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 draft previews
Offense: Quarterbacks | Running backs | Wide receivers | Tight ends | Offensive line
Defense: Defensive line | Outside linebackers | Inside linebackers | Cornerbacks | Safeties

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.

Can you guys give an update on Bo Nix’s current status as it relates to his broken ankle and subsequent surgery? Like, a photo of him doing stuff or even in a boot or whatever?

— David Southall, North Charleston, S.C.

Fortunately, what I do have are words from the Broncos’ brass earlier this week at the NFL’s spring ownership meetings in Phoenix. One of many updates from the happenings in the desert: Nix is champing at the bit and his recovery from ankle surgery in January has been, by all accounts, smooth and quicker than expected.

Owner and CEO Greg Penner said of Nix’s recovery, “It����ap really, really good. He’s attacked his recovery in the same way that he attacks preparing for games. He’s done a terrific job. He’s ahead of schedule. No concerns at all for OTAs and going forward from there. We’re really pleased with his progress and the support from (VP of player health and performance) Beau Lowery and everyone.”

Head coach Sean Payton echoed that Nix was “ahead of schedule with his rehab,” and when asked if Nix would be fully cleared for Denver’s offseason program, he simply said, “Yes.”

Nix has already ramped up his activity level this offseason as he recovers and now he’s to the point where he’s doing running and jumping work. He’s not only on track to be fully cleared for OTAs in June, but sources say he’ll be at full go when Denver begins its offseason program on May 4.

OTAs and minicamp always feature more rep-splitting than the regular season does, especially at quarterback. Once September rolls around, Nix gets nearly all the practice work as the starter. So June is the time, along with training camp, to get plenty of work for Jarrett Stidham and Sam Ehlinger. Perhaps Payton and the Broncos will be ever so slightly cautious with Nix during OTAs and minicamp, but the way they talked this week, they don’t think they’ll have to be.

All of that makes a Wednesday report about all the more far-fetched. It suggested some level of doubt about Nix’s status for the early part of the regular season and, really, looks like an April Fool’s Day gag, though it was not originally intended to be so. Regardless, a source told The Post that there’s a “less than zero percent” chance Rodgers visits Denver and that the mere thought of him being an option was “preposterous.”

So, Nix’s Year 3 begins in earnest with the offseason program a month from now, followed by OTAs and minicamp in June. Payton was asked about what he expects from his quarterback in Year 3 and said, “I think look, his job — and we say this all the time — is lead your team into the end zone. Lead your team to wins. We see him every day at the facility. He’s ahead of schedule with his rehab.

“He likes being around football.”

Hi Parker, I heard that Jonah Elliss may be taking snaps on the inside of the line. Does that hurt our rotation of edge rushers or will we just be seeing him more on the field?

— Mike, Denver

Hey Mike, yes indeed. Payton mentioned this on Tuesday morning at the owners’ meetings. He didn’t exactly say that Elliss is switching permanently, but said he’s going to get work there going forward. Typically, these types of changes aren’t partial or just a dip of the toe. It����ap hard enough to play one position, let alone learn two. Still, we’ll wait and see exactly if there’s any OLB in Elliss’ workload this offseason or if it����ap all inside.

Wrote about this some the other day, so won’t go super long on it here, but just briefly, this move is as much about Denver’s depth at outside linebacker as it is about believing Elliss can play in the middle of the field. The Broncos are looking for ways to get Que Robinson on the field after a tantalizing rookie season and this would be one. If Elliss can play in the middle, he’d be nice depth along with Jordan Turner behind starters Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad.

What����ap left for the Broncos to address with the roster?

— Ed Helinski, Auburn, N.Y.

Obviously, with the draft coming up, Denver will add to its roster at several positions over the final two days of the draft, plus through undrafted free-agent signings.

Taking that out of the picture for a moment, Payton and general manager George Paton combined to leave the door open for veteran free agent additions on both lines and at running back, among other spots.

Just me, but I think the interior defensive line has perhaps the most interesting set of veteran players still available on the market. There are still players out there like Calais Campbell, a Denver native, along with DJ Reader, Denico Autry, DaQuan Jones, Shelby Harris, Khalen Saunders and others.

Paton on Monday noted the depth Denver has on the defensive line, but added, “you’re always looking for big guys on the offensive and defensive lines.”

You can’t rule out an addition at another spot or two as well, whether that����ap in the secondary, at running back, another special teams guy to go with the addition of Tycen Anderson or wherever else.

Hey Parker, I’ve noticed that Christian Wilkins is still a free agent. I’m not sure if he would fit in Denver or not, but I’m more curious about why his tenure in Las Vegas ended so suddenly and mysteriously. It feels like some part of that story isn’t being shared. Do you have any insights, or have you heard any plausible explanations?

— George P., Seattle (not a “12”)

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Wilkins was still recovering from that foot injury. Schefter said March 20 that most teams in the NFL had checked on him and that he’s planning on playing this fall.

Free-agent DT Christian Wilkins fully intends to play this season, but still is rehabbing his foot injury, per his agent David Mulugheta. So far 26 teams have reached out and are waiting for Wilkins to be ready, and Wilkins is expected to have a new home as soon as he wants.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter)

He’s a talented player, obviously, but missing most of two seasons with a foot injury is no joke for a guy his size.

What do you see the Broncos doing in the draft?

— Ben, Grand Junction

The natural inclination would be to say that they’re likely to trade back from either No. 62 or one of their early fourth-round picks in order to generate more selections after losing two in the trade for Jaylen Waddle, but you can never count Payton out from moving up from one of those spots either.

The board always has to line up, but to me, tight end, running back, offensive line, and linebacker are on the shortlist. If you told me their first two or three picks would come in some order from that set of positions, I’d believe it. At the same time, given where their roster is generally speaking, they’re in a position where they can truly take the best player available if there’s somebody at a different position that they have graded substantially higher than the rest of the field.

The Broncos were set to start their stretch run of in-depth draft meetings bright and early on Wednesday morning. Paton and Payton will spend much of the next four weeks together watching tape, sorting through players and positions and identifying targets. They’ll dish out clumped players by position or projected draft range to assistant coaches and scouts to dig deep into in order to try to find separation. They’ll work through mock drafts, projections, background information and all the rest.

