Sean Payton wants no part of them this summer.

The Broncos head coach on Thursday said his team will not practice against any of its three preseason opponents in August.

Instead, the Broncos will travel to Atlanta and host Green Bay and Minnesota without seeing any additional work against those teams.

Payton said the decision to skip what¶¶Ņõap become a training camp staple around the NFL in recent years stems from Denverā€™s long postseason run in January.

The Broncos were the last team to start their voluntary offseason program by two weeks when they began lifting and running May 4. They cut out a week of OTAs, too.

All of that, Payton said, means Denver needs a relatively uninterrupted training camp.

ā€œWhen you do have a joint practice, you miss maybe two days of installation,ā€ he explained. ā€œSo this year we know we have the preseason games, but weā€™re not going to have a joint practice.ā€

Payton is among the coaches who still plays his starters in preseason games. Many around the league now prefer to let their top guys get work in the more controlled joint practice environment, then play only backups in preseason games.

Payton, though, said he doesnā€™t pay attention to other teamsā€™ workloads or care when, for example, Green Bay played all of its starters during joint practice work but then held out its top players for a preseason game in Denver two summers ago.

ā€œWhen we have a joint practice, we pay attention to the reps that we get and the reps they get in the game the next couple days,ā€ he said. ā€œWeā€™ll do the same if weā€™re not. Obviously we havenā€™t had a joint practice every preseason week. So weā€™ll manage their snap counts.ā€

Doesnā€™t he think that joint practices are good for evaluating players?

ā€œSo are the games,ā€ Payton said. ā€œWe play them in the games.ā€

Jonah Elliss is (mostly) an outside linebacker after all

The Jonah Elliss inside linebacker experiment did not go very far.

Or, at least, it hasnā€™t so far.

Elliss spent Thursdayā€™s practice working with the Broncos outside linebackers and Payton indicated that¶¶Ņõap mostly where heā€™ll stay.

ā€œThat¶¶Ņõap where his home will be initially,ā€ Payton said. ā€œThere may be some packages where heā€™s inside and we have some flex. But heā€™s doing too well outside.ā€

Payton earlier this year said Elliss would get time playing inside and teammates including Nik Bonitto and Alex Singleton talked about believing Elliss could make the transition smoothly.

Instead, heā€™ll mostly be an outside linebacker along with Bonitto, Jonathon Cooper, Dondrea Tillman, Que Robinson, Drew Sanders and others.

Broncos will attempt to ‘Go the Distance’

Safety Talanoa Hufanga stepped to the podium Thursday to speak with reporters after practice. He did so wearing a cutoff navy t-shirt that ā€œG.T.D.ā€ in white block lettering.

What does that mean?

ā€œIt¶¶Ņõap our strength staff, they come up with a slogan during the offseason,ā€ Hufanga said. ā€œThis year it¶¶Ņõap ā€˜Go the Distance.ā€™ Just being able to finish. We didnā€™t go the distance last year, so weā€™ve got to make sure we get that this time.”

Hufanga took his share of responsibility for Denver coming up short last year, saying he needed to do better taking the football away. The safety played high-level football in his first year for the Broncos, but he dropped several potential interceptions, too.

ā€œI got back on the JUGS (machine),ā€ Hufanga said. ā€œThe reason I couldnā€™t get on the JUGS last year — and this is an excuse, Iā€™ll be honest ā€” was I was coming off my wrist surgery. A lot of it was just coming off of wearing a club during the game. That was really uncomfortable and really hard to learn again. My hand-eye coordination was really not great. But that is an excuse. I own up to it and I have to be better.ā€

Hufanga said he had plenty of chances that were anything but difficult.

ā€œI donā€™t know I dropped all of them because some of them were gimmes,ā€ he said. ā€œIā€™m being real with you, man, they dropped right in my lap and I didnā€™t come out with them.ā€

Denver started the first of two weeks of organized team activities on Tuesday. The team is on the field three days this week and three days next week for voluntary work, then has its mandatory minicamp slated for June 16-18.

The next three weeks, then, are the only time Sean Paytonā€™s team will be on the grass in any formal capacity until training camp begins at the end of July.

It¶¶Ņõap football without pads. It¶¶Ņõap more than three full months before the regular season begins. There is a lot of time left in the offseason and the rush to blow small developments or highlights out of proportion this time of year runs rampant across the league.

Nonetheless, these three weeks do mark important waypoints on the Broncosā€™ path toward training camp and, ultimately, a “Monday Night Football” opener Sept. 14 at Kansas City.

So, here are four storylines that could realistically be moved forward over the coming weeks.

Is Bo Nix nearing the end of his rehabilitation?

It’s the story that will be a story until it¶¶Ņõap not. And even then, questions about the third-year quarterbackā€™s ankle will linger until he puts another long stretch of healthy play together this fall.

Payton indicated last month that he expected Nix to be around for OTAs, but also that he was more confident Nix would be actually involved in some capacity later this month during the minicamp.

ā€œIf it were up to him, itā€™d be earlier,ā€ Payton said May 9. ā€œBut weā€™re going to be smart.ā€

Nix fractured his ankle in January late in a postseason win against Buffalo and had surgery shortly after. Payton and others originally indicated that Nix would be full speed at the start of Denverā€™s offseason program, which started in early May, but a second procedure on the ankle in late April pushed that timeline back.

ā€œYouā€™ll see him (in June),ā€ Payton said. ā€œIā€™m sure youā€™ll see him in, probably minicamp maybe, but heā€™ll be full speed throwing everything in July before we even get back here (for training camp).ā€

The Broncos have expressed confidence in Nixā€™s rehab both after the initial surgery and after the second. The coming weeks will give a bit more clarity on where the 26-year-old is in that process.

Who will win playing time in the Broncosā€™ revamped wide receiver room?

