— Ed Helinski, Auburn, N.Y.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

— David Brown, Silverthorne

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

— Roger, Aurora

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

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

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

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

— Tim, Denver

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

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

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

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

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

— Mike, Denver

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

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

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

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

— Mike, Denver

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

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

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

— Anthony, Venice, Fla.

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

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

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

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

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

— Raj P., Centennial

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

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

— Adam Miller, Fort Collins

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

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

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

— Michael Horn, Westminster

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

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 Matt Henningsen to a one-year, vet-minimum deal; re-signed Jordan Jackson to a one-year exclusive-rights deal; re-signed Kristian Williams and Jordan Miller to futures contracts.

Under contract:��Zach Allen, D.J. Jones, Malcolm Roach, Eyioma Uwazurike, Sai’vion Jones, Jackson, Henningsen, Williams, Miller

Need scale (1-10): 6. There is a 7.5-sack hole in the middle of Denver’s front, after John Franklin-Myers signed with the Titans in free agency. Replacing Franklin-Myers is a near-impossible task given his symbiotic effect on Allen and Denver’s No. 62 slot in this draft; that being said, it’d make a lot of sense for Denver to bring another body into the room. Uwazurike could reasonably compete for a starting job, and Denver needs to see what it has in Jones, last year’s third-round pick. But there are plenty of solid names available in this crop on Day 2 and Day 3, and George Paton and company will be looking.

The Top Five

Kayden McDonald, Ohio State

A nose tackle, through and through. The 6-foot-2, 326-pound McDonald is a force in the run game, with 65 tackles and nine tackles for loss in an All-American season last year for the Buckeyes. Will he be a truly impactful pass-rusher in the NFL? Unclear. But McDonald should grade out as an immediate starting-ready force in the trenches.

Peter Woods, Clemson

Woods’ production declined this fall after a monster 2024 season, but he still profiles as a versatile havoc-wreaker with plenty of NFL upside.��He hasn’t run a 40-yard dash, but����He’ll be a fun piece for a late-first-round defensive coordinator to shift around in their scheme.

Lee Hunter, Texas Tech

NFL insiders generally pinpoint a pretty clear gap between the McDonald-Woods tier and the next crop of interior defensive linemen in this class. Hunter’s profile is rather complicated, carrying plenty of power (6-foot-3, 318 pounds) but not much speed (a 5.18-second 40-yard-dash, second-to-last among all defensive linemen at the combine). He’s racked up more than 9.5 tackles for loss in each of his last three seasons between UCF and Texas Tech, though, and the Broncos should be able to piece together a strong evaluation on him after drafting UCF RB RJ Harvey last year.

Christen Miller, Georgia

Here’s a potential Broncos second-round target. Denver hosted the powerful Georgia defensive tackle on a top-30 visit. Miller has a great frame at 6-foot-4 and 321 pounds, and has graded out extremely well as a run defender the past two seasons. Again, though, this is a projected nose tackle in the NFL, and Denver already has two starting-caliber options there in Jones and Roach.

Caleb Banks, Florida

A potential upside play for Denver in the second round, if Banks falls that far. A year ago, it would’ve been a ludicrous proposition for Banks to land anywhere outside Day 1; he’s endured a rocky 2025, though, as he missed all but three games of his final season with a foot injury and then suffered a broken foot at the NFL Combine. If he’s healthy, though, the 6-foot-6 Banks has as much pass-rush upside as anyone in this interior defensive-line group. Denver hosted him on a top-30 visit, too.

More Broncos fits

Chris McClellan, Mizzou

A general pre-draft riser for good reason, McClellan racked up six sacks during his senior year at Mizzou and was one of Denver’s first top-30 visits this cycle. The Broncos scout Mizzou well, as 2023 All-American running back Cody Schrader and longtime Mizzou DT Williams are both on Denver’s roster on futures deals. McClellan would be a strong option to supplement Franklin-Myers’ loss — but he might not be around in the fourth if the Broncos pass on him at No. 62.

DeMonte Capehart, Clemson

A six-year alumnus of Clemson and Woods’ teammate on the line, Capehart didn’t have explosive production in college, with just 16 pressures combined in his last two seasons (according to Pro Football Focus). The raw athleticism here, though, is bonkers: a 4.85-second 40-yard-dash and 33.5-inch vertical, both in the top four at his position at the combine. Denver swung on Alabama’s Que Robinson as a developmental prospect in the fourth round last year on sheer upside, and Capehart could be a similar interior fit in this class.

