ demons remained in the Great White North.

Now they’re back.

So, much as it pains us, it’s probably time for the Avs to nix the Nordiques. To quash the Quebec, once and for all.

Because we’ve got bad news on the sweater front — there’s still one more Nordiques throwback day left. Colorado is slated to kick it old-school one last time against Vegas at Ball Arena on April 11. After which, they should probably burn anything left in the locker room that’s got a Quebec logo on it.

The Dre Greenlaw Experience ā€” C

The GTW crew wishes Dre Greenlaw would’ve worked out in orange and blue. But we could only sit and nod when the former Broncos linebacker told Terron Armstead on “The Set” a few days ago that, “It makes it tough when you pay a guy ($11 million) and he’s only on the field 50% of the time. It made it tough for me. It made it to the point where it kind of makes you not happy.”

East High assistant honored ā€” A

Belated GTW tip o’ the cap to East High girls basketball assistant coach Celena Miller, who was recently named as the Women’s Basketball Coaching Associationā€™s national Assistant Coach of the Year for the high-school level.

The WBCA award is presented annually based on an assistant’s commitment to their program, their student-athletes, and their head coach; on-court coaching impact; mentorship on other coaches; and professional manner and attitude.

As part of the award, the WBCA will donate $5,000 in Miller’s name to the Kaw Yow Cancer Fund. Miller just helped East and coach Carl Mattei complete a 20-7 season with the Angels, including an 8-0 in league contests.

“I feel like if y’all would have gotten a chance to know each other better, like, Sean Payton and how he operates,” former Saints left tackle Terron Armstead said to Greenlaw on his podcast, “if y’all knew each other, like, ‘Dre don’t need to be out here (practicing) Wednesday.'”

“Man,” Greenlaw said, with a wistful smile.

That single word said enough, on its own, about Greenlaw’s time in Denver. But the linebacker had ā€” and implied that his adjustment to Payton and the Broncos’ intensive offseason schedule triggered the quad injury that dashed much of his 2025 season.

Two days after the Broncos’ season-ending AFC Championship loss in late January, Greenlaw told reporters that Payton was “old-school” in his methods and the “complete opposite” of 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan, who Greenlaw played for for six seasons in San Francisco before joining Denver last offseason. Payton, Greenlaw explained, has his players practice six days a week. Shanahan, Greenlaw added, tries to keep players “fresh.” Different methods.

“It’s for good reasons, too,” Greenlaw said.

A tough start to a tough season

A few weeks after the Broncos cut ties with Greenlaw and he signed back with San Francisco, though, the linebacker went further in-depth on what went wrong in Denver. In March 2025, Greenlaw signed with the Broncos for three years and $35 million, coming off a 2024 season where an Achilles injury wiped him out for all but two games. And Greenlaw told Armstead that his trainer, then, told him he needed to ramp up his offseason training, because “the Broncos practice different than the 49ers.”

“Like, ‘youā€™re not going to be able to come in there, and just like ā€” how you were with the 49ers, and they take care of your body, and this and that,'” Greenlaw told Armstead, recalling his conversation with the trainer. “‘The Broncos, they’re going to want you to go every day. They’re six days on. Their rehab is tough. All of this, and this.

“So Iā€™m just like, OK, let¶¶Ņõap get it going. So we started picking it up, started picking it up.”

Then ā€” exactly two days after he got to Denver, Greenlaw revealed ā€” he strained his quad.

“Shouldā€™ve been just smarter about where I was going in, and training with them at,” Greenlaw reflected. “You go into a new spot, you want to get going, this and that and that. And basically just had some hiccups that I really felt like I had no control over.”

Greenlaw himself called Denver’s training staff “second-to-none” on Armstead’s podcast, despite the injury-riddled season. The Broncos told The Post that the organization ā€” according to anonymized team data collected by the NFL and disseminated to all 32 franchises ā€” ranked first in the NFL in fewest injuries (37) suffered and had the third-fewest regular-season games missed (23) due to injury among players on the 53-man roster.