“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 — 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 — 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.”

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 — Evan Engram, Adam Trautman, Nate Adkins and Lucas Krull — 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:��None

Intel:��Rutgers quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis had a Zoom call with��new 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 — 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:��Coleman, 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 — 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:��Chris 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:��Kaleb Elarms-Orr, TCU

Intel:��Athletically, 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:��None

Intel:��Don’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.

Now he’s back for 2026, too.

The quarterback and the Broncos agreed to terms on a one-year, $2 million deal Sunday night, a source confirmed to The Post.

Ehlinger spent the 2025 season as the No. 3 quarterback behind starter Bo Nix and Jarrett Stidham. That’s the way the Broncos quarterback room looks going into free agency, which begins Monday, as well. Stidham has reportedly drawn some trade interest, though Denver’s offensive brain trust led by head coach Sean Payton and now-offensive coordinator Davis Webb loved the way the room operated last year.

After Ehlinger signed with the Broncos about a month into free agency, Webb told The Post that Denver hadn’t pursued many quarterbacks to serve as a No. 3 and to push Stidham, but they liked what they saw in Ehlinger and made him a priority.

“I was always like, man, if somebody just spent a little more time mechanically with him or had a former quarterback coaching him, I think the best is yet to come for him,” Webb said in August. “When he was available and we needed a No. 3 or a guy that could push our No. 2, that was a pretty easy decision.”

In the middle of the season, Ehlinger had a tougher call to make. He had to decide between staying on Denver’s practice squad or returning to Indianapolis, where he spent the first four years of his career, for a spot on the 53-man roster after Colts starter Daniel Jones sustained a season-ending injury.

Ehlinger decided to stay with the Broncos. Denver was primed for a deep playoff run and Ehlinger had grown close with Nix and Stidham along with several others on the team, including long-time friend and former University of Texas teammate Brandon Jones.

He also saw a future developing with Payton and Webb.

“I think Davis is one of the best quarterback coaches in the league, and I think he’s on a fast track to doing whatever he wants,” Ehlinger said in August. “Our conversations during free agency, when making that decision, was that he believed in me. It was a rough couple first years there for a little bit (in Indy), but he really believed in me, watched the tape and and said, ‘I know what you’re capable of and I want you to come and develop and continue to get better, learn a new system.’”

The thing about windows, though, is that they close. Denver has two more seasons before it has to start thinking about a massive extension for quarterback Bo Nix, which will put considerable strain on their long-term cap. It’s no secret. The world knows it. Those inside the Broncos’ facility know it. Their time to strike is now, heading into 2026 free agency with roughly $28 million in current cap room — — and plenty of levers to pull to create more space and throw money around in the market.

It’s also no secret that the Broncos need more skill talent. They need to add a running back, tight end, and potentially wide receiver. They need a linebacker either in free agency or the draft, and quietly have some options at safety. In January, owner Greg Penner described Denver’s approach with a phrase that’ll come to define this offseason, whatever size of swing the front office takes: “We’ll be opportunistically aggressive.”

The legal tampering period of free agency, when teams can officially make contact with players and agents, begins at 10:00 a.m. MT Monday. New contracts can officially be signed come 2:00 p.m. MT on Wednesday. Here’s The Denver Post’s position-by-position Broncos guide to 2026 free agency, informed via numerous conversations with NFL agents and sources across the past two weeks.

Quarterback

Who Denver has: QB1 Bo Nix, QB2 Jarrett Stidham

Who Denver could lose: QB3 Sam Ehlinger

What Denver needs:��Another QB in the room, and to re-sign Ehlinger

Key market options (former team in parenthesis): Zach Wilson (Dolphins), Sam Howell (Eagles), Teddy Bridgewater (Buccaneers)

This will depend entirely on whether the Broncos actually shop Stidham, and potentially save themselves $6.5 million in corresponding cap room. If they trade Stidham to a quarterback-needy team for some draft capital, Denver could easily look to re-sign Ehlinger and promote him to Nix’s official backup, after Ehlinger stuck to Davis Webb’s hip in 2025. The Broncos would clearly need another name to push Ehlinger in such a circumstance, though.

If that wouldn’t be a young draft pick, the Broncos could look to bring back Zach Wilson, who was part of a tight-knit group with Nix and Stidham in Denver in 2024. Paton also did plenty of work on longtime backup Howell in the 2022 draft, and former Bronco Bridgewater was Sean Payton’s trusted backup in New Orleans in 2018 and 2019.

Running back

Who Denver has: RB1/RB2 RJ Harvey, RB3 Tyler Badie (likely to sign ERFA deal)

Who Denver could lose: RB1/RB2 J.K. Dobbins, RB4 Jaleel McLaughlin

What Denver needs:��A true RB1 or Harvey complement, and depth

Key market options: Kenneth Walker III (Seahawks), Travis Etienne Jr. (Jaguars), Rico Dowdle (Panthers), Tyler Allgeier (Falcons), Kenneth Gainwell (Steelers), Emanuel Wilson (Packers)

Here’s the spot that’ll draw the most buzz next week. The Broncos have already been connected to some of the top names on the market, clearly needing an upgrade in the room even if Denver brings back Dobbins on the cheap; the oft-injured veteran simply can’t be relied upon to play a full season. The Seahawks elected not to give Walker a one-year, $14 million franchise tag after a Super Bowl MVP, and the star RB could easily command upwards of $12 to $14 million on the market.

Would Denver swing on that price, though? Walker wasn’t good in pass protection last year (two sacks and nine pressures in 51 pass-blocking snaps, per PFF), and the Broncos need a third-down back whom Nix trusts. The 5-foot-11, 215-pound Etienne is a highly intriguing fit for Denver, a bigger back who’s dynamic in the passing game (six receiving touchdowns in 2025). The 25-year-old Allgeier is a power back without excessive tread on the tires who could be available at a lower price, but expect Denver to look elsewhere.

Don’t be surprised if the Broncos walk away with Dobbins, Harvey and a supplemental piece instead of swinging big here. Wilson is an interesting name, a 226-pound RB who ran for 496 yards in Green Bay last season.