Aside from Nix, the single biggest item of interest when reporters are allowed into OTA practice Thursday will be seeing Jaylen Waddle on the field for Denver for the first time.

The star wide receiver, acquired in March from Miami, will likely have to wait a bit longer to start building rapport with his starting quarterback, but his impact is sure to be felt right away in the receiver room.

Not only does he make a dynamic pairing atop the room with Courtland Sutton, but his arrival and sure-to-be-heavy workload have an impact on the rest of the room.

Exact roles and playing time will be up for grabs through the summer, but that competition is already on.

The list of contenders is long but starts with Troy Franklin, Pat Bryant and Marvin Mims Jr. The Broncos have used all three in different ways over the years and each has his strong suits. Franklin can fly and his production jumped last fall from 28 catches, 265 yards and a pair of touchdowns as a 2024 rookie to 65, 729 and six, respectively. Bryant is tough over the middle and in traffic, has run-after-catch ability and is the groupā€™s best blocker. Mims is explosive and has shown he can play any of the spots or out of the backfield in addition to being a terrific returner.

Maybe by September it¶¶Ņõap as simple as rotating those three guys in with Waddle and Sutton depending on game situation. Maybe somebody grabs control of the No. 3 spot. Itā€™ll be one of the best summer battles on the roster.

Can Jonah Elliss make the ILB transition stick?

Thereā€™s no substitute for actually playing full speed and, eventually, tackling, so this will be an ongoing process. The staff has confidence, though, that Elliss can play in the middle of the field and he can begin to show signs of that ā€” or plant the seed for question marks ā€” depending on how the next few weeks go.

One player whoā€™s confident Elliss can make the move smoothly: Veteran inside linebacker Alex Singleton, who will be part of the group trying to help get the 2024 third-round pick up to speed.

ā€œIt¶¶Ņõap fun. Anytime a guy can learn more, all the better,ā€ Singleton said Friday of welcoming Elliss into the inside linebacker room. ā€œI actually played inside backer with his brother (Christian), too, so I know, kind of, the mindset heā€™s going to have about it.

Several players this offseason have noted Ellissā€™ overall talent and concluded that he needs to be on the field some way, somehow. If him moving inside helps create playing time for young edge rushers like Que Robinson, all the better.

The first steps: Learning the responsibilities and communications in the middle of the field. Thatā€™ll be Ellissā€™ challenge this summer before attempting to show he can play regularly inside during training camp.

Is Jahdae Barron headed for a similar role in Year 2?

The personnel in Denverā€™s loaded secondary has not changed. Pat Surtain II is the premier cornerback in football and has a new, $5 million raise, too. Riley Moss and nickel Jaā€™Quan McMillian are both valued players and are both entering contract years, too.

So, where does that leave Barron, Denverā€™s 2025 first-round pick? He played a modest 30% of defensive snaps as a rookie ā€” and less than that outside of the stretch Surtain missed due to injury.

Will he again compete with McMillian for the nickel job in camp? Will he compete for a starting job outside against Moss and Kris Abrams-Draine? Is he perhaps the third option behind starters Talanoa Hufanga and Brandon Jones at safety after P.J. Lockeā€™s departure this spring? All of the above?

Barronā€™s time is likely coming with McMillian and Moss both in line for big paydays after the 2026 season, but what does the shorter-term future have in store for him?

Von Miller is a Denver icon, a Mile High legend, the engine of the defense, the life of the party, the Mick Jagger of ¶¶Ņõapountry.

One problem: The Broncos already have a lead singer.

They’re looking for bass players, keyboardists, percussionists and backup dancers. It’s the Sean & Bo Show now,

“I would love to assist and be a vice president to Bo Nix and Courtland Sutton,” Miller told The Post’s Parker Gabriel a few days earlier at a Von’s Vision function in Commerce City. “Iā€™ve been the guy and also Iā€™ve been the vice president as well.

“Iā€™d love to contribute to us getting back to the glory land, holding up that trophy and confetti falling again. For me, my whole entire life, Iā€™ve helped guys be the best version of themselves and Iā€™d love to do that back here with the Denver Broncos back home.ā€

Having No. 58 in the fold would be a hit for fans who’ve still got Miller jerseys hanging in their closets and a boon for media looking for a sound bite from one of the best to ever play in orange and blue.

And Von — who racked up nine sacks as a situational pass-rusher in Washington last fall ā€” knows a good thing when he sees it, having faced the Broncos with the Bills and with the Commanders over the last three seasons.

Assuming Nix is healthy (crosses fingers), the Broncos are on the Super Bowl train, and Miller would love nothing more than to close out a Hall-of-Fame career with another ring in his favorite NFL town.

Von Miller playing for Sean Payton — D

Never say never, right? The kids up in the Grading The Week department would love to dust off their replica jerseys and party like it’s 2015 all over again.

“I think thereā€™s no question the type of environment I bring to a locker room,” Miller told Gabriel. “I think thereā€™s no question to the type of environment I bring to a team.ā€

Yet the bean-counters over the corner office keep reminding us of the same thing whenever the subject of No. 58 returning to the Broncos gets brought up:

Ain’t nowhere for The Vonster to play.

The law firm of (Nik) Bonitto & (Jonathon) Cooper are in their respective primes coming off the edge, combining for 22 sacks a season ago.

Behind them, Dondrea Tillman (four sacks in ’25) has been a revelation who hasn’t slowed down, while second-year rusher Que Robinson recorded a sack in the AFC Championship Game. Drew Sanders is looking for a home, and all Jonah Elliss does is make plays.

Whose snaps would you give to Miller, who’s still spry at age 37 but is creeping in the winter of his playing days?