Landon Robinson, Navy

Denver’s shown some interest here, meeting the 287-pound Robinson at Navy’s Pro Day. He stands 6-foot-0, which isn’t exactly ideal. But Robinson has jaw-dropping strength that stood out from even his military compatriots: squatting 665 pounds and benching 465, . He bulked up from an outside linebacker to a defensive lineman across his collegiate career, and could offer pass-rushing potential in the NFL.

Gary Smith III, UCLA

The Broncos have three seventh-round picks, and could spend one of them here. Broncos general manager Paton is a noted UCLA alumnus, and the 319-pound Smith III could be a run-stopping fit at the next level. He’s been a productive player for three seasons in a Bruins jersey, and his tackle production skyrocketed in 2025.

Uar Bernard, International Pathway Program

Here’s the most athletic player in this draft class. Period. Bernard, a 306-pound prospect discovered at a camp in Lagos, Nigeria, through the NFL’s International Pathway Program, rocketed onto the pre-draft scene thanks to a 4.63-second 40-yard dash and a 39-inch vertical. The only problem? He’s never played a snap of professional football in his life. The upside here, though, is too tantalizing for some team to not swing on Bernard.

He played it slow during the first week of free agency, then got fast in a hurry by completing a blockbuster trade for wide receiver Jaylen Waddle.

Payton and the Broncos have spent more than a year prioritizing retention, but he insists that assuming anything from 2025 will be the same in 2026 is folly.

This is the challenge of arriving on the doorstep of a Super Bowl only to come up short. What you did worked well, but not well enough. Ifs and buts are easy to come by, especially after quarterback Bo Nix broke his ankle in overtime of the AFC’s divisional round.

Change for change’s sake doesn’t make sense, but neither does stasis.

“The better you get, the harder it is to improve your team,” Payton said Tuesday at the NFL’s annual spring meeting.

He spoke and answered questions from that unique perch: Well-situated as a contender with a quarterback in the midst of his rookie contract and also warding off any notion of complacency.

Here are five takeaways from Payton’s 27 minutes with reporters:

The Broncos know the stakes of having QB Bo Nix in his rookie contract window

What Payton said: “Everyone would say, ‘Hey, you’ve got Bo on his rookie deal.’ Well, no kidding.”

What it means: Teams with talented young quarterbacks who are still cheap are in the best position to build a complete roster. There’s really no way around that fact. Nix is entering his third professional season and will play with a cap charge just a shade above $5 million.

The implication of what Payton said is that he senses an external notion that perhaps the Broncos didn’t get aggressive enough to build around Nix in the midst of this window.

The PG-rated version of his response: Baloney.

In his mind, though, the Broncos had already done much of their building when free agency opened in early March.

That����ap what the 10 contract extensions over the preceding 18 months were about. That����ap what the last-minute run of deals for unheralded-yet-important pieces like Alex Palczewski, Justin Strnad, Alex Singleton, and Adam Trautman were about.

Payton chided anybody who cast the offseason as wasted before Denver swung the trade for Waddle.

The numbers mostly back Payton up. The Broncos retained virtually every core member of their offense and defense.���ٱ�Ա����,��, is in the middle of the pack in cap space (No. 19 at $18.8 million) but ranks seventh in active cap spending.��Only Seattle has less dead cap than Denver.

The Broncos have loaded up the roster; they are just betting that doing so with their own players is the better path to the Lombardi Trophy than bringing in extensive outside help.

Jaylen Waddle can be a force multiplier in multiple ways

What Payton said: “Whenever you get into a big-name free agent or a trade of this magnitude, the all-the-other-stuff is important research. When it comes to Waddle’s all-the-other-stuff, it was 10, 10, 10, 10. Obviously, he will help us.”

What it means: Waddle is a really good player. That much is obvious. The Broncos traded the rough equivalent of a first and a fourth-round pick for him because they think they’re acquiring much more than that.

Start with what Payton refers to as the “all-the-other-stuff.” Payton got glowing reviews on the receiver from former quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, one of the coach’s favorite former players and a trusted resource, as well as legendary former Alabama head coach Nick Saban, Broncos corner Pat Surtain II and more. Payton calls certain players “force multipliers” in the locker room. Running back J.K. Dobbins is one. Defensive lineman Malcolm Roach is another. So, too, is Courtland Sutton. Denver thinks Waddle can be that, too.

He should have a similarly broad impact on the field. Payton said Waddle can play inside and outside and referred to his route tree as “extensive.” The coach’s favorite part about his new pass-catcher’s skill set: “He’s extremely fast and he stops fast.”

That����ap the kind of player who can not only make an impact on his own — the Broncos wanted a high-caliber route-runner and believe Waddle is that — but who can also make life easier for the other receivers and Denver’s running game, too.