Wide receiver

Who Denver has: WR1 Courtland Sutton, WR2 Troy Franklin, WR3 Pat Bryant, WR4 Marvin Mims Jr.

Who Denver could lose: WR5 Lil’Jordan Humphrey

What Denver needs:��A high-upside complement to Sutton, or at least another trustworthy WR4/5 option

Key market options:��Alec Pierce (Colts), Jauan Jennings (49ers), Wan’Dale Robinson (Giants), Rashid Shaheed (Seahawks), Mike Evans (Buccaneers), Stefon Diggs (Patriots), Romeo Doubs (Packers), Jahan Dotson (Eagles), Jalen Nailor (Vikings)

The Broncos like their current receiver room. The Paton-Payton braintrust has made that clear this entire offseason, and their firing of receivers coach Keary Colbert and hire of longtime Payton associate Ronald Curry signal that Denver believes in unlocking the potential of its current group rather than needing a drastic personnel overhaul. That being said, they need to add a piece here, whether in free agency or via a deep draft class.

Pierce is the true difference-maker on the market. There are few in the NFL like him, a 6-foot-3 deep-ball extraordinaire who racked up 1,003 yards last year on 21.3 yards per catch. Denver got an up-close look at him in a Week 2 loss to Indianapolis. But one agent The Post spoke with pinpointed Pierce’s likely market value at $27 to $30 million, which would be a steep price for a team already giving Sutton $23 million yearly. Don’t expect Denver to get into a bidding war for him.

The rest of the market is somewhat iffy. Jennings has the frame (6-foot-3), blocking prowess and red-zone ability (nine TDs in 2025) that Payton would love. Robinson will likely land somewhere in the $10 to $15 million range, and would bring a high-volume slot weapon that Denver doesn’t currently have.

Doubs is a definite potential fit for the Broncos here; Denver has interest in the former Green Bay receiver, an NFL source told The Post. He’s a big-bodied target who doesn’t demand the ball but has good red-zone production and can play in a variety of alignments. Keep an eye on Dotson as a potential depth piece, too, as Dotson’s agency CAA also represents Nix. He’s a former 2022 first-round pick whose production stalled out in Philadelphia, but he can block, play from the slot and hasn’t dropped a pass since 2023.

Tight end

Who Denver has:��TE1/TE2 Evan Engram

Who Denver could lose:��TE1/TE2 Adam Trautman, TE3 Nate Adkins, TE4 Lucas Krull

What Denver needs:��A legitimate in-line TE who can complement Engram as a pass-catcher, and stay on the field on any down

Key market options:��David Njoku (Browns), Isaiah Likely (Ravens), Cade Otton (Buccaneers), Chig Okonkwo (Titans), Dallas Goedert (Eagles), Daniel Bellinger (Giants), Charlie Kolar (Ravens)

Denver can’t simply run it back from 2025 and expect better production from Engram, who caught 50 passes for 461 yards in 2025, under new play-caller Davis Webb. The Broncos need a versatile weapon whom they trust as both a blocker and a matchup-threat receiver. Otton might just be that guy: he played in-line (attached to the offensive tackle) on nearly half his snaps in Tampa Bay in 2025, according to Pro Football Focus, and has caught 59 passes in each of the last two seasons.

Otton’s yearly value has been pinpointed in NFL circles somewhere around Jake Ferguson’s four-year, $50 million extension with Dallas in 2025. If Denver wants to spend at TE, he and Likely would be the most well-rounded options on the Market. Njoku and Goedert are likely past their primes, and Okonkwo’s not a blocker.

Bellinger had 88 yards and a touchdown for the Giants against Denver in Week 7, and is seeking $7 to $8 million yearly. Kolar is the most intriguing upside swing here, a 6-foot-6 blocker who was stuck behind multiple TEs in Baltimore in the receiving game.

Offensive line

Who Denver has:��LT1 Garett Bolles, LG1 Ben Powers, C1 Luke Wattenberg, RG1 Quinn Meinerz, RT1 Mike McGlinchey, OL2 Alex Palczewski, OT2 Matt Peart, OT2 Frank Crum, C2 Alex Forsyth

Who Denver could lose:��Nobody

What Denver needs:��Maybe another swing tackle

Key market options:��Wide-open

Denver doesn’t need to spend here, with its current starting offensive line set again for 2026. The Broncos could always look to cut or deal Powers to create cap room and have a ready successor in Alex Palczewski, whom they inked to a two-year extension Thursday. It’s more likely they look to the draft to bolster depth here, although they could certainly cut Peart to save over $3 million in cap room and target another backup tackle in free agency. Players like former Vikings veteran Justin Skule or Seahawks backup Josh Jones could be good value there.

Defensive line

Who Denver has: DE1 Zach Allen, NT1 D.J. Jones, OLB1 Nik Bonitto, OLB2 Jonathon Cooper, DE/DT2 Eyioma Uwazurike, DT2 Malcolm Roach, OLB2 Jonah Elliss, OLB2 Dondrea Tillman (likely to sign ERFA deal), OLB3 Que Robinson, DE/DT3 Sai’vion Jones

Who Denver could lose:��DE1 John Franklin-Myers, DE/DT3 Jordan Jackson

What Denver needs:��A cheap, productive interior defensive lineman to push Uwazurike, Roach and Jones

Key market options:��Logan Hall (Buccaneers), David Onyemata (Falcons), Calais Campbell (Cardinals), Sebastian Joseph-Day (Titans), Rakeem Nunez-Roches (Giants)

The Broncos already have massive amounts of money tied up in their defensive line, and Franklin-Myers is already all but gone. His likely landing spot is Tennessee, where recently-acquired defensive end The thinking from agents who spoke with The Post is that Denver could bring in depth to help supplant Franklin-Myers, but will likely rely on its pieces already in the building to fill the void.

Ironically, the Broncos’ movements in the defensive-line market will depend on Franklin-Myers’ own movements. Agents are completely across the board on projecting Franklin-Myers’ yearly value in a weak class; one suggested $12 to $14 million, one suggested $16 to $18 million, and one went as high as $20 to $22 million. If teams end up bidding closer to that higher end, it could price the Broncos out of what they’d be willing to spend for another body in the room. Onyemata, Joseph-Day and Nunez-Roches could all offer cheap, veteran depth.