ā€œObviously, I wouldnā€™t start. Obviously, I wouldnā€™t play special teams,ā€ Miller continued. ā€œBut I will say, the type of room that we would have, the outside linebackers with me, Nik Bonitto, weā€™d be a force. Whatever (the) coach (has) going on, I would just contribute to that. The defense that weā€™d have. Iā€™d love to bring back those Super Bowl 50 vibes.”

Yeah, but here’s the thing: This defense kind of already has those vibes — just with a different generation under defensive coordinator Vance Joseph. The Broncos also need their second-and third-wave of linebackers to play on special teams, my friend.

Von was the face of the Broncos seven years ago, and a good one. But that face is Payton’s now. That voice is Payton’s now.

Miller will retire a Bronco. But Team GTW wagers it’ll be the same way Justin Simmons just retired as a Bronco — with a ceremony, a 1-day contract, a news conference, some tears and a hearty thanks for services rendered and memories we’ll never let go.

They have very few starting spots up for grabs, at least on paper.

They have, relatively speaking, very few question marks.

And yet, Sean Paytonā€™s fourth team will have plenty of competition throughout the early portions of the summer and into training camp.

There are, by The Post¶¶Ņõap count, somewhere in the neighborhood of seven to nine spots up for grabs on the 53-man roster at the moment and a pool of perhaps 18-20 players vying for them. Those counts come before any of the inevitable injuries that will crop up between now and the end of August.

This early projection comes before any potential substantial roster move, of which Denver has typically made at least one between OTAs and the start of the regular season. A year ago, for example, the Broncos signed running back J.K. Dobbins in June and then traded receiver Devaughn Vele in August.

It also comes before any big training camp surprise, a young player who makes a strong push or a veteran who suddenly appears out of gas.

Before Paytonā€™s team starts OTAs on Tuesday, hereā€™s an early attempt at a 53-man roster projection. The point of this exercise at this calendar waypoint is merely to mark a starting point and to attempt to determine where the most uncertainty — and opportunity ā€” lies on the Broncosā€™ current 91-man roster.

Finding 53 among this group requires tough decisions even before any actual football activity has started. There are players that were difficult to leave off the roster and some groups — offensive and defensive lines, in particular ā€” that are deep enough to impact other spots. Payton and general manager George Paton have shown time and time again they value quality players in the trenches.

There are a handful of veterans who could theoretically be considered cut candidates because of a combination of depth and salary, like tight end Evan Engram ($14.14 million cap hit) and left guard Ben Powers ($18.16 million). Denver could trade a veteran or quality player from a position of strength to help fortify elsewhere or accumulate future draft capital.

Among the players who look from this distance likely to exist somewhere around the bubble, however, none has a bigger cap number than offensive lineman Matt Peart¶¶Ņõap $2.39 million or more guaranteed money than quarterback Sam Ehlingerā€™s $1 million.

So, away we go. Players in the bubble conversation, both above and below the roster cut in this exercise, are in italics.

OFFENSE (25)

Quarterback (3)

Bo Nix, Jarrett Stidham and Sam Ehlinger

The question, really, with Denver’s quarterbacks is this: two or three? Denver started last year with two when Ehlinger agreed to start the season on the practice squad. If a similar scenario plays out — heā€™s got $1 million guaranteed ā€” then the Broncos could well take two. Denver values Ehlinger, though, and heā€™s going to get a bunch of work in OTAs and likely minicamp after Bo Nix had a second ankle procedure last month. This makes for tougher calls at other spots on a deep roster, but let¶¶Ņõap not mess around with the quarterback position when youā€™ve got players you like. If nothing else, using three as the starting point in this exercise ups the difficulty level the rest of the way.

Running back (4)

J.K. Dobbins, RJ Harvey, Jonah Coleman and Adam Prentice (FB)Ā 

Also: Jaleel McLaughlin, Tyler Badie and Cody Schrader

Colemanā€™s selection in the fourth round changes the complexion here by quite a bit. Heā€™s a potential third-down back right away and the Broncos are high on him if heā€™s needed beyond that early on. With a cleaner-fitting trio of backs, McLaughlin and Badie both have a tough road to the roster. If Denver wanted four plus Prentice, McLaughlin probably heads into the summer with the lead.

Tight end (4)

Adam Trautman, Evan Engram, Justin Joly and Caleb LohnerĀ 

Also: Dallen Bentley, Nate Adkins and Lucas Krull

One of the toughest projections. Lohner gets the nod for the moment after Payton raved about him earlier in May, especially because Payton was particularly impressed with Lohnerā€™s physicality and blocking. This, like many bubble decisions, could come down to who Denver thinks it can get to the practice squad between Lohner and Bentley, the No. 256 overall pick in April. With a bounce-back summer, Adkins could re-establish himself as a key role player. He could end up competing for a spot with Prentice, though, as much as it seems he could play some fullback; the Broncos just havenā€™t asked him to do it much so far in his career.

Wide receiver (5)

Courtland Sutton, Jaylen Waddle, Pat Bryant, Troy Franklin and Marvin Mims Jr.

Also: Michael Bandy, Lilā€™Jordan Humphrey, Michael Woods, Cam Ross, Kolbie Katsis, Joseph Manjack and Dane Key

Assuming no trades, it¶¶Ņõap hard to see how anybody besides the top five makes the initial 53-man roster. Waddle was the Broncosā€™ big offseason splash and, though he will impact playing time for the rest of the room, Denverā€™s brass has been consistent in saying theyā€™re not looking to move on from any of the regulars. Bandy and Humphrey are no strangers to starting the season on a practice squad and eventually seeing time on the 53-man roster. Itā€™ll be interesting to see if an undrafted rookie like Ross can make the Broncos think twice about going status quo, but that¶¶Ņõap a tall task.