The Broncos’ brass has repeatedly expressed confidence in vice president of player health and performance Beau Lowery, including an end-of-season presser by general manager George Paton.

“With Beau Lowery and our medical department, we feel really strong about their opinion,” Paton said. “And if someoneā€™s been hurt somewhere else, maybe we feel like we can get them going. Weā€™ll have a plan ā€“ not that other teams donā€™t ā€“ but we just feel really strong about our medical team, our sports performance team, where we can bring someone into our environment, and they can thrive.ā€

Greenlaw’s quad injury kick-started an extended rehab that featured multiple setbacks and flare-ups through training camp, as Greenlaw never saw the field in Denver until Week 7’s matchup with the New York Giants. He played much of the season on a snap count, missed two games late in the year with a separate hamstring injury, and returned for the playoffs in a time-share with inside linebacker Justin Strnad.

The 28-year-old linebacker wound up playing just 44% of the Broncos’ defensive snaps in the postseason and finished his cumulative 2025 season with 53 tackles in 10 games.

“It makes it tough when you pay a guy $11 million,” Greenlaw said on the podcast, “and heā€™s only on the field 50% of the time. So it made it tough for me, bro. And it made it to the point where ā€” it kinda makes you not happy, you know what Iā€™m saying?”

The frustration from that extended ramp-up process, Greenlaw said, even bled into a midseason suspension when the NFL ruled he’d “verbally threatened” referee Brad Allen after the conclusion of Week 7’s comeback win over the Giants. Greenlaw told Armstead he didn’t threaten Allen, but was trying to argue a pass-interference call on cornerback Riley Moss from the sidelines in the fourth quarter. Allen “gave me the side-eye,” Greenlaw recounted. And frustration boiled over, Greenlaw explained, because the Broncos were “already taking me in and out.”

So Greenlaw, indeed, chased after Allen and roared at him immediately after a game-winning field goal.

“I said, ā€˜Man, that was bull(expletive),” Greenlaw said on Armstead’s podcast. “‘You a (expletive) for calling that.ā€™ And that¶¶Ņõap what I said to him, no cap.”

Moving on

Despite Greenlaw admitting he simply “wasn’t happy” in Denver, the linebacker said he didn’t regret signing with the Broncos. Payton, meanwhile, told reporters at league meetings in Arizona on Tuesday that it was a tough decision to cut Greenlaw.

“I would say, in my career as a coach, Iā€™ve been lucky enough to coach a lot of passionate players that love the game,” Payton said. “And Iā€™m always disappointed that didnā€™t work out. Because, I love that player. I love how he competes. And I love all the things he brings. And you feel somewhat responsible when it doesnā€™t work out.”

Payton defended the Broncos’ practice habits at his end-of-season presser in January, citing an injury-riddled 2022 season before he arrived as head coach, during which he said “there weren’t ever pads on” in training camp. Notably, though, the head coach implemented extended rehabilitation periods on Fridays for offensive and defensive linemen in 2025, and promised to further tweak his approach in 2026.

“Dre, Courtland (Sutton), Wednesday might just be a rest day,” Payton said in January, describing the mid-week practice approach for veterans. “I think I can be better in that area.”

The Broncos are taking an extended rest period this offseason after a deep postseason run in 2025, too. Payton said in Arizona that players won’t be back in the building at all until May, and won’t take the field for OTAs and minicamp until June.

All in all, Greenlaw made clear to Armstead there were no hard feelings. But he appeared, clearly, to be elated to be back in the Bay Area.

“Iā€™m thankful for all of it — for Sean, and the Penners, everybody that accepted me into that organization,” Greenlaw said. “Teammates, and all.

“But, yeah, Iā€™m excited to be a 49er.ā€

Theyā€™re moving forward with Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad atop the room after signing both to extensions at the outset of free agency in early March.

They released Dre Greenlaw with a post-June 1 designation after one year, $11.5 million and a pair of injuries that limited him to eight games in the regular season.

Denver could have made a splash in free agency, but general manager George Paton offered a simple explanation Monday for why his team opted for retention.