He’s the kind of player who can improve a team even when a team is good enough, as Payton said, where improving becomes a more difficult challenge. That, ultimately, is why the Broncos paid the price for Waddle. He checks every box they set out to find.

A creative option at inside linebacker — and a breakout candidate on the edge

What Payton said: “You’re going to see (Jonah) Elliss take some snaps inside. That����ap something we’ve discussed relative to our depth on the edge.”

What it means: Perhaps the single most interesting personnel note from Payton is an impending position change for Denver’s third-year defender. Time will tell if the move sticks, but it says as much about another player on the roster as it does about Elliss himself.

This, in some ways, is a Que Robinson move. The Broncos think they might have stolen a really good player in the fourth round of the 2025 draft in Robinson, who is long, strong, plays tough against the run on the edge, but also has real pass-rush juice.

Robinson, though, was often a gameday inactive as a rookie behind Nik Bonitto, Jonathon Cooper, Elliss and Dondrea Tillman. They’re all back for 2026. So perhaps Elliss can provide some quality play on the inside and free up time for Robinson in Denver’s OLB rotation.

Payton called the switch a matter of “looking at your assets” and lauded the skill set of Elliss.

The head coach noted that two of Elliss’ brothers, Kaden and Christian, have played in the middle of the field, and also that Zach Baun flourished in Philadelphia when he moved to the middle of the field.

If Denver gets anything resembling that kind of production, of course, the move will be a home run. At the very least, it’ll be a fascinating project to follow this summer.

Breaking news: The Broncos coach is not the warm and fuzzy type

What Payton said: “I don’t have anything warm and fuzzy in my golf bag. Except my towel.”

What it means: Payton was asked, essentially, if he could occasionally play the good cop with Nix or anybody else. He dropped one of his funniest lines of the day in response.

In more practical terms, though, Payton made an interesting comment in suggesting that Davis Webb’s promotion to offensive coordinator and play-caller will likely change the complexion of Webb’s day-to-day relationship with Nix to some degree.

“Bo is in there with (new quarterbacks coach) Logan Kilgore now. Logan will be his warm and fuzzy.

Now, Davis and myself will be like, ‘Hey! What are you doing?’

One of the more fascinating subplots of the 2026 Broncos will be how Payton helps groom Webb as a play-caller. When Payton first took that role under his mentor, Bill Parcells, Parcells was extremely hands-on. Will Payton operate the same way? Will he push Webb to coach Nix in any form or manner differently now that he’s in the coordinator role rather than at the front of the QB room on a daily basis? Does Webb need to do anything differently now that he’s in front of the entire unit rather than one room?

Webb doesn’t have to have the same approach as Payton had when he was a young play-caller and Payton doesn’t have to have the same approach Parcells did all those years ago. But the similarities in both are readily apparent.

Sean Payton’s flag football coaching career will not go down as illustrious

What Payton said: “Well, that was humbling.”

What it means: Payton coached a bunch of NFL players and former players — including legendary former quarterback Tom Brady — against the U.S. national flag football team earlier in March. The tournament was originally supposed to be in Saudi Arabia, but was moved to Los Angeles due to the war in Iran.

What happened: The NFL guys got their clocks cleaned by the national flag football team. And Payton, who had Los Angeles Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh along as his defensive coordinator, had his eyes opened.

“You remember the ‘Home Alone’ series and Macaulay Culkin was inside the house? Well, the national team was Macaulay Culkin and I felt like Harbaugh and I were the two guys outside tripping over the garden hose. It����ap an entirely different game. It was cool to be around those guys.”

Payton left the weekend with a prediction regarding the 2028 Summer Olympics in L.A.

“When this was announced, there was this feeling that there would be 10 NFL players on that roster and I’ll be surprised if there’s one,” he said.

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

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

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

“Singleton and Strnad are really good players,” Paton said. “Dre — we couldn’t keep the three of them. Dre helped us win a bunch of games, he helped our culture. We wish him the best, but we’re really happy to have Strnad and Singleton.”

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

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

“Just how much we love Dre as a person and as a player,” San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan said Monday when asked about the rationale for bringing Greenlaw back. “He’s one of the best linebackers I’ve ever coached and I’ve been around some good ones. What he’s meant to the Niners organization.

“We hated being away from him for a year and we’re pumped he’s back.”

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

“We like our players,” Paton said. “We compare all our players to what����ap there in free agency and our guys were up there pretty high.

“We’ve won a lot of games with these guys. They fit the culture and not everyone does.”

Paton extension a ‘when,’ not if

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

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

“We want to have George here long-term,” Penner said. “He’s been a terrific partner for Sean and how they work together. I’m sure we’ll get that sorted out.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Training camp update

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

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

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

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

DL a free agent possibility

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

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

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

“We have pretty good depth, but you are always looking for big guys on the offensive and defensive lines,” he said.