Offensive line (9)

Garett Bolles, Ben Powers, Luke Wattenberg, Quinn Meinerz, Mike McGlinchey, Alex Palczewski, Frank Crum, Kage Casey and Alex ForsythĀ 

Also: Matt Peart, Nick Gargiulo, Calvin Throckmorton, Tyler Miller, Gavin Ortega, Michael Dieter and Nash Jones

The Broncos have enviable depth on their offensive line, but, like with wide receiver, the roles are defined enough that it¶¶Ņõap difficult to imagine a ton of wiggle room. Palczewski and Crum are valued depth and development pieces and Casey, a fourth-round pick, joins them in a similar mold. Forsyth has been the clear No. 2 center for two seasons behind Wattenberg. That¶¶Ņõap nine. Peart and Throckmorton are veterans who have stepped in and played, while Gargiulo showed some promise before a bad preseason knee injury last summer. Miller and Ortega are interesting undrafted rookies but, outside a rash of injuries or major training camp push, it¶¶Ņõap reasonable to think theyā€™re ticketed for the practice squad.

DEFENSE (25)

Defensive line (7)

Zach Allen, DJ Jones, Malcolm Roach, Eyioma Uwauzurike, Tyler Onyedim, Saiā€™Vion Jones and Jordan Jackson

Also: Matt Henningsen, Jordan Miller and Kristian Williams

A key part of the rationale for going heavy here again: Each of the past two years the roster cutdown has passed and Payton and Paton have made it clear that Jackson made the 53-man roster easily. Weā€™ll bet for now that the same ends up happening this summer. They might decide they just have to have a player at another position. Maybe somebody else is a surprise cut, though among this group 2025 third-rounder Saiā€™Vion Jones is the only real candidate and that would be a major surprise given they traded up for him and also liked his development last season. So, Payton and Paton instead stick to their principles and go heavy up front once again.

Outside linebacker (4)

Nik Bonitto, Jonathon Cooper, Que Robinson and Dondrea Tillman

Also: Drew Sanders, Johnny Walker and Dasan McCullough

The first three are absolute locks and thereā€™s not much doubt about Tillman, either. The going gets tough from there. Health has been a major obstacle for Sanders, but if he plays all summer, heā€™ll probably be productive enough to make the roster. The numbers just get tight elsewhere in a hurry. Keeping four here is really 4.5 in a way because Jonah Elliss can play on the edge if needed, plus a deep defensive line group can help take some work off the edge guys against heavier teams. Sanders is a training camp wild card, though.

Inside linebacker (4)

Alex Singleton, Justin Strnad, Jonah Elliss and Red MurdockĀ 

Also: Jordan Turner, Karene Reid, Levelle Bailey, Taurean York

Once again, this is about roster management and who makes it to the practice squad after the top three. Murdock was Mr. Irrelevant in the draft at No. 257, but forced 17 fumbles in his college career at Buffalo. Turnerā€™s got real promise, so it was not an easy call to leave him off. Reid was a special teams regular after making the initial roster as an undrafted rookie last year, but this is maybe a tougher roster to make despite the release of Dre Greenlaw earlier this spring.

Cornerback (5)

Pat Surtain II, Riley Moss, Jaā€™Quan McMillian, Jahdae Barron and Kris Abrams-Draine

Also: Reese Taylor, Jaden Robinson, Brent Austin, Ahmari Harvey and Paul Manning

Pretty straightforward here. The major storyline is more about beyond 2026, as McMillian and Moss are both entering contract years. For now, though, this is one of the deepest and most talented cornerback groups in football. Taylor has been a regular on the practice squad and was promoted to the active roster from mid-November on last year. The only question is if new secondary coaches Rob Livingston and Doug Belk see any of the personnel differently than Jim Leonhard and Addison Lynch previously.

Safety (5)

Talanoa Hufanga, Brandon Jones, Devon Key, Miles Scott and JL Skinner

Also: Tycen Anderson and Parker Robertson

There will be competition across multiple position groups based on special teams output. You can put Skinner, Anderson, Scott, Taylor, Turner, Reid, Sanders and more all into that group. The Broncos gave Anderson $650,000 guaranteed in part to be a key special teams player, so he might well make it. But over who? That signing was before Denver drafted Scott. Skinner is entering the final year of his rookie deal and is at a critical point in his career. The way coaches have talked about Key this offseason, he feels like the early favorite to replace P.J. Locke as the No. 3 safety. Denver signed Sam Franklin and gave him $1.34 million in guarantees last year, then cut him in August.

SPECIALIST (3)

PK Wil Lutz, P Jeremy Crawshaw and LS Mitch Fraboni

Also: LS Luke Basso

Not much mystery here. The Broncos signed the rookie Basso as summer competition, but Fraboniā€™s been solid and is under contract through 2027.

Ask current edge star Nik Bonitto, though, and Miller-to-Denver is an internal dream, too.

“It would be pretty crazy, for sure,” Bonitto said Wednesday night, at a charity event in partnership with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Denver. “I mean, obviously everybody would love that. Not only the fans, but the players. He’s a guy that’s loved here in Denver, so much.”

Those words carry a slight bias on the behalf of Denver’s 26-year-old All-Pro. Bonitto has grown up in Florida idolizing Miller and studying his tape, and called the veteran his “personal favorite player ever to watch.”

But if there’s ever been any window for Miller to re-join the franchise that drafted him, it’s now. The eight-time Pro Bowler posted a cryptic Instagram story , set to Phil Collins’ “In the Air Tonight.” And as a free agent this offseason, he’s been dropping a bread-crumb trail of public hints to Denver’s front office that he’d like to re-sign with the Broncos.

“I’m confident in that — I’ll be back in Denver, in some capacity,” Miller told The Post in late April.