ā€œSingleton and Strnad are really good players,ā€ Paton said. ā€œDre ā€” we couldnā€™t keep the three of them. Dre helped us win a bunch of games, he helped our culture. We wish him the best, but weā€™re really happy to have Strnad and Singleton.ā€

Paton, a month ago at the NFL Combine, said he hoped the Broncos could keep both, and ultimately they did,Ģżsigning Strnad to a three-year, $18 million dealĢżandĢżSingleton to a two-year, $15 million deal.

Greenlaw, meanwhile, re-signed with San Francisco a year after the Broncos won a heated battle between the clubs for his services.

ā€œJust how much we love Dre as a person and as a player,ā€ San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan said Monday when asked about the rationale for bringing Greenlaw back. ā€œHeā€™s one of the best linebackers Iā€™ve ever coached and Iā€™ve been around some good ones. What heā€™s meant to the Niners organization.

ā€œWe hated being away from him for a year and weā€™re pumped heā€™s back.ā€

Singleton and Strnad are part of a broader pattern of retention in Denver this spring. The Broncos signed or tendered 13 of their 17 restricted and unrestricted free agents, plus all four of their exclusive rights players.

ā€œWe like our players,ā€ Paton said. ā€œWe compare all our players to what¶¶Ņõap there in free agency and our guys were up there pretty high.

ā€œWeā€™ve won a lot of games with these guys. They fit the culture and not everyone does.ā€

Paton extension a ‘when,’ not if

The Broncos general manager is entering the final year of his original six-year contract he signed when he was hired in January 2021.

CEO and owner Greg Penner reiterated Monday that finalizing an agreement to keep Paton in Denver is a matter of when, not if.

“We want to have George here long-term,” Penner said. “Heā€™s been a terrific partner for Sean and how they work together. Iā€™m sure weā€™ll get that sorted out.ā€

Broncos ‘haven’t heard’ on international game in ’26

Broncos president Damani Leech said the club has not heard anything about playing an international game in 2026.

That doesn’t categorically rule out Denver landing a game as a visiting team, but typically teams are at least aware of the possibility by this point a little more than a month before the schedule is released. By this time a year ago, the Broncos knew they were in the mix to play either in Berlin, Germany or London. They ended up playing the New York Jets at Tottenham Stadium in London.

One potential this year would be playing San Francisco in Mexico City, but so far, there has been no indication that Denver will be placed in that game.

“Technically, we are (in the mix), but we haven’t heard anything yet,” Leech said.

Before joining the Broncos as team president in 2022, Leech was the COO of NFL International in the league office.

“Selfishly, I personally love the international ambitions of the league, Greg and Carrie support it, Sean’s a big fan of it,” Leech said. “So anything we can do to support the overall league initiative, we’re on board.”

Training camp update

The Broncos are set to move into their new team headquarters in June.

That project is on time and on budget, Penner said. Fans, however, will not be back on a grass berm for training camp come July. Instead, the club will once again use temporary bleachers for fans attending camp practices.

Leech said he expects capacity to be about double what it was last summer, so somewhere in the 1,500 neighborhood.

“And then shortly after camp ends, we’ll start to build the berm back up and it will be more similar to what fans are used to,” Leech said. The new berm will go where the Broncos’ current building is, to the East of Denver’s practice fields.

DL a free agent possibility

Paton and the Broncos think they are well-situated to make up for the loss of defensive lineman John Franklin-Myers.

Franklin-Myers, of course, signed a massive three-year, $63 million deal with Tennessee when free agency opened.

Even though Denver is confident in its depth beyond the starting trio, thanks to Malcolm Roach, Eyioma Uwazurike, Jordan Jackson, and second-year man Saiā€™Vion Jones, Paton left the door open to adding from the outside still in the coming weeks or months.

ā€œWe have pretty good depth, but you are always looking for big guys on the offensive and defensive lines,ā€ he said.

How rare is this retention?