How rare is this retention?

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

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

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

“The culture — and the guys we have really fit it,” Paton said. “It just, it����ap kinda worked out that way.”

Well, much of the Broncos’ 2026 NFL Draft capital has up and Waddled away.

Denver’s entire outlook come April is radically different, now, after the Broncos gambled a first-round, third-round and fourth-round pick in 2026 for the dynamite addition of star receiver Jaylen Waddle (and a fourth-round pick). Suddenly, general manager Paton has significantly fewer picks to work with, as the Broncos now face the increased importance of hitting a few key roster needs in this year’s class.

The organization’s current arsenal of picks is all over the place: No. 62 (second round), No. 108 (fourth round, from Saints), No. 111 (fourth round, from Dolphins), No. 170 (fifth round), No. 246, No. 256, and No. 257 (seventh round). The clusters there strongly hint that Denver will make some sort of move up or back in the draft order. And with the haul given up for Waddle, it’s easy to see Paton wanting to take advantage of a needy franchise and moving back in April to accumulate some more mid-round capital.

With that in mind, Broncos beat reporters Parker Gabriel and Luca Evans took a new approach to this iteration of The Post’s mock draft: trades were on the table. And very much encouraged.

Once again, The Post used Pro Football Focus’s mock-draft simulator — which also allows trades and approximates fair value in pick swaps — for this exercise. The last mock draft in this space, in early March, had the Broncos selecting Indiana receiver Omar Cooper Jr. at the end of the first round. This one is … rather different.

Round 3, pick No. 70: RB Jonah Coleman, Washington

OK, let’s break this down.

There’s a realistic scenario in which the Broncos, now lacking a first-round pick, end up throwing a package together to try and move up for a gem like Notre Dame running back Jadarian Price or Vanderbilt tight end Eli Stowers. But it’d be difficult to see Paton, who has historically preferred trading back rather than trading up, taking that kind of swing after the Broncos’ trade for Waddle. Instead, The Post explored a scenario in which Paton and the Broncos trade back from No. 62.

In this PFF-massaged but not-impossible development, the Broncos find a trade partner in the Cleveland Browns, who are evidently eager to jump up a few slots to take their guy at the back of the second round. Here, Denver trades pick No. 62 and pick No. 170 for pick No. 70 and pick No. 107 from Cleveland, .

Coleman would fit neatly into the Broncos’ current running-back room, which still needs an injection of juice after re-upping with J.K. Dobbins, Jaleel McLaughlin and Tyler Badie during free agency. If Denver is still confident in the Dobbins-RJ Harvey tandem, it’ll need a durable running back who can pick up first-down work between the tackles, bruise at the goal line, and bring some third-down heft. Coleman checks every box.

The 5-foot-8, 220-pound back is solid in pass protection, and broke down schemes with Denver’s offensive staff during his NFL Combine meeting with the Broncos. He’s not especially explosive outside the tackles, but ran for 5.5 yards per carry across his collegiate career and had 15 touchdowns on the ground in 2025. He fumbled twice in 551 collegiate carries and dropped one pass in 109 total targets, according to PFF. That’s an NFL-ready ceiling-raiser right there.

Other options considered: RB Mike Washington Jr., Arkansas.��Washington is shooting up draft boards after a monster performance at the combine, with a class-leading 4.33 40-yard-dash and a 39-inch vertical jump. The issue for Denver: he hasn’t been good in pass protection in college, and the Broncos need a third back whom Nix trusts in that area.

Round 4, pick No. 107: DL Chris McClellan, Mizzou

Here’s the other Browns slot, which kicks off a hilarious run of three Broncos selections in the span of five picks.

McClellan was Denver’s first known top-30 visit of the pre-draft process, and could factor into Denver’s plan to replace the departed John Franklin-Myers. He projects as more of a nose tackle at 6-foot-4 and 313 pounds — which the Broncos don’t necessarily need, with D.J. Jones and Malcolm Roach on multi-year deals — but McClellan has clear pass-rushing upside, with six sacks in 13 games last year. He’d bring another talented young body to compete in the room with veteran Eyioma Uwazurike and 2025 rookie Sai’vion Jones.

Other options considered: TE Michael Trigg, Baylor.��Trigg will likely be sitting there for Denver in the middle rounds of April’s draft. He had terrific production last season, with 50 catches for 694 yards and six touchdowns. He played more from the slot than at in-line tight end in 2025, though, which would overlap with the strengths Denver already has at receiver.