He acknowledged in that conversation, though, that even if the time wasn’t right as a player, he’d like to return eventually in a front-office role. And the timing just might not be right, again, as these Broncos march into offseason activities. Denver has a surplus at outside linebacker, starting with Bonitto and Jonathon Cooper, staples of the franchise who turned up at Park Meadows at Lone Tree on Wednesday night to assist kids from the Boys and Girls’ Clubs in a graduation shopping spree.

Further on the depth chart, too, the Broncos are shifting 2024 third-round pick Jonah Elliss to inside linebacker in part to open up snaps for 2025 fourth-round pick Que Robinson. It’s a bold bet on Elliss’s agility and upside, as he showed star-level flashes across his first two years in Denver in a reserve OLB role.

Bonitto, though, explained that Denver already played Elliss at ILB on several third-down packages last year, and lauded his ability to drop back in coverage.

“Obviously, he has a way to grow when it comes to learning the position,” Bonitto said of Elliss. “But I have no doubts about his talent, man. I mean, heā€™s one of the most talented guys on the team.”

Between Robinson and steady reserve Dondrea Tillman, then, there simply isn’t much room for the 37-year-old Miller in Denver.

Still, Bonitto can dream.

“Just to kinda be able to share a room with him,” Bonitto said Wednesday, “would be amazing.”

Or, at least for the Broncos, the 2026 offseason program kicks off Monday.

This is in many ways the start of the long march toward September and the start of the season, though players and coaches still have a five-week break to look forward to this summer.

Denver head coach Sean Payton decided to start this springā€™s program later than usual and later than everybody else in the NFL, citing a Broncos 2025 season that lasted until late January.

Payton is also a longtime believer that running and lifting are more important this time of year than getting on the field for football-related activities.

So, players start the voluntary part of the offseason program Monday, but outside of a rookie minicamp May 8-10, Denver will abstain from on-field work until the first week of June.

ā€œAll of May will just be weightlifting,ā€ Payton said earlier this year. ā€œYouā€™ll see us on the field in June. Weā€™ll have two weeks of OTAs and a week of mini camp, but I donā€™t want them to feel like they were just here.ā€

Payton has also said in the past that he doesnā€™t want his players feeling like theyā€™re going to football practice in the spring.

Still, Monday morning will feature the Broncosā€™ first 2026 team meeting, the first messaging about starting over and building toward a title run this fall. Itā€™ll feel like the start of something in the building.

With that in mind, here are four questions about the coming months in ¶¶Ņõapountry.

When will Broncos QB Bo Nix be back in action?

The likely answer now: Not for a while. Nix will likely still be aroundĀ for Phases 1 and 2 of the offseason program over the next several weeks, but heā€™ll be rehabbing from theĀ recent clean-up procedure on his surgically repaired right ankle rather than doing the full lifting and running regimen his teammates will be on.

OTAs and minicamp are still a month-plus away, but from here, sources expected Payton and Denverā€™s medical and training staffs to be cautious with Nix through those weeks. The start of training camp is still nearly three months away. Having Nix back to full go then is the new priority for the staff.

There is still no clear understanding of what the recent procedure entailed for Nix, but sources indicate the cleanup work was going to have to happen at some point ā€” if not now, then likely after the 2026 season. Nixā€™s rehab from the initial fracture repair in January went well enough that Dr. Norman Waldrop III, Nix and the Broncos decided they had a window to get it done now. It will cost Nix most of the early stages of the offseason program, but in return, he enters the year without the prospect of another procedure hanging out there somewhere on the horizon.

Could Denver add a veteran free agent of note?

It¶¶Ņõap always a possibility.

Denver signed RB J.K. Dobbins in June last year. In 2023, the club signed OLB Frank Clark around the same time.

For a time, the Broncos looked like they could perhaps use a veteran defensive lineman. Then they used their top draft pick, No. 66 overall, on Tyler Onyedim. Thereā€™s a long way to go to late August, but right now Denver looks like it could again easily take seven defensive linemen into the season: Zach Allen, D.J. Jones, Malcolm Roach, Eyioma Uwazurike, Onyedim, Saiā€™Vion Jones and Jordan Jackson.

If thereā€™s a spot to add a Dobbins-esque veteran, what about outside linebacker and what about Cam Jordan? The 37-year-old has a decade of history with Sean Payton, heā€™s still playing well even after 15 years in the NFL and, while the Broncos are by no means short at outside linebacker, they donā€™t have huge numbers there after sliding Jonah Elliss inside. Now, Denverā€™s top line is among the best in the business with Nik Bonitto and Jonathon Cooper. The club is high on Que Robinson and Dondrea Tillman provides quality depth. Denver could always kick Elliss back outside if it needed. But Jordan had 10.5 sacks a year ago and, critically, is hardly a situational pass-rusher. Heā€™s still a force against the run and could be used creatively both on third down and early downs. The Broncos have one of his biggest fans in Payton and also a New Orleans native in Vance Joseph as their defensive coordinator.

Are there any big contract extensions on the table?

Not like last year, where the Broncos had a laundry list of mega deals to do with cornerstone players like Courtland Sutton, Allen and Nik Bonitto.

The biggest decision to make is in the secondary, where nickel Jaā€™Quan McMillian and corner Riley Moss are each entering contract years and 2025 first-round pick Jahdae Barron is waiting in the wings.

Other starters and key players entering the final years of their contracts include safety Brandon Jones, left guard Ben Powers, receiver Marvin Mims Jr. and tight end Evan Engram.

Overall, thereā€™s far less certainty about who from that group will end up in Denver long term than there was a year ago, when it seemed all but certain that the big three would get deals done eventually.

Denver typically has done offseason extensions closer to training camp (Quinn Meinerz in 2024) or during (all three last year and Pat Surtain II in 2024) rather than in the spring.

What else is on the spring cleaning list at Broncos Park?