Paton said he hadn’t exactly crunched the numbers on just how many of their own the Broncos have brought back this offseason ā€” but admitted the front office’s approach was “pretty unique.”

“It’s not for everyone, what we’re doing,” Paton said.

Indeed, in recent history, it really hasn’t been for anyone. According to some numbers crunched by The Denver Post, the Broncos currently have 94% of their 2025 snaps under contract heading into their 2026 offseason program. Denver has added only one external free agent, safety and special-teams player Tycen Anderson, and Paton made clear Monday that this was an intentional approach centered on preserving what’s already in the building.

“The culture ā€” and the guys we have really fit it,” Paton said. “It just, it¶¶Ņõap kinda worked out that way.”

After months bandying about the term joker to describe his team’s need for a matchup-threat pass-catcher, Sean Payton sat with the media at the NFL owners’ meetings in Palm Beach, Florida, last year and confirmed Denver had gotten its guy. The Evan Engram signing was the Broncos’ chips-in move, and Payton told reporters that the Broncos had successfully convinced the tight end to sign in part because of that vision of his role: a chaos agent that could be shifted at will to take advantage of opposing defenses.

“Having had players like him,” Payton said then in Florida, “I’m excited.”

Engram’s potential supervillainy for opposing defenses, however, never quite reached its full potential. A year later, the Broncos have swung on another piece who can be a ceiling-raiser for Payton’s offense: receiver Jaylen Waddle, whose arrival has evidently excited Denver’s head coach so much that . After Engram played just 42% of Denver’s snaps last year, though, Payton will face months of questions on how he plans to utilize the speedy Waddle. Particularly considering the Broncos’ haul to trade for him and a fourth-rounder (sending their 2026 first-round and third-round pick to Miami).

That process will begin on Monday in Phoenix at this year’s league meetings, where the Broncos’ brass will gather for their most extensive media availability since the end-of-year press conferences in late January. General manager George Paton, owner Greg Penner and president Damani Leech are all slated to speak to reporters Monday, while Payton will talk at a coaches’ roundtable Tuesday morning.

It’ll be a chance to gather broad insights into how Denver’s decision-makers view the decisions that have shaped their offseason, as well as a host of key topics that’ll shape 2026 training camp and beyond. Here are 10 questions that bear answering in Arizona this coming week.

How do the Broncos plan to get the most out of Waddle?

Denver, again, does not have a first-round pick in 2026. The Waddle trade, by simple math, is contingent on the fact that he can provide more value across the next few seasons than a theoretical draftee at pick No. 30 could provide. That’s significant. Particularly since Payton organizations haven’t traded for a wide receiver since Bethel Johnson in 2006.

Waddle played 60% of his snaps from the slot as a rookie in 2021 for the Dolphins, but saw his usage there hover around 25% for the last four seasons under Mike McDaniel. It’ll be fascinating to see if Payton views Waddle more as an inside or outside threat, and how he can open defenses up for Courtland Sutton and the rest of Denver’s current WR corps.

So, uh, what did ‘opportunistically aggressive’ mean to you guys?

This Penner term, said in his postseason presser, . It was ridiculed as the Broncos sat pretty in free agency and signed back most of the pieces of their 2025 corps to short-term deals. It was then praised as the Broncos swung the blockbuster Waddle deal.

Denver’s free-agency approach, though, was interesting by all accounts ā€” set strict market caps at running back and tight end, test the waters on a variety of pieces but never actually make an offer, and let John Franklin-Myers walk for a likely fourth-round compensation pick in 2027. Were the Broncos trying to preserve cap space in the years before an eventual Bo Nix extension? Is that fourth-round pick reallyĢżthatĢżvaluable? Was Payton really so focused on that he declined to gather any free-agency intel (mostly kidding)?

“Free agency was tough,” Payton told Kay Adams in that video.

Hmm.

Where does the timeline stand for the new stadium at Burnham Yard?

The Colorado Department of Transportation has officially set a price on the Burnham Yard sale to the Broncos ā€” $45.8 million, a deal scheduled to be finalized May 15. The Broncos’ public messaging, however, is adamant that the area remains a “preferred site,” as the franchise has a variety of factors to iron out that are quietly making the planned 2031 stadium opening a bit tricky.