Round 4, pick No. 108: S Bud Clark, TCU

The Broncos just signed a safety Thursday, agreeing to a one-year deal with former Bengals reserve Tycen Anderson. Anderson will likely compete for Denver’s third-safety job in 2026, but he profiles more as a special-teams ace. And the Broncos will have some decisions to make regarding Brandon Jones in the upcoming season, as the veteran starter enters the final year of his contract.

Enter Clark, who brings good size (6-foot-1 and 188 pounds), program loyalty (six seasons at TCU) and elite collegiate ball production (15 interceptions and 21 passes defensed across his last four seasons). His abilities in coverage would be an excellent complement next to hard-hitting chaos agent Talanoa Hufanga, and Clark’s lengthy stint in college would likely help his evaluation here in Denver’s eyes.

Other options considered:��Nobody. The Post likes Clark.

Round 4, pick No. 111: G Beau Stephens, Iowa

It’s high time for the Broncos to actually spend some draft capital on an offensive lineman: they’re set to keep the same starting front around Nix for the third straight year, but have several aging starters and upcoming contract questions in that mix. It’s almost a certainty that Denver looks to their offensive line in this class, and Stephens would be a solid option.

Denver scouts Iowa well (see: Riley Moss, 2023 third-round pick), and Stephens grew from a reserve into a top-end starter across five years with the Hawkeyes. He allowed just four quarterback pressures in 304 pass-blocking snaps in 2025, according to PFF, an absurd number. Plus, he’s started solely at left guard the past two seasons — where incumbent Ben Powers’ contract is set to expire after the 2026 season. The only issue here: the arm length and overall athleticism aren’t strong.

Other options considered: LB Bryce Boettcher.��At present, it’d probably be strange for the Broncos to go through April without drafting a linebacker, after cutting Dre Greenlaw at the start of free agency. Boettcher would bring another Oregon standout into the fold, and profiles similarly in makeup and play-style to current Broncos captain Alex Singleton.

Round 6, pick No. 209: FB Eli Heidenreich, Navy

This might require some tequila to be wheeled into the draft room to even think about pulling this off. But, presto! Denver suddenly has a sixth-round pick again.

At the present moment, the Broncos are sitting with three not-especially-valuable picks at the back of the seventh round. It’d be quite hard to imagine Denver taking the second-last and very-last players of April’s draft back-to-back, at compensatory picks No. 256 and No. 257. Therefore, The Post looked for a deal to move up and add an impact Day 3 skill player, and couldn’t pass up on Heidenreich here after packaging all three seventh-rounders for

Heidenreich could be Payton’s new Taysom Hill, in all but size. He has one of the more unique profiles of any player in this 2026 class, running for 499 yards and catching for 941 in his senior season in Navy’s triple-option offense. Is he a receiver? Is he a running back? Is he a fullback with slot-receiver flex? Who knows. But he ran a 4.44-second 40-yard-dash at the combine.

Perhaps Heidenreich could be an eventual replacement as both a returner and gadget weapon for Marvin Mims Jr., who’s currently slated to hit free agency after 2026. The potential here in Denver’s offense was too great to pass up.

Other options considered:��TE Oscar Delp, Georgia.��Delp was often stuck at the back of the pecking order of Georgia’s pass-catching options, and never caught more than 24 passes in a single season in college. His stock should rise , after being held out of the combine with a hairline fracture.

Last Tuesday, soon-to-be free-agent running back J.K. Dobbins was working out in the Broncos’ facility when he got a buzz from Payton to come up to his office. Dobbins finished, wandered up, and sat with Denver’s head coach for a simple conversation that’ll form the genesis of how Denver’s not-so-new-look run game will produce in 2026.

Payton told Dobbins that he was his guy, a source familiar with the situation told the Denver Post. That said enough. Being a Payton Guy has extended NFL lives and poured millions upon millions of dollars into loyal bank accounts. Being a Payton Guy, as former Saints linebacker Scott Shanle told The Post last year, is a “badge of honor.” And Payton has praised Dobbins to reporters throughout the year, enamored with the spirited presence of a running back who chose specifically to rehab a midseason Lisfranc injury in Denver to stick around the team rather than have surgery elsewhere.

“Losing J.K., obviously, was a tough loss,” Payton said after Denver’s season ended. “He brought a lot more to the locker room than you would know.”

And Payton made clear he didn’t want to lose Dobbins come 2026, the source said, in that March 3 conversation. The reality of Denver’s situation was slightly more complex. Jets star running back Breece Hall loomed as a potential free-agent option; asked if the Broncos would’ve gone after Hall had he hit the open market, a source with knowledge of the team’s thinking told The Post the decision would’ve been a “no-brainer.” But New York .