A handful of other projects. Now that the NFL draft is in the rearview mirror, an extension for general manager George Paton moves closer to the batterā€™s box. CEO and owner Greg Penner has made it clear Patonā€™s wanted long-term and has essentially said a deal is a matter of when, not if. Most front office movement of all kinds comes after the draft and into the summer. On a related note, Patonā€™s front office is highly regarded and has been raided repeatedly over the past two offseasons, so more movement on that front cannot be ruled out.

Denver also has a major move ahead in June, when the club relocates from its current headquarters to its new building across the practice fields, which is nearing completion.

Just maybe not as an outside linebacker.

“If I donā€™t go back to Denver and play as a football player,” Miller told The Denver Post on Monday, “I would like to go back to Denver and be in the front office, or whatever, in some capacity.”

In 2011, a 22-year-old Miller sat down in Indianapolis for a combine meeting with then-Broncos general manager John Elway, and felt something. After winning a Super Bowl ring and making eight Pro Bowl appearances in more than a decade in the NFL, he figured out what it was. In the room shadowing Elway, as Miller remembered, was former NFL Pro Bowler and Broncos safety John Lynch. Miller noticed, then. And he noticed, six years later, when Lynch was hired as the San Francisco 49ers’ general manager .

“As I played throughout my career, and I started to think about things I wanted to do and how to stay attached to football without playing — those core memories just kinda chose me,” Miller said.

Quietly, in 2023, Miller — going into his second year with the Buffalo Bills ā€” returned to the NFL combine to begin rubbing elbows with some of the league’s decision-makers. He told Bills general manager Brandon Beane of his future ambitions, and Beane “stoked that flame,” Miller said. For three straight years, Miller has returned to the combine to continue relationship-building with NFL front offices.

Now, as the 37-year-old Miller can see the end nearing for his playing days, he’ll make it plain: he wants to become an NFL general manager.

And he’d like the path to lead him back to Denver, soon enough.

ā€œIā€™m not a contract guy,” Miller said, when asked where he sees himself climbing the ladder in a front office. “Iā€™m not going to sit in there and deal with contracts, and find numbers — Iā€™m not a numbers guy. When it comes to scouting, Iā€™m not going to sit there and watch film for 20 hours a day, either. I think my talent is just, people. Knowing people. The infrastructure of a team, knowing how to put together a schedule ā€“ just the daily grind of being a player in the National Football League. I know what it takes, and I know what it looks like to be a championship organization.ā€

, of course, that he wants to re-sign with the Broncos as an edge rusher this offseason, first and foremost. He is quick to point out that he finished with nine sacks for the Commanders in 2025, the most he’s tallied since the season Denver traded him in 2021. After a one-year deal with Washington expired, Miller said he’s had no communication with the Broncos during this free agency; he’s hopeful, he said, that general talks with organizations heat up post-NFL Draft.

“I know I can still play,” Miller said. “I know I at least got one more year in me. So Iā€™m just waiting to see whatever the universe gives me.ā€

The stars aren’t exactly pointing toward Denver. Nik Bonitto and Jonathon Cooper are entrenched as Denver’s starting outside linebackers, and the Broncos are so loaded at edge rusher that they’re moving 2023 third-round pick Jonah Elliss to inside linebacker to open up more snaps for both him and 2025 fourth-round pick Que Robinson.

If the Broncos are interested in Miller or other veteran help, though, now is the time to strike. According to the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement, the compensatory free-agent window officially closed Monday at 2 p.m. This has major implications for Denver, as the Broncos stand to be gifted a 2027 mid-round pick after losing key defensive lineman John Franklin-Myers to a massive contract with the Titans in March.

Denver was silent in the initial wave of free agency, with just one external signing: Bengals safety and special-teams player Tycen Anderson. This was strategic, not merely about valuing roster retention. Signing another big-money free agent during the compensatory period would’ve wiped out any pick awarded from Franklin-Myers’ signing.

“It does — I mean, it doesnā€™t dictate what weā€™re doing, but we obviously know it¶¶Ņõap there,” general manager George Paton said at league meetings in March, asked if preserving compensatory picks factored into Denver’s offseason decision-making.

“Next year, we should get the 4, and maybe a 7th,” Paton continued later, referencing the additional departure of safety P.J. Locke to Dallas. “That¶¶Ņõap what you want to get to. It took us a while to get here, where we can get compensatory picks. And you see other teams do it, and I like that weā€™re doing it.”

Now, though, the Broncos are free to throw a few million at remaining free agents, with no fear of losing the pick gained from Franklin-Myers. There’s still a wealth of talent left on the market, too: the most obvious fit is former Saints All-Pro Cam Jordan, who racked up 10.5 sacks in 2025 and has remained close with head coach Sean Payton from their New Orleans days. Denver native Calais Campbell could also be a target if he decides to play a 19th NFL season, still highly productive as an interior disruptor at the remarkable age of 39.

And Miller remains as a potential reunion candidate, too, before his eventual foray into the personnel world.

That journey may not be far off, though.

ā€œIā€™m confident in that — Iā€™ll be back in Denver, in some capacity,” Miller said. “If not a player, as a GM, or front-office.

“It’s just, I think it was the same way with Elway,” he continued, noting Elway’s player-to-executive path in Denver. “When you have that much love, and the energy is just so loving that — we just gotta figure it out. If it¶¶Ņõap not a player, it¶¶Ņõap a spot for me in Denver. We just gotta figure it out.

“And it¶¶Ņõap just a matter of time.ā€

Behind the scenes, general manager George Paton and head coach Sean Payton have discussed that this year’s draft will hinge on Day 3.

“These two fourth-round picks,” Paton said in a presser Friday night, “will define this draft.”