Inside linebacker

Who Denver has:��LB1 Dre Greenlaw, LB2/LB3 Karene Reid, LB2/LB3 Jordan Turner, LB2/LB3 Levelle Bailey, LB2/LB3 Drew Sanders

Who Denver could lose:��LB1 Alex Singleton, LB1/LB2 Justin Strnad

What Denver needs:��An instant-impact starter, or at the very least a high-end LB3.

Key market options:��Devin Lloyd (Jaguars), Nakobe Dean (Eagles), Quay Walker (Packers), Quincy Williams (Jets), Kaden Elliss (Falcons), Alex Anzalone (Lions), E.J. Speed (Texans), Bobby Okereke (Giants)

It’s a great year to need a middle linebacker. Denver could certainly look to a strong draft class to address this spot. But an NFL source who met with Denver at last week’s NFL Combine told The Post that the Broncos will have a “significant appetite” in the free-agent linebacker market.

That could mean they’ll take a monster swing on Lloyd, a 2025 All-Pro and the kind of playmaker that Vance Joseph would have a field day with in the middle of Denver’s defense. It could also mean they’ll re-sign Singleton as their green-dot defensive leader — he’s been pinpointed by multiple NFL sources at somewhere between $5 to $8 million yearly — and add another piece to compete for a starting job. Strnad is likely headed for new pastures, as he told The Post after the season he wouldn’t be back in Denver unless it was in a clear starting role.

The Broncos have interest in Anzalone and Speed, sources said, both potential green-dot options or LB3 pieces who will come in below the top of the market, where NFL sources pinpointed Lloyd likely to come in between $15 and $17 million annually. Dean is another interesting and versatile option who told The Post at the Super Bowl he likes watching the Broncos’ defense and would be interested in Denver in free agency if the price was right.

Secondary

Who Denver has:��CB1 Pat Surtain II, CB1 Riley Moss, NB1 Ja’Quan McMillian, NB2/CB2 Jahdae Barron, CB2 Kris Abrams-Draine, S1 Talanoa Hufanga, S1 Brandon Jones, S2 Devon Key (likely to sign ERFA deal), S2 JL Skinner

Who Denver could lose:��S2 P.J. Locke

What Denver needs:��A third safety to replace Locke and potentially push Jones

Key market options:��Tony Adams (Jets), Dane Belton (Giants), Kyle Dugger (Steelers), Andrew Wingard (Jaguars), Alohi Gilman (Ravens), Ifeatu Melifonwu (Dolphins), D’Anthony Bell (Panthers), Rodney Thomas II (Colts)

A notable Broncos development to track in free agency: Denver has expressed interest in adding a safety, several NFL sources told The Post this week. Locke is likely headed elsewhere after a nice fill-in stretch for the injured Jones late in 2025, and the Broncos want to add another piece to replace him, as Hufanga and Jones are both injury risks. Wingard is a name to watch here, a seven-year Jaguars veteran who recorded 84 tackles and nine passes defensed as a full-time starter in 2025.

The Broncos also did work on Melifonwu in last year’s free agency, and Denver tracked Bell’s status on the waiver wire as the Seahawks pulled him between the practice squad and active roster in 2025, sources said. At the very least, expect Denver to sign a depth safety who can also be a special-teams contributor.

Special teams

Who Denver has:��K1 Wil Lutz, P1 Jeremy Crawshaw, LS1 Mitchell Fraboni

Who Denver could lose:��Nobody

What Denver needs:��Nothing

Key market options:��Wide open

Denver need not spend much time here on specialists.

That was the last time these Broncos made a significant trade, with no in-season deals coming last season. As Denver approaches free agency with quite a few position groups already tied up for 2026, though, that surplus could come into play again for Paton and crew.

The Broncos have several assets at a variety of spots who’d present tantalizing value league-wide, and making a move could help clear up further spending power once free agency hits next week. The club currently sits with about $28 million in estimated cap space. Here are five potential trade chips that Denver could look to dangle on the phones.

Jarrett Stidham, QB

2025 stats:��One playoff start, 17-of-31, 133 passing yards, one TD, one INT

Contract status:��Expires after 2026

What the Broncos would save in cap room by trading him before June: $6.5 million

Denver will always be Stiddy City for that week in January. Faced with no other choice, the entirety of the Broncos’ fanbase rallied around their cucumber-cool backup quarterback in the AFC Championship Game after Bo Nix’s stunning season-ending injury. The building believed in Stidham, too. He just never quite got a fair shot. A highlight 52-yard bomb to Marvin Mims Jr. against the Patriots was mitigated by a disastrous fumble and a second-half snowstorm.

The Broncos have prioritized Stidham since head coach Sean Payton arrived in 2023, and Stidham has signed two separate two-year deals to stay in Denver as a backup. But NFL teams have poked around Stidham for years — the Patriots, in fact, checked on him before Stidham re-signed in Denver last offseason — and that teams have reached out to the Broncos on a possible Stidham trade.

Payton has said multiple times he feels Stidham could be a starter for several NFL teams; if there is indeed a team that views him that highly on the market, the Broncos could recoup a significant haul for him. This particular NFL Draft class is remarkably light at quarterback, which could further drive up Stidham’s value. Denver would be smart to at least entertain this, if it had a plan to replace Stidham (the Broncos could always look to re-sign QB3 Sam Ehlinger).

Ben Powers, LG

2025 stats: Eight games, 595 snaps, 15 pressures allowed, 2.5% pressure rate, 0 sacks allowed (per Pro Football Focus)

Contract status:��Expires after 2026

What the Broncos would save in cap room by trading him before June: $8.4 million

Denver has employed the same starting offensive line for two years in front of Nix, but 2026 could mark a significant shakeup. The 29-year-old Powers is still a valuable asset and was quietly off to one of the best starts of his career in 2025 before a lengthy absence with a biceps tear. But the Broncos now have close to $76 million in total cap tied up to their starting offensive line alone, and all five of Powers, Garett Bolles, Mike McGlinchey, Luke Wattenberg and Quinn Meinerz are tethered to substantial long-term deals.