The Broncos are still working through negotiations with public utility Denver Water, which is eyeing Lot M of the current Empower Field site for part of its facility relocation ā€” a move that could bring some city-planning issues. Broncos officials are also still working through negotiations with SRM Concrete, which owns a concrete plant and several pieces of land smack-dab in the middle of the proposed Burnham stadium area that total an appraised property value . And negotiations with the La Alma Lincoln Park neighborhood on a community-benefits agreement have yet to begin.

How’s Bo Nix?

Duh. Any newsĢżabout Nix’s ankle rehab has been quietĢżsince the Broncos quarterback took to the media toĢżquell concerns about a preexisting ankle issue following some strange post-season messaging from Payton.

The only Nix update since then has come in early March, when he and wife Izzy announced the birth of their first child (and Izzy also took a picture of Nix walking out of the hospital without a boot). In the grand scheme of things, much more important than Nix’s ankle. But Nix also made clear that he’d be back for OTAs in May, an important step in his rehab. It’ll be important for the Broncos’ brass to note if he’s still on track there.

How do Payton and Paton view their needs now, after free agency?

This encompasses several key sub-questions. Are the Broncos comfortable with running back their J.K. Dobbins-RJ Harvey-Tyler Badie-Jaleel McLaughlin quadrant at running back? (Probably not, if pre-draft activity is any indication). Are they looking to move on from Engram, or trying to unlock him at tight end under new play-caller Davis Webb? Are they set with Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad as their starting ILB duo for 2026, and why did they cut Dre Greenlaw? Do they want to replace Franklin-Myers through the draft, the external market, or internal development?

Make no mistake, as healthy top-to-bottom as Denver is, there are still a few notable holes on this roster. This week should provide some strong hints at how the Broncos see their roster now.

Yes, the move for Jaylen Waddle cost Denver its first-round pick. Yes, the team absorbed the three years and $50.4 million left in base salary on Waddle’s deal. But in sheer cap-value terms, it’s pennies on the dollar. After restructuring Waddle’s deal post-trade to convert his 2026 salary to a signing bonus, Waddle will cost just $4.9 million against Denver’s cap room in 2026. And if it all goes horribly wrong, . Presto.

As it stands, then, Denver managed to land one of the highest-impact additions of the 2026 offseason without making a massive impact on its financial future. Factoring in the Waddle add, the Broncos now stand at a workable $19 million in available cap room. Plus, they’ll get an $8.2 million bump once Dre Greenlaw’s release processes after June 1.

The franchise now heads into April’s NFL Draft with several remaining roster needs, but just one pick (No. 62) in the first two days of selections. The Broncos’ main avenue for further immediate roster improvement, then, might just come via the buyout or mid-offseason trade market ā€” waters they’ve splashed into before.

Take 2024, for example. After trading for pass-rusher Haason Reddick from the Eagles that April, the Jets knew it would be “next to impossible” to keep starting defensive end John Franklin-Myers on his salary, . Denver had been studying Franklin-Myers’ film since free agency began that March, and swooped two days after the draft to send a mere sixth-round pick for a defensive lineman who racked up 14.5 sacks the last two seasons.

“We saw a guy that could rush, get off the ball, and cause disruption,” Broncos defensive-line coach Jamar Cain told The Post this winter, reflecting on the deal. “I was like, ā€˜Check, check, check.'”

Two years later, with Franklin-Myers now gone to Tennessee, Denver could elect to pull off the same kind of move to replace him. Across the NFL, there’s a fleet of starting-quality names at positions of interest for Denver ā€” tight end, defensive line, and more ā€” sitting on bloated contracts. If any team chooses to tighten the purse strings and cut bait, the Broncos will have the necessary cap flexibility to pounce. At the right price, of course.

With that in mind, The Post reviewed contract data across the NFL to identify a handful of potential salary-cap casualties that could be fits for Denver. Here’s a breakdown.