Other top options, from Kenneth Walker III to Travis Etienne Jr., quickly fell off the board during the early week’s legal-tampering period of free agency. Dobbins remained, as his own market started to climb. And the Broncos moved quickly to secure their 2025 leading rusher, and certified Payton Guy, on a two-year deal.

That single sequence has encapsulated Denver’s dealings — or lack of them — through the first week of free agency. The reigning No. 1-seeded Broncos are approaching unprecedented levels of run-it-back roster retention. As of Friday, Denver is the only team in the NFL to not have signed a single external free agent. Not only that, but the Broncos have signed back 16 of their own 22 players set to hit free agency since late February.

The sheer wave of Payton favorites re-upping on minimum deals — tight end Nate Adkins, fullback Adam Prentice, receiver Lil’Jordan Humphrey, running back Jaleel McLaughlin — has washed in heaps of online vitriol from Denver’s own fanbase. Internally, the Broncos’ brass went into free agency aligned without expecting to make a massive splash in the market. Externally, the Broncos’ lack of activity gives the impression of an organization that is relying fully on its Payton-era foundation for a Super Bowl leap, for better or for worse.

The reasons for this week’s developments are multifaceted. But the overall reality is simple, lying in the hands of the head man still pulling the strings despite passing off the play-calling reins.

Asked their impression of the Broncos’ approach, one NFL assistant coach told The Post: “Sean obviously likes his football team.”

Growth inside the building

There’s plenty left to play out, from the trade market to April’s draft. Denver, after all, first signed Dobbins in June 2025. But data indicates the Broncos have taken a particularly unique strategy on the first go-around of the free-agent carousel.

According to player data collected and analyzed by The Post, Denver currently has 94% of its total snaps from the 2025 season under contract. In the last 10 years, no team that’s made the AFC Championship Game has gone into the following season retaining more than 83.2% of its snaps from the previous year (the 2019 Kansas City Chiefs set this mark).

“Good call,” one NFL agent, speaking on condition of anonymity, remarked. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

Denver, of course, was the furthest thing from broken in a 14-3 season in 2025. The issue: its offense, by all accounts, was continually bent out of shape. Payton fired offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi and receivers coach Keary Colbert after a 14th-place finish in points per game in 2025 and appointed a separate play-caller — 31-year-old Davis Webb — for the first time in his 18-year head-coaching career.

At the NFL Combine, Payton was asked whether coming so close to a Super Bowl appearance influenced him to consider a big offseason swing or simply to stay the course. He directly acknowledged that the Broncos played the margins too thin in a season of white-knuckle moments at Empower Field.

“From my lens, we won a lot of games by one score or less, right?” Payton said then. “And I’m not naive enough to think those games couldn’t have swung, and you could grab any two or three. But where’s the meat on the bone?

“The meat on the bone,” he continued, “exists with our takeaways. That has to improve. Our run-game consistency, our meat on the bone relative to a number of things that we won despite maybe — not being as good as others.”

That has quickly become the defining quote of Denver’s offseason, for better or worse. Despite Payton’s acknowledgement that the Broncos couldn’t simply stand pat, they have simply … stood pat. In fact, they’ve only lost production. Defensive lineman John Franklin-Myers, who was everything from a key pass-rusher to a behind-the-scenes mentor, left for a monster three-year, $63 million deal with Tennessee. Backup safety P.J. Locke went to Dallas. Denver cut linebacker Dre Greenlaw to save cap room.

There are a few explanations for this confusing puzzle. Piece together hints from across the past year, and Payton and general manager George Paton are clearly focused on development from young, cheap talent under a new-look staff. That starts, of course, with a continued third-year leap from quarterback Bo Nix.

Payton made it clear at the combine that Nix wasn’t a factor in the decision to pass play-calling duties to Webb; people close to Nix, though, have told The Post that Nix was generally supportive of the move.

“There’s certainly things we want to be better at,” Payton said at the combine, speaking on Denver’s offensive operation. “But it����ap also being quicker. And look, it����ap only if there’s someone that you feel like is good enough to do that, and (Webb) will have that opportunity.”

The Broncos are also plenty high on their young receiving corps of Troy Franklin, Marvin Mims Jr. and Pat Bryant, with the potential to hand-pick another weapon come April: Indiana star Omar Cooper Jr. visited Denver for a pre-draft visit on Friday. Rising second-year back RJ Harvey will have every opportunity to show he can improve as a runner from an equally dynamic and shaky rookie season. 2025 third-round pick Sai’vion Jones, who received just 39 snaps in the middle of a logjam in his rookie year, could also make a push in training camp for Franklin-Myers’ role on the defensive line.