The Broncos have to get cheaper here, at some point. And Denver indeed has a younger, cheaper option in 26-year-old restricted free agent Alex Palczewski, who filled in capably for Powers for 10 starts in 2025 (and earned a random All-Pro vote for it). The Broncos could slap a right-of-first-refusal tender on Palczewski, a one-year deal worth $3.5 million that would enable Denver to match any team’s offer for him, and work toward a team-friendly long-term deal in the meantime.

Powers’ representation met with Denver last week, but the two sides haven’t spoken since, as of Wednesday. A source said they believe Denver could be pursuing trade partners for Powers. The Broncos also haven’t officially put forth a proposal to restructure Powers’ deal, the source said.

Jonah Elliss, OLB

2025 stats:��13 games, 2.5 sacks, 28 tackles, five QB hits, one forced fumble

Contract status:��Expires after 2027

What the Broncos would save in cap room by trading him before June:��$1.1 million

This is much less about any financial benefit and more about surplus. Denver is so stacked at outside linebacker that it had to finagle several elevations for fourth-round rookie Que Robinson last year as a fifth OLB on gamedays, and the building is high on Robinson’s potential. The Broncos will almost certainly re-up with reserve Dondrea Tillman on a one-year exclusive-rights deal, and will face the same logjam of depth in 2026.

The interesting name in the mix is Elliss, a 22-year-old 2023 third-round pick who’s flashed big-time pass-rush potential when healthy but has been banged up through his two years in Denver. There’s no greater path to snaps for him behind Nik Bonitto and Jonathon Cooper. The Broncos could well look to shift Elliss to inside linebacker, given positional needs, or dangle him as a promising edge rusher with two years left on his rookie deal.

Riley Moss and Ja’Quan McMillian, CB

2025 stats:��Moss: 17 games, 80 tackles, 19 passes defensed, one interception; McMillian: 17 games, 56 tackles, four sacks, two interceptions, nine passes defensed

Contract status:��Both expire after 2026

What the Broncos would save in cap room by trading them before June:��$3.7 million (Moss), specifics unclear (McMillian)

The NFL world now has a point-blank baseline on the trade value of quality corners, after the Rams gave up several arms and legs on Wednesday to swing a trade for Chiefs All-Pro Trent McDuffie.

Yes, neither Moss or McMillian have nearly the resume to draw similar capital as McDuffie got. But Kansas City received a first-round pick, a fifth-round pick and a sixth-round pick in the 2026 draft for McDuffie — and��a third-round pick in 2027. The Broncos love having a variety of options to develop at cornerback, but they’ll soon have to make some complicated decisions in their secondary. Moss and McMillian will both hit unrestricted free agency after 2026, and the Broncos wouldn’t love first-round pick Jahdae Barron to sit behind both of them for a second straight season.

This isn’t a likely option. Moss’s camp strongly believes he’ll be back in Denver in 2026, and McMillian is an incredibly valuable asset as the starting nickel in Vance Joseph’s defense. But a route will need to be paved for Barron soon enough.

Howdy Parker from the Western Slope!

This old fan bought his season tickets in 1971. Needless to say, I have witnessed the lows and highs of our Broncos. Currently, us fans have a lot to be thankful for. We have a better than great ownership; an accomplished head coach who is a teacher; a defensive coordinator who should have been hired this off-season as a head coach; a league-wide respected general manager; and an amazing group of talented high character athletes on offense, defense and special teams.

But what happened in our 2025 NFL Draft? NFL.com rated our draft a C+ good for 23rd of the 32 teams. We invested our 20th pick in the 1st round in a quality defensive back who only started 5 games. We already possessed an elite, loaded secondary. We did not address critical needs for RB or TE with our 20th pick. Our best draft pick may have been our punter Jeremy Crawshaw. Can Paton and Payton learn from this poor showing and help the team more this off-season? Bo has to be moaning …

— Bronco Bill, Grand Junction

After one year, how do we feel about the pack part of the ’25 draft? Will Sai’von Jones, Que Robinson and Caleb Lohner be productive for the Broncos?

— Mark, Centennial

Let����ap open up this week with a double. Thanks to B.B. and Mark for writing in and asking, in slightly different ways, about the Broncos’ 2025 draft class. We’re through a full season and obviously knee deep in 2026 draft stuff, so it����ap as good a time as any for a preliminary revisit.

The common refrain from Denver head coach Sean Payton and GM George Paton is that it takes three years to know for sure about a draft class. So let����ap start by acknowledging that this group is far from a finished product.

There will always be conversation about whether the Broncos should have gone a different route at No. 20 than selecting defensive back Jahdae Barron. The club, though, had him graded as one of the 10 best players in the class. They saw it as a value too good to pass up. The bet here is, even with Ja’Quan McMillian as an extension candidate over the next 12 months, that Barron will be a factor in his career. The Broncos love him, he can play anywhere and he got good experience in Year 1, even though he didn’t play as much as some first-rounders do.

Denver could have taken Tre’Veyon Henderson at No. 20 and talked about trying to trade back and take him later in the first round. They were not going to take Omarion Hampton at No. 20 even if Barron had been gone. They liked LSU tight end Mason Taylor, too, though not enough to take him that high. The tight end Denver wanted the most was Michigan’s Colston Loveland, though he went No. 10 to Chicago.

RJ Harvey isn’t a finished product, but he’s got real ability and the Broncos loved his vision coming out of UCF. They believe he’ll get more efficient in the down-in, down-out run game to pair with his dynamic ability in the passing game and in the open field. Harvey led all rookie RBs in touchdowns and, of the 20 drafted after him, only Chicago’s Kyle Monangai (947) and Houston’s Woody Marks (911) had more offensive yards than Harvey’s 896. He’s still got a ways to go, but that����ap a pretty good starting spot.

In the third round, WR Pat Bryant contributed right away at receiver and DL Sai’Vion Jones, as expected, was more of a developmental project. Sixth-round punter Jeremy Crawshaw has a chance to hold his job for a long time and seventh-round TE Caleb Lohner remains a lottery ticket who will be back with the Broncos this spring and summer.