TE Cole Kmet, Bears

Cap savings for Chicago:Ģż$8.4 million if cut pre-June 1, $10 million if cut post-June 1

2025 stats: 16 games, 30 catches, 347 yards, two touchdowns

Here’s the do-everything, in-line tight end that the Broncos have been looking for. Kmet’s usage as a pass-catcher cratered in 2025 as Bears rookie Colston Loveland emerged, and Kmet is an obvious cut candidate for a franchise that currently has all of $243,078 in available cap space, according to Over The Cap. He’d likely have a strong market, and the Broncos already committed three years and $17 million to Adam Trautman. But it remains a definite possibility that Denver could offload Evan Engram (saving $8.8 million in a pre-June 1 trade), creating room for Kmet or another veteran option.

The 27-year-old Kmet primarily played in-line (62%) in 2025, but has demonstrated slot production in three straight years of 50-plus catches from 2021 to 2023. He’s a red-zone option at 6-foot-6, and is an able blocker. He’d fit well into a Sean Payton building, too.

DL Arik Armstead, Jaguars

Cap savings for Jacksonville:Ģż$14.49 million if cut post-June 1

2025 stats:Ģż16 games, 5.5 sacks, 28 tackles, eight quarterback hits

If Jacksonville chose to save some coin and offload Armstead with a post-June 1 designation, the 33-year-old defensive lineman would likely be a cost-efficient Franklin-Myers replacement for Denver. The similarities are striking, as interior pass-rushers who have versatility across the line. Armstead was less productive snap-for-snap than Franklin-Myers in 2025, but could also come cheaper than the $7.5 million Franklin-Myers made last season.

Armstead would fit right into the Broncos’ collection of former San Francisco 49ers, from Talanoa Hufanga to D.J. Jones and Mike McGlinchey. Plus, he’s a culture guy, winning the NFL’s Walter Payton Man of the Year award in 2024.

LB Christian Elliss, Patriots

Cap savings for New England:Ģż$5.06 million if cut pre-June 1, $7.31 million if traded pre-June 1

2025 stats:Ģż15 games, 94 tackles, three passes defensed, three quarterback hits

The Patriots probably wouldn’t trade Elliss to the AFC foe that came four points from putting them out of a Super Bowl in 2025, making this a much more likely addition if New England cuts Elliss. The Colorado native and Valor Christian alumnus emerged as a starting-level inside linebacker in 2025, and Denver is in need of more linebacker depth after cutting Greenlaw. Elliss could reasonably push Justin Strnad for a starting job or serve as depth and an impact special-teamer, where he’s contributed for a few years between Philadelphia and New England. His brother Jonah also just so happens to be a Bronco.

TE Colby Parkinson, Rams

Cap savings for Los Angeles:Ģż$7 million if cut pre-June 1

2025 stats: 15 games, 43 catches, 408 yards, eight touchdowns

Back to the tight-end market. Los Angeles has four capable tight ends on its roster and needs more snaps for 2025 second-round pick Terrance Ferguson, making a Parkinson move obvious here.

The 26-year-old 2020 fourth-round pick would be another strong in-line option for Denver, playing 80% of his snaps there in 2025. Parkinson stands 6-foot-7 and had monster red-zone production in 2025, which would offer a dimension that the Broncos haven’t had at tight end since the days of Julius Thomas. He could be a snug fit in two-tight-end sets with Trautman, too.

RB Breece Hall, Jets

Cap savings for New York:Ģż$14.29 million if traded pre-June 1

2025 stats:Ģż16 games, 243 carries, 1,065 rushing yards, five total touchdowns

Okay, maybe this narrative needs to die. The Broncos have their top-two-RB tandem for 2026 set, with J.K. Dobbins re-signed and RJ Harvey back But Hall-to-Denver will never quiteĢżgo away as long as he remains without an extension from New York, and as long as former Broncos assistant general manager Darren Mougey remains the Jets’ GM, and as long as Hall’s former college RBs coach Lou Ayeni remains Denver’s running-backs coach.