Denver has room for growth in its tight-end crop, too, despite preserving a middle-of-the-road group for 2025. Veteran Evan Engram is tight with Webb dating back to their shared playing days in New York, and Engram had a 58-yard catch-and-run in Webb’s preseason play-calling showcase against the Cardinals in August. 2025 seventh-round pick Caleb Lohner, meanwhile — a raw big body who spent his rookie year on the practice squad — is training in Texas this offseason with former Packers Pro Bowl receiver Donald Driver, Lohner’s uncle Mike told The Post.

Another possible hidden wrinkle to Denver’s offseason: the 2027 draft is already generating substantial buzz in the NFL. The Broncos will likely receive a fourth-round compensation pick in ’27 with Franklin-Myers’ departure, which becomes particularly valuable given the strength of next year’s class. This would not be a foreign strategy.

The Jaguars, who’ve also been notably quiet in free agency, have let star running back Travis Etienne and linebacker Devin Lloyd walk specifically to acquire 2027 draft capital.

“I think on its surface, you would think, ‘Oh, OK, you’re going to make picks in 2027,'” Jacksonville . “Whereas, in reality, those draft picks and having more of ’em actually allows you the luxury of remaining in the hunt at different intervals throughout the entire calendar year, for acquiring players.”

Cap considerations

The Post sourced 10 different NFL agents for their thoughts on Denver’s lack of activity early in free agency. The clear consensus from those sitting across the table: the Broncos haven’t taken a bad approach, given they were a Bo Nix fractured ankle and an AFC title game winter wonderland away from a Super Bowl appearance.

“They had a great season,” one agent texted. “It makes sense to me to build off of what you already have.”

“Why would you not bring that entire team back (?)” another agent texted. “Good chance they win it all if no Injury (sic) and maybe even just if no blizzard.”

“It is odd,” another agent mused. “They probably see it, like — it’s not worth overspending on anybody.”

That point is key. Two NFL sources who spoke with Denver earlier in the week told The Post that the Broncos weren’t willing to spend more than $10 million per year at running back and $6 million per year at tight end. That ruled out the dynamic Etienne, who signed for four years and $52 million with New Orleans. That also ruled out Chig Okonkwo — a skilled tight end the Broncos called about, according to a source — who ended up signing for three years and $30 million with the Commanders.

That’s not stinginess for the sake of stinginess. At his end-of-season presser, Payton likened the Broncos’ financial freedom from Russell Wilson’s contract to renovating one’s house.

“If I said I’m going to give you $50,000 to decorate your home, or $200,000, your home’s going to look nicer, I think, if you’re a decent shopper,” Payton said.

Denver, though, really has closer to $50,000.

Much of the Broncos’ cap room has already been gobbled up by a rollicking run of long-term extensions across the past year, locking in core pieces from Zach Allen and Nik Bonitto to Luke Wattenberg and Malcolm Roach. The Broncos really haven’t had much to spend after extensions for Alex Singleton, Justin Strnad, Dobbins and Trautman — and need to keep an eye towards possible in-season extensions for key players like Mims, Riley Moss, and Ja’Quan McMillian.

The Broncos, too, may have to consider future renegotiations with All-Pros Pat Surtain II and Quinn Meinerz, who Denver extended at such bargains in 2024 that both are now making well below their market value. Surtain’s now the fifth-highest-paid cornerback in the NFL via average salary, and Meinerz .

The draft and the trade market still beckon, and Paton and Denver’s front office head into April with enviable capital: nine total picks, after being awarded two seventh-round compensatory picks for losing free agents in the 2025 offseason. There’s still time, as owner Greg Penner said in late January, for the Broncos to be “opportunistically aggressive.”

Thus far, though, Denver’s been all opportunistic and hardly aggressive.

The Broncos, ultimately, checked the temperature on several big names who flew off the market early in Monday’s legal-tampering period of free agency. But the organization prioritized retention — a notable departure from head coach Sean Payton’s comments at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, when he acknowledged that Denver “won a lot of games by one score or less” and rattled off a list of areas that needed improvement.

“I think that����ap the only way to look at it, relative to this team writing its own chapter,” Payton said then.

Thus far, Denver appears to be trying to re-write its 2025 chapter in a different font. The Broncos re-upped with inside linebacker Alex Singleton and running back J.K. Dobbins Monday to continue a run of re-signings, and didn’t agree to terms with a single external free agent. The club did create $6 million in cap room by cutting oft-injured ILB Dre Greenlaw, however — and the Broncos head into Day 2 of free agency poised to still add some impact pieces.

Running backs Kenneth Walker III, Travis Etienne Jr. and Tyler Allgeier are off the market, as are pass-catchers Alec Pierce, Wan’dale Robinson and Cade Otton. There are still plenty of gems left to be mined. Here’s a rundown of 5 potential Broncos-specific fits left on the market.