The real surprise of the draft was fourth-round OLB Que Robinson. He flashed as a pass rusher right away in camp and produced in games every time he got a chance. His sack against Drake Maye in the AFC Championship Game was eye-popping.

After the season, Paton said the former Alabama edge, “may have the most upside of anyone in our draft class.” He’s an explosive rusher, but he’s also already one of the Broncos’ more stout edge players against the run, too.

Denver’s got enviable depth on the edge, but Robinson will be a Year 2 breakout candidate.

There’s no guarantee everybody in the class turns into a really good player and, of course, some of the ultimate grading of this group will depend on exactly what Barron’s role becomes and how extensive his impact can be. There’s not a guaranteed star in the class, but there are a couple of candidates. Perhaps some hoped for more Year 1 juice, but I think you can see a pretty straightforward path to the first six picks all being multi-year contributors on their first contracts.

All in all, that feels like a good spot to be in as a group after a year.

Hey Parker, in your last mailbag, you said the Broncos’ biggest priority is finding a top-tier tight end. Who is out there right now that we could land? Oregon’s Kenyon Sadiq is a great first-round option, but I think we have to move up to get him. Or do we go through free agency and target someone like Cade Otton or Kyle Pitts?

— Mark, Arvada

Hey Mark, thanks for writing and great question. I agree with you on Kenyon Sadiq. Not impossible that he’s there at No. 30, but that probably was a stretch all along and it became less likely when he tore up the combine last week. Sadiq ran a tight end-record 4.39 seconds in the 40-yard dash at 241 pounds and paired it with ridiculous jumping numbers — 43.5-inch vertical and an 11-foot-1 broad jump. He’s a freak.

Kenyon Sadiq had one of the best days ever by a TE at the Combine:

40-Yard Dash: 4.39 (best ever by a TE)
Vertical Jump: 43.5’’ (second-best ever by a TE)
Broad Jump: 11’1’’ (third-best ever by a TE) |

— NFL (@NFL)

It won’t be Kyle Pitts for the Broncos, either. Atlanta franchise tagged him.

There are several options in both the draft and free agency, but the general sense of people I talked to at the combine is that this isn’t a great offseason to need a tight end. There aren’t many — or any — surefire, high-level options.

Next up after Sadiq in the draft are players like Ohio State’s Max Klar and Vanderbilt����ap Eli Stowers. In free agency, options include Tampa’s Cade Otton, a pair of former Ravens in Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar or any number of other free agents.

Otton is interesting. He played 50% inline in 2024 but only 34% inline this past year. He was lined up in the slot 49% of the time and out wide 16.6%, according to PFF data. If Denver thinks he can be efficient in the passing game and also solid as a blocker, he might be as good an option as the team has this offseason.

One other quick thought: We’ll see who gets released this week. Remember that Evan Engram wasn’t a free agent until Jacksonville released him four days before the legal tampering period began last year.

What guardrails are in place to ensure the Broncos don’t end up with a similar salary cap situation to the New Orleans Saints? I know Sean Payton loves his veterans, and it’d be great to be more active in free agency now that Russell Wilson’s dead money is gone, but what will be done so that the mistakes Payton made with the Saints aren’t repeated?

— Eric, Sioux Falls, S.D.

Hey Eric, thanks for writing in and good question. The Broncos very much do not want to end up in the same spot that New Orleans did.

The Saints’ situation was not all on Sean Payton. And, frankly, the club probably wouldn’t have ended up in such dire straits without COVID-19. They were pushing money out aggressively as Drew Brees aged, trying to make sure they loaded up each year in an attempt to win another Super Bowl. They might have been able to walk the tightrope — or at least not get completely hammered — if the cap wouldn’t have taken an unforeseen step back in the wake of the pandemic. Even if they had ended up in some form of a salary cap straightjacket, it wouldn’t have been like this, where it takes years and years to unwind.

That����ap what pushing money out into the future essentially is: Risk. Every team accepts at least some and some teams accept a lot. A global pandemic that caused the only drop in the cap in the modern era wasn’t likely, but it happened. More common: Injuries, underperformance or age cause teams to jettison players before they’d planned to and the acceleration of prorated money causes a big dead cap hit.

The Broncos, like pretty much all teams, are using bonuses, proration and void years to manage their cap currently. They’re on an interesting run over recent contract extensions in using option bonuses throughout deals, too. More on that coming later this week.

Overall, they appear to have a good plan for managing their cap in the short term and long term. That doesn’t mean they’re immune to it going awry, but they’ve got a coherent plan and they’ve so far stuck to it.

I should say, I don’t think this is a Sean Payton vs. the front office situation, either. There are a lot of people involved, from Payton and general manager George Paton to CEO and owner Greg Penner to VP of football administration Rich Hurtado and football administration and strategy manager Rob Simpson.

If you want to build something successful and sustainable, you have to be smart, strategic and aggressive, but you also have to be disciplined.

Denver has enviable financial wherewithal, the cap room to be flexible and the stability in personnel atop their football operation that makes following a plan and process easier — though not a guarantee.

Time to name the new stadium what it is: Mile High Stadium. The Walmart family doesn’t need the money from naming rights. Doesn’t the Rob Walton group still have around $70 billion, and the Walmart heirs have a combined worth of around $450 billion? What is $5 million a year in naming rights to this family? You want to make a lasting name for yourselves? Call the stadium what it is in our hearts, Mile High Stadium.

And call the entertainment area around it Mile High Village or Bronco Town or any number of names (hire me, I’ll come up with it). Just don’t say the name Burnham Yard one more time. It sounds like the name of a dump.

— Dan, St. Louis, Mo.

Hey Dan, thanks for writing in. I’ll go ahead and put you in charge. Consider it done. Thank you for your service.