Indeed, after filling a John Franklin-Myers-sized hole at defensive line with Texas A&M’s versatile Tyler Onyedim on Friday, Denver has a few more positional needs to fill out at picks No. 108 and No. 111 ā€” and beyond. After just one pick through the first three rounds of this year’s NFL Draft, the Broncos are set up for a whopping seven overall selections across Saturday afternoon. That’s not even to mention a class of undrafted free agents, where Denver has found key contributors like Ja’Quan McMillian and offensive lineman Alex Palczewski in recent years under Paton.

Paton said Denver explicitly avoided trading back up into the third round Friday night because the organization liked the glut of talent available on Day 3.

“Weā€™re looking for young, developmental backups with some traits that we can develop, and you can find those all across Day 3,” Paton said. “Weā€™re not going to reach to go up and get a guy. We feel good about where we are at, and we feel really good about the day … we got (Jaylen) Waddle, and then we got this kid who we really like, and then tomorrow weā€™re going to have a good day.ā€

Many impact linebackers and tight ends flew off the board in rounds two and three on Friday night. But if the Broncos still intend to add a new face to their running-back room, they should be able to find a difference-maker in the fourth round and beyond. A slew of defensive backs and offensive linemen, too, still sit on the board.

Here are The Denver Post’s 20 best fits remaining for the Broncos through rounds four, five, six, seven and beyond, if Denver indeed wants to have a good day Saturday.

Offense

RB Jonah Coleman, Washington: One of the cleanest fits to Denver from a skill-set standpoint, Coleman is productive on early downs, had 54 catches in two seasons at UW and is a quality pass protector.

RB Mike Washington, Arkansas: There are still a number of intriguing running backs on the board as Day 3 begins. Washington, a big, fast, physical back who has produced in the SEC, is near the top of the list.

RB Adam Randall, Clemson: If youā€™re looking for a fascinating roll of the dice, Randall is a converted receiver who goes 6-3 and 235 pounds. The Broncos flew out to work him out shortly before the draft.

TE Justin Joly, NC State: Just one tight end went in the first 53 picks of the draft. Then eight went in the final 47 on Friday night. That cleaned out the upper ranks pretty thoroughly, though Joly is an accomplished pass-catcher. Heā€™d be an interesting ā€˜Fā€™ who has a chance to be a decent blocker.

TE Jack Endries, Texas: Perhaps not super exciting, but Endries has a chance to be the kind of do-it-all ā€˜Yā€™ tight end. Heā€™s had 91 catches for 1,030 over 2023-24 at Cal, then 33 catches last year at Texas.

TE Tanner Koziol, Houston: The opposite, in some ways, to Endries, Koziol is a roll of the dice on traits. Heā€™s 6-7 and 247 pounds. He had 74 catches last year alone at Houston and 94 in 2024 at Ball State. He fits the Payton mold like seventh-rounder Caleb Lohner a year ago.

OL Travis Burke, Memphis: A massive tackle prospect, Burke would be an interesting player to add to Zach Striefā€™s developmental program. Heā€™s listed at 6-9 and 325 pounds and has played both tackle spots in college.

OL Jude Bowry, Boston College: A versatile, experienced offensive lineman who can provide depth at multiple spots and has the athleticism to be a potential long-term option at a tackle spot. Friday showed that Denver is always looking to add in the trenches.

WR/RB Eli Heidenreich, Navy: Heidenreich is widely listed as a running back, but what will he actually be in the NFL?Ā Carried the ball 169 times and caught 109 passes in college. He had 51 catches for 941 yards in 2025. Could be a multidimensional offensive player and a return man.

WR Elijah Sarratt, Indiana: The Broncos would have to take him at No. 108 or 111 if they want him ā€” if he even makes it that far into Saturday. They donā€™t have a need at receiver. And yetā€¦ he just feels like a Sean Payton kind of pass-catcher.

Defense

ILB Jimmy Rolder, Michigan:Ā A former reserve who seized a starting role in 2025, Rolder is a draft riser who could rise all the way to Denver in the fourth round. The size is good at 6-foot-2 and 238 pounds, and the agility is even better. He had 73 tackles and seven tackles for loss in 2025.

ILB Kaleb Elarms-Orr, TCU:Ā One of The Post’s favorite fits throughout this process. Elarms-Orr would be a great fourth-round value after a season with 130 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, and four sacks in 2025.

ILB Kyle Louis, Pitt:Ā A safety-linebacker hybrid who could excel in sideline-to-sideline and coverage situations, but will have natural durability questions because of his frame ā€” 5-foot-11 and 220 pounds. Still, one of the best LBs left on the board.

OLB Dani Dennis-Sutton, Penn State:Ā The Broncos don’t need another edge rusher. They’re moving Jonah Elliss to ILB in large part to open up snaps for the ascending Que Robinson. But the 6-foot-5 Dennis-Sutton’s potential and sheer agility are off the charts, at his size. It could be the best available situation.

OLB Dasan McCollough, Nebraska:Ā What kind of linebacker is McCollough? Unclear. The potential, however, is quite apparent. He’s 6-foot-5, with good speed and explosiveness. A potentially fun project.

DL Uar Bernard, International Player Pathway Program:Ā Literally the most athletic player in this draft. Literally the most athletic defensive lineman ever. The only issue? He’s never played a snap of football. Sounds like an excellent seventh-round or undrafted project.

CB Latrell McCutchin, Houston:Ā Good size, good experience, and a ton of connections to the Broncos’ current defensive staff. The lack of ball production is a concern, but McCutchin had 10 passes defensed in 2025.

S Keionte Scott, Miami:Ā One of the consensus best defensive backs left on the board. The problem with the 5-foot-10 Scott: Is he a nickel? Is he an undersized safety? The traits ā€” a 44-inch vertical and 4.33-second 40-yard dash ā€” are well worth taking a Day 3 swing.