Denver would’ve gone after Hall had he hit free agency, too. There’s mutual interest here. But there’s no real reason for the Broncos to give up more trade capital to swing on Hall unless there’s a dramatic shift or injury in their backfield.

“We’ve got another guy that just came in — Jaylen Waddle, you know what I’m saying?” Dobbins said. “Pick your poison, because we’ve got Courtland Sutton, we’ve got the young Pat Bryant, we’ve got a great O-line, we’ve got everything.

“We’ve got an embarrassment of riches, on this team of talent.”

It could soon become a full-fledged humiliation of riches if Denver’s recent offseason moves are any indication. After re-upping with several names during free agency, the Broncos are currently set to run back the same backfield they deployed in 2025: Dobbins, RJ Harvey, Tyler Badie, Jaleel McLaughlin. But they have a clear interest in further upgrading that room.

Before ultimately turning back to Dobbins, the Broncos checked on 25-year-old RB Chris Rodriguez Jr. in free agency, a source with knowledge of the situation told The Denver Post. Even after Denver re-signed Dobbins, they still expressed interest in adding Rodriguez. The former Commander , seeing a greater path to touches after former Jaguars star Travis Etienne Jr. left in free agency.

Now, Denver has clearly turned its attention to evaluating April’s draft for upgrades at RB3, needing another reliable piece in the room behind the oft-injured Dobbins and second-year back Harvey. Sources told The Post that the Broncos are set to host Washington running back Jonah Coleman and Indiana running back Kaelon Black on top-30 draft visits (meeetings in which NFL teams can bring prospects at their facilities to gain more intel for their evaluations).

Either would present interesting options for Denver, at slightly different points in April’s draft. The 5-foot-8, 220-pound Coleman would likely be a target at Denver’s No. 62 second-round selection or its pair of fourth-round picks (Nos. 108 and 111). He’s a classic power back who can do a little bit of everything ā€” 15 rushing touchdowns in 2025, with 31 catches for 354 yards.

Even more tantalizing, Coleman has as safe a profile as any running back in this class. He fumbled twice in 157 rushing attempts last year, allowed one sack, and didn’t drop a pass, according to Pro Football Focus data. Sounds like a Sean Payton guy, particularly considering his glee in talking pass-protection.

“The way they run protections, they described it to me ā€” is pretty much the same thing that we ran in college,” Coleman told The Post at the combine, of an initial meeting with Denver. “Slightly adjusted, just depending on the game plan and stuff. So coming in and learning fast, being able to play fast, is ultimately the goal.ā€

Black, meanwhile, was a combine snub despite rushing for 1,040 yards and 10 touchdowns for the national-champion Hoosiers in 2025. He’s less of a sure thing, with fewer pass-blocking reps than Coleman and just eight combined receptions across two years in Indiana. If Denver wants a change-of-pace back who can break off chunk gains both inside and outside the tackles, though, .

From Denver’s assortment of known draft visits thus far, too, it’s clear the Broncos are eyeing help at the line of scrimmage and tight end. The organization clearly needs a youth infusion in the wings behind a stable starting offensive front, and Denver won’t be content to bring back the exact same middle-of-the-road TE room ā€” Evan Engram, Adam Trautman, Nate Adkins and Lucas Krull ā€” to Week 1 in 2026.

Including Coleman and Black, The Post has confirmed nine of the Broncos’ permissible 30 top-30 draft visits. Here’s a position-by-position breakdown of some of Denver’s activity, with a month to go before commissioner Roger Goodell takes the stage at the draft in Pittsburgh.

Quarterback

Confirmed top-30 visits:ĢżNone

Intel:ĢżRutgers quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis had a Zoom call withĢżnew Broncos QBs coach Logan Kilgore on Wednesday, according to Kaliakmanis’s agency, Grady Sports. Take most pre-draft calls with a slight grain of salt, as Denver would be operating in malpractice if they didn’t meet with prospects regardless of positional need. Still, it’s entirely possible that Payton could look to bring in a developmental quarterback to compete for a No. 2 or No. 3 job ā€” particularly as Denver has a prime asset in backup Jarrett Stidham.