Really, though, the name will be an interesting conversation at some point down the road — perhaps multiple years down the road. What you’re saying would be interesting, but the bet here is the club will not forego naming rights. Businesses don’t just give up millions in annual revenue, even if the folks who own it could afford the hit. In fact, I’d imagine the Broncos will have a bunch of suitors, whether that����ap Empower or somebody else. Logic would also dictate that the naming rights on a brand new building that the Walton-Penner Ownership Group hopes is a crown jewel in the NFL will cost substantially more than the current $5-6 million per year.

I know that supposedly Sean Payton “loves” Jarrett Stidham but after his immobility and indecisiveness were exposed against New England, it’s obvious that if Bo Nix is injured, the Broncos would be lucky to beat any NFL team. Should the Broncos look to add a backup QB whose skill set more closely resembles Nix’s?

— Ed Helinski, Auburn, N.Y.

Hey Ed, thanks as always for writing. Not sure I entirely agree with you on this one. Beating New England in an AFC Championship Game is a little bit different than trying to win a game or two in the regular season. Like almost any team that has a franchise-type quarterback, Denver would be in trouble if it lost Nix for an extended period of time. But the Broncos think they could survive a stretch with Stidham and I tend to agree. It matters, naturally, what else is happening around the quarterback. Is the OL healthy? Are the backs healthy? If Stidham’s playing the AFC title game with J.K. Dobbins and Troy Franklin, maybe it looks a little bit different.

All of that said, though, I do think there’s at least a little intrigue in the QB room this spring. Will Sam Ehlinger be back as the No. 3? If not, who will Denver circle as a guy to get a look at? Is there any trade interest out there for Stidham? This conversation might have been a lot different had Denver beaten the Patriots, but there are still a couple of things to sort out.

Is there any future for Drew Sanders here? He had a lot of buzz when he was drafted. But since then, he’s done nothing here. Is this year his last chance in Denver?

— Mike, Denver

Hey Mike, thanks for writing in. It is indeed likely Drew Sanders’ last chance with the Broncos because 2026 is the final year of his rookie contract. Denver, really, has interesting decisions to make for different reasons on each of its top three picks from the 2023 class: Mims, Sanders and cornerback Riley Moss.

For Sanders, the challenge this year is just to stay healthy and play. If he stays healthy and is a good linebacker, hey, that����ap terrific and a pleasant surprise. If he’s a quality special teams player, you’ll take it. Then decide what the future looks like after that.

Sanders played in all 17 games as a rookie in 2023 but has played in just four out of 34 regular-season games since then (all at the end of 2024). He had the Achilles tear in the spring of 2024 and then the training camp foot injury that ultimately cost him all of 2025.

That is a lot of development time missed and a lot of lost ground to make up.

“I think if the weather was just the same as the first half in the second half, I think we would’ve won that game,” DiNucci, the Broncos’ No. 3 quarterback for that ill-fated, 10-7 loss to New England in the AFC Championship, told me. “That weather took out everything we could possibly do. I know there were some critical turnovers. But we controlled that game a good majority of the first half.”

The Pats managed one meaningful drive, right after halftime, for what turned out to be the game-winning field goal. By then, a snow squall had rolled in like a mama badger, turning Empower Field into the world’s largest skating rink. New England largely played keep away over the final quarter-and-a-half of the contest, and that was that.

“I would like to have seen how that Super Bowl would have been had the Broncos been there and had (a healthy roster),” DiNucci continued. “Because I think that defense would have been impactful, just like the (Seattle) defense was the other night.”

Join the club, brother. Join the club.

Also, kick the bleeping field goal, Coach. Jarrett Stidham? Snow? Gotta chase those points, baby. Chase every last, blessed, beautiful one.

Ah, hindsight.

“If I was inside Sean Payton’s head, I would still think I could call the best offense in America, too,” DiNucci, who spent the 2023 season and a week of January 2026 on the Broncos’ practice squad, stressed.

“I think that at some point, (a) young innovative mind could refresh the playbook, could refresh the offense, just because the game is trending in different ways.

“That’s not to say Sean can’t still call plays. But I do think Davis (Webb) has new perspectives on what’s going on with the way offenses are trending in the NFL.”

At 29, DiNucci has been in a lot of those QB meeting rooms over the last decade — Pitt, James Madison, the XFL, the Cowboys, Broncos, Bills, Saints, Falcons, Broncos (again). There were good voices. Bad voices. Mad voices. Coaches you’d sooner forget. And ones you never will.

DiNucci puts new Broncos offensive coordinator Davis Webb in the second camp. He thinks the man’s a walking Wikipedia.

“I just know from my time being there, he would talk to us all the time about the ideas in his head,” DiNucci recalled. “Stuff he liked, stuff he didn’t like, that people were doing. He always had a list of coaches and playbooks … that if he ever got a (head) coaching or offensive coordinator spot, he’d be willing to hit ground pretty quickly.

“I never thought one time, ‘Let me keep (plays) from middle school’ … he’s got binders and binders and binders of everything he’s ever been a part of, because he knew that one day, this would be the moment. That’s part of the reason he’s climbed the ranks so quick. That’s one of the reasons he’s going to have success. I think he’s built to do everything you need to be in this league.

It’s not just about owning the room. At 31, Webb can read it with the best of them. But can Payton?

“I know for a fact that Davis would like to call plays,” DiNucci said. “I know Sean has always called plays in his career.

“For me, and this is my opinion, I do think Davis Webb wouldn’t have accepted the OC job back with Denver if Sean didn’t say, ‘Hey, you’re going to have a bigger role, a bigger impact, on what’s going on.’

“I don’t think Sean said to him, ‘Hey, I’m going to let you call plays,’ right off the bat. But I’m sure he said, ‘Hey, you’re going to have a bigger role here.'”

If nothing else, the Broncos knew better than to let a good thing — Webb — get away, despite overtures from the Raiders, Ravens and Bills.

And while DiNucci doesn’t know Bo Nix well, he knows for darn sure how Payton and Webb work. And how much the latter helps to translate — and simplify — the teachings of the former.

“I see the way Bo kind of talks and kind of holds himself, as a fan,” DiNucci said. “I think I can see Davis in him. The confidence. The personality. The play style.