S Kamari Ramsey, USC:Ā The attributes don’t leap off the page, and might turn Denver away in their search for tool-laden prospects. But Ramsey’s IQ is off the charts, and he has plenty of familiarity with new Broncos defensive-backs coach Doug Belk after two years together at USC.

S Jalon Kilgore, South Carolina:Ā 4.40 40-yard dash and 37-inch vertical screams promise. Had 10 pass deflections in 2025 and five interceptions in 2024, and could be a developmental ball-hawk behind Talanoa Hufanga and Brandon Jones (the latter of which is on an expiring deal).

— Ed Helinski, Auburn, N.Y.

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

Denver is almost certain to move some of its picks around. Will they go up from No. 62? Back from their fourth-rounders? Vice versa? That, of course, all depends and the most likely outcome is we wonā€™t know until Friday evening as the second round unfolds.

Teams move picks, though, and the Broncos have moved them at a high volume recently under general manager George Paton and head coach Sean Payton. Last year alone they made their own selection at No. 20 in the first round ā€” through Paton said they considered trading back from there ā€” and then got busy. They didnā€™t actually pick at any of their original spots from then on and engineered four trades that included a total of 20 draft picks. They went back from 51 to 57 and then to 60. They went up from No. 111 to No. 101 to draft Saiā€™Vion Jones and in the process also moved back four spots from No. 130.

Generally speaking, itā€™d be a surprise if Denver wasnā€™t similarly active this year. Especially with just one pick on Day 2, it would make sense for Paton and Payton to try to move around. That could mean trying to pick up capital by moving back from their first pick at No. 62. They could get into the third round by moving up from No. 108 or No. 111. It could mean some combination of that or something else entirely.

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

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

The counter: Do you have to move up to get the players you really want? Payton talked last week about the ā€œsprayā€ of evaluations across the league and how it widens as the draft progresses. The Broncos traded back twice in the second round last year and got the guy they wanted in Harvey. They wonā€™t be needlessly aggressive, but their roster is in such a place where they can go get a particular player, even without the benefit of a first-round pick.

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

— David Brown, Silverthorne

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

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

2. Related to that point, a team is always better off draft-wise if it¶¶Ņõap armed with a first-round pick or extra capital, but this weekend actually looks like it sets up fairly well for the Broncos. Their needs ā€” call it tight end, linebacker, running back, safety and offensive line ā€” line up well overall with the deeper parts of this draft class. That doesnā€™t mean there are going to be Week 1 starters sitting there waiting for them on Day 3, of course, but the Broncos should be looking at their board and seeing realistic options at some positions of need despite having traded away their first- and third-rounders.

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

ā€œI think everyone feels like next year is going to be a strong draft and I think that¶¶Ņõap based on the quarterbacks and it feels like it¶¶Ņõap going to be a strong quarterback draft,ā€ Paton said. ā€œWe definitely look at that when weā€™re making trades.ā€

Paton earlier in the offseason said the Broncos pay attention to the fact that theyā€™re in line for a fourth-round comp pick for next year due to John Franklin-Myersā€™ departure and perhaps a seventh-rounder, too, but that it doesnā€™t dictate how Denver operates. Expect a similar approach when it comes to deciding whether to part with 2027 draft capital during the 2026 proceedings.

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

ā€œWe have 10 picks, we think, next year, including the compensatories,ā€ Paton said. ā€œSo it gives us more flexibility if we need to use one of those to help ourselves now.ā€

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

— Roger, Aurora

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

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

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

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

— Tim, Denver

Hey Tim, thanks for writing in. That would be spicy, but it just doesnā€™t seem feasible without making a dramatic sacrifice either from the existing roster or from the clubā€™s stash of 2027 draft picks. Even then, the math is tough to square. Let¶¶Ņõap use the Jimmy Johnson trade chart as a guide. There are other ways of valuing picks and every team does so slightly differently, but Paytonā€™s draft trades generally follow the Johnson chart.

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

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

ā€œYou never say never, but it¶¶Ņõap unlikely,ā€ Paton said about getting to the first round. ā€œIt would cost quite a haul for us to get up there. Most of our draft we would have to trade and then something next year.ā€

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

— Mike, Denver

Hey Mike, it¶¶Ņõap possible. Sadiq will definitely be off the board and Vanderbilt¶¶Ņõap Eli Stowers may well be, too, by the time Denverā€™s pick rolls around. There will be options, though.

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

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

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

— Mike, Denver

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

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

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

— Anthony, Venice, Fla.

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

First question: Franklin-Myers got as much per year from Tennessee as the Broncos gave D.J. Jones and Malcolm Roach combined, so that¶¶Ņõap part of the equation. They could have paid him, but they knew he was going to make a ton of money and theyā€™re planning around having already paid a bunch of other players while knowing that they may well be looking at a massive Bo Nix extension a year from now. Plus, they like their depth on the defensive line. And they get a fourth-round comp pick in next yearā€™s draft. Doesnā€™t guarantee that letting him go was the right move, of course, but they didnā€™t wake up one day in early March and say, oh, dang, we canā€™t pay JFM. It¶¶Ņõap been part of the plan.

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

And last: Yeah, that¶¶Ņõap got to be part of Denverā€™s calculus as it goes through the offseason and puts together its plan in Davis Webbā€™s first year as the teamā€™s primary playcaller. They have to find ways to play one, the other or both TEs without being too predictable.

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

— Raj P., Centennial

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

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

— Adam Miller, Fort Collins

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

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

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

— Michael Horn, Westminster

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

°Õ°ł²¹»å±š:ĢżBroncos receive Nos. 54 and 197; Eagles receive Nos. 62 and 108

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

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

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

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

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

°Õ°ł²¹»å±š:ĢżBroncos receive Nos. 125, 171 and 247; Patriots receive No. 111

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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