Kaliakmanis has ideal size at 6-foot-4 and 205 pounds, and threw for 3,124 yards and 20 touchdowns last year for Rutgers. He could be a seventh-round target.

Running back

Confirmed top-30 visits:ĢżColeman, Black

Intel: Interestingly, if Denver’s trying to keep any potential interest in Arkansas RB Mike Washington Jr. close to the vest, it’s doing a good job. has had several top-30 visits ā€” but none with the Broncos, a source said.

Wide receiver

Confirmed top-30 visits: Omar Cooper Jr., Indiana

Intel: Well, the Cooper visit was pretty much moot. His camp, naturally, no longer expects Denver to be in play for him in April after the Broncos sent their 2026 first-round pick to the Dolphins in the Jaylen Waddle trade. And a previously-scheduled Denver visit with possible first-rounder KC Concepcion (of Texas A&M) was cancelled after the Waddle deal, a source told The Post.

So, highly unlikely the Broncos target a receiver unless it’s a seventh-round flier. In that case, keep an eye on Michigan’s Donaven McCulley, who has ridiculous size at 6-foot-5 and 215 pounds. He’s had a Zoom call with new Denver receivers coach Ronald Curry and a few other staffers, a source said. Mississippi State’s Brenen Thompson, Cincinnati’s Cyrus Allen and Texas Tech’s Caleb Douglas have also had calls with Denver.

Tight end

Confirmed top-30 visits: Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt; Nate Boerkircher, Texas A&M

Intel: All-American Stowers has rocketed up boards after an earth-shattering combine, setting an . Not a typo! The red-zone potential in Payton’s offense is massive. But Stowers might not make it to Denver’s first pick at No. 62. Boerkircher is one of several intriguing Day 2 or Day 3 options for the Broncos; he’s caught just 38 passes in his collegiate career, but is a heavy and capable blocker at in-line tight end.

Offensive line

Confirmed top-30 visits: Jude Bowry, Boston College; Josh Gesky, Illinois

Intel: Expect Denver to find some help here. Bowry is a raw, developmental tackle who recorded the fourth-highest vertical jump (34.5 inches) of any lineman at the combine. Gesky is a sleeper who ran a 4.94-second 40-yard-dash at Illinois’s Pro Day in mid-March, and has been trained in the offseason by former nine-year NFL starter Tony Pashos.

Denver has also had a pro-day meeting and has an upcoming Zoom scheduled with gigantic Memphis tackle Travis Burke, who measures at 6-foot-9 and 325 pounds. Burke had a strong season at Memphis in 2025 and could be another later-round option.

Defensive line

Confirmed top-30 visits:ĢżChris McClellan, Mizzou

Intel: Denver could look to toss in another body into the room to compete for John Franklin-Myers’ old job. Hence, the McClellan visit. Navy’s Landon Robinson, a defensive tackle who racked up 14.5 sacks across three seasons of college ball, also had a post-pro day phone call with Denver, he told The Post.

Linebacker

Confirmed top-30 visits:ĢżKaleb Elarms-Orr, TCU

Intel:ĢżAthletically, there are few more intriguing linebacker prospects in 2026 than Elarms-Orr. He ran a 4.47 40-yard dash and jumped 40 inches at the combine, while measuring at 6-foot-2 and 234 pounds. That’s nuts. He made plays all over the field last year for TCU, with 130 tackles, 11 tackles for loss and four sacks; he could step right in and compete for LB3 in Denver after the Broncos cut Dre Greenlaw.

Secondary

Confirmed top-30 visits:ĢżNone

Intel:ĢżDon’t expect Denver to be especially active here. One agent who spoke with a Broncos representative recently told The Post that the Broncos aren’t looking to draft a cornerback in 2026, with a stacked room and other needs. Denver has done calls with Oklahoma safety Robert Spears-Jennings and Washington cornerback Ephesians Prysock, though.