“His fourth year, (Webb) obviously had his footprint on his QB room, Stiddy has been the one consistent (piece) his whole time there, and what Stidham has done in the preseason speaks for itself. What I did in 2023 preseason (105.2 QB rating), it all directly relates to Davis and what he’s preaching. The QB coach is the one who’s doing 90% of that stuff.”

DiNucci just signed a two-year deal — only it’s with Our man Ben is a hat guy who’s been wearing several different ones lately. He’s co-owner of the Texas streetwear company DiNucci’s kept a home here in the metro,

“I haven’t officially retired yet if the (right) opportunity arises,” DiNucci said, “I’m just kind of tired of bouncing around to be a QB3 or QB4. At this point in my career, it doesn’t make much sense for me to keep bouncing around. I’ve enjoyed the transition away from football.”

Still, you never know. After eight months of radio silence from NFL front offices. DiNucci was at the CBS Sports studios out east last month when the phone buzzed.

Want to be a Bronco again?

In a blink, he was jetting to Dove Valley, a game away from his first Super Bowl.

Check that.

A snowstorm away.

“You always hear all the time, ‘Stay ready,’ because you could get that text,” DiNucci laughed. “And that was the time, right there.

“After a week of practice, you can just tell the vibe is so different in the building (compared to 2023). The vibe has been different the last couple months. But I think the fans have a lot to look forward to.”

“Coach mentioned that as well, just how young of a team that we are,” Broncos punter Jeremy Crawshaw told me as we talked at his locker stall after the AFC championship. “So I think these guys, we kind of spoke about it, how (that learning is) going to fuel our off-season to be better for next year. I think everyone’s kind of on-board with that.”

Even the smartest guy in the room has to realize it ain’t rocket science. The last two NFL champions had at least three things in common: 1.) An amazing defense; 2.) a decently mobile quarterback who won’t make game-killing mistakes; 3.) a reliable No. 1 tailback who can soften up the opposition.

Sean Payton‘s already ticked the first two boxes. Why let your ego get in the way of the third?

Seattle QB Sam Darnold’s postseason completion percentage was a Bo Nix-like 61.5% this winter. His touchdown-to-interception radio was five-to-zip. Running back Kenneth Walker III did the heavy lifting in the Divisional rout of San Francisco (116 yards rushing) and in that Super Bowl stomping of New England (135 yards rushing).

Eagles QB Jalen Hurts (5-to-1 TD/pick ratio in the ’24-25 playoffs) could lean on Saquon Barkley, who had at least 18 touches and at least 97 yards from scrimmage in each of Philly’s four playoff wins a year ago.

While the Seahawks were pounding New England, 29-13,

“Hope I get to experience football on this stage. Everything on the line. I’ll get there one day. I know it…”

Oh, my goodness. Ease his pain, George Paton. Free the man. The Broncos need a 1A back to pair with RJ Harvey’s 1B. A 1A who’ll actually be healthy in December and January. A bell cow to lean on when the next snow squall hits.

The Seahawks are just the Broncos with a better RB room, a better WR room, and no self-delusions as to who they really are offensively.

Seattle sacked Pats QB Drake Maye six times. Seahawks kicker Jason Myers drained a Super Bowl-record five field goals. The teams combined for 15 punts. Super Bowl 60 even felt like a Broncos game, other than the fact Seattle led 12-0 at the end of the third quarter instead of trailing. And that Seahawks coach Mike MacDonald elected to kick a field goal on fourth and short at the New England 23 to go up 9-0 just before halftime. When your defense can turn any pocket into a box of Kleenex, why get cute?

An offense led by Jarrett Stidham would’ve been a disaster against that Seattle front. But one led by a healthy Nix would’ve made for a fair fight. Would Bo have been running for his life? Sure. But not the way Maye had to. . Pro Football Network said New England’s hogmolies were 12th-best. PFF ranked the Broncos’ OL No. 1. PFN had them at No. 4. Per SumerSports.com,

Nix basically practiced against the Seahawks’ pass rush for months at a time. Part of No. 10’s superpower isn’t just avoiding outside linebackers. It’s his ability to keep the Broncos out of second-downs- or third-downs-and-forevers.

I mean, yeah, the Patriots earned the right to be there. They beat Houston in the snow at home. They beat the Broncos in a blizzard at Empower, becoming the first New England bunch to ever win a postseason game here. The Pats made some of their own luck. Some. But I’ll go to my grave assured that if Nix plays two weeks ago, and Stiddy doesn’t, the Broncos would’ve found a way. The way they almost always found a way.

Sunday reminded us that runs to the outside zone never get old in the Big Game. Especially if you’ve got the kind of offensive line that can pull it off. Payton’s already got the latter in-house. He just needs a healthy hammer to hand off to.

J.K. Dobbins, the Broncos’ offensive MVP for the season’s opening two months, is part workhorse, part tax auditor. His peak season only lasts about 11 or 12 weeks a year.

“What does this running back room need?” I asked Dobbins during clean-out day last month.

“What do we need …” Dobbins mused. “I mean, you tell me what you think we need.”

“A healthy you would be good,” I replied.

“I think so, too.”

“A big back would be good,” I continued.

“Big back?” Dobbins countered, musing again. “I think I could do both, though. Don’t you think that?”

“Well, I don’t know …”

“You can doubt me a little bit,” he laughed. “You can tell me, ‘Nah, I don’t think so.’ You’d be like, ‘Ah, you’d get hurt.'”

Nah. Don’t think so.

You might get hurt, dude.

Barkley hasn’t played in fewer than 14 regular-season games since 2021. Walker has appeared in at least 12 regular-season games in every season since 2022. Hall has averaged 16.3 games over the last three seasons. Dobbins has averaged eight games per season since 2022. He’s played in more than 13 regular-season games just once — all the way back in 2020, his rookie year.

If it’s about finishing drives as well as finishing seasons, Hall holds his own there, too. Since 2023, he’s averaged 3.0 yards per touch inside the opponents’ 19-yard line while accounting for 12 touchdowns either running or receiving. Dobbins over the last three seasons averaged 3.25 yards per inside-the-red-zone touch with 12 scores.

The last two NFL champs have led with incredible defenses, suffocated elite AFC passers, then ran out the clock. The Broncos are on the right track. They just need more beef in the boxcar.