Romeo Doubs, WR

Denver didn’t poke around much on Doubs early on Monday, but the organization has interest in the former Packers receiver, as an NFL source previously told The Denver Post. The 25-year-old Doubs isn’t a high-upside play in the WR market, but he has many of the traits of a Payton-favored wideout: 6-foot-2, a good blocker, good red-zone production (18 receiving touchdowns in the last three years).

A potential issue here, however, is that Doubs overlaps similarly in profile to ascending second-year wideout Pat Bryant. If Denver is comfortable with their Courtland Sutton-Troy Franklin-Bryant-Marvin Mims quadrant as their top four receivers entering 2026, there’s little reason for them to pay up for Doubs.

Kaden Elliss, ILB

Would the Broncos spend top dollar — likely between $15 and $17 million annually — on Jaguars All-Pro linebacker Devin Lloyd after re-signing Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad? Probably not. Now, could they still get in on a starting-level linebacker to compete with Strnad and fill out a room thinned by the Greenlaw cut? Absolutely.

One tie is obvious here, as former Falcons linebacker Elliss is brothers with Broncos outside linebacker Jonah Elliss. Elliss also was drafted by Sean Payton in New Orleans in 2019, and spent three years as a special-teamer before blossoming as an off-ball linebacker in 2022. He’s a dynamic run-stopper who’s also a menace on inside-linebacker blitzes, with 3.5 sacks and 10 quarterback hits in 2025. That could be music to the ears of defensive coordinator Vance Joseph.

Dallas Goedert, TE

Denver, still, has the resources to upgrade at tight end, even after re-signing blocking specialists Adam Trautman and Nate Adkins. The Broncos clearly need a piece in the room who can either stay on the field in rotating personnel groupings and complement Evan Engram as a receiver, or supplant Engram if Denver chooses to move on from the veteran and save roughly $3.8 million in cap room.

This would likely be a high-upside swing on a short-term deal, as the 31-year-old Goedert isn’t getting any younger. But the Super Bowl champion was still an integral piece of Philadelphia’s passing game in 2025, catching 60 balls for 591 yards and a career-best 11 touchdowns. He’s declined as a run-blocker since his younger years with the Eagles, as Pro Football Focus grades indicate, but no tight end left on the market boasts Goedert’s all-around resume and red-zone ability. He’d fit a clear need for Denver.

Andrew Wingard, S

Here’s a native of Arvada, a Wyoming graduate, and a former undrafted free-agent grinder who could easily step in as Denver’s third safety in 2026. It’s likely that reserve P.J. Locke hits the open market after six seasons in Denver, and several NFL sources have told The Post across the last week that the Broncos would be in the market for a safety.

Denver could easily nab Wingard at third-safety value and receive a piece who could start in a pinch or even push Brandon Jones at free safety during training camp. His numbers in coverage were solid in 2025 — a 61% catch rate and 89.2 passer rating allowed when targeted, according to NFL’s Next Gen Stats — and Wingard would also bring special-teams value after seven seasons as a depth safety in Jacksonville.

Logan Hall, DE

The John Franklin-Myers era is over in Denver, leaving the Broncos with a gaping hole at defensive end next to Zach Allen. Denver could easily look to fill the departed Franklin-Myers’ shoes with a combination of reserve Eyioma Uwazurike, rookie Sai’vion Jones and key defensive tackle Malcolm Roach — or look back to the market for a bargain body to add to the room.

The 6-foot-6, 275-pound Hall would be one of the Broncos’ best options if they turned to free agency here, a 2022 second-round pick with a similar frame to Franklin-Myers and similar versatility to line up inside or on the edge. He finished with just 1.5 sacks in 17 games in 2025, but recorded six quarterback hurries. Hall would offer another skilled, young body in the room at a reasonable price.

“It’s past the point of like, getting the league to notice,” Franklin-Myers told The Denver Post in early September. “Now it����ap just like, I’m going to make it undoubtable, you know? And I’m just — I’m going to do what I know I can do, but I’ma play harder than I have because I know I can.

“And shoot, I owe it to this team, owe it to my teammates, fans, my family, you know what I’m saying?”

Broncos NFL free agency 2026 tracker: J.K. Dobbins is back and JFM is gone

He, indeed, made his value undeniable in 2025, with a career-best 7.5 sacks in 16 games for the Broncos. And Franklin-Myers is now headed for a monster payday elsewhere, signing a three-year deal worth a total of $63 million with Tennessee, a source confirmed to The Post on Monday.

Denver ultimately never put an offer in front of Franklin-Myers, after sensing his value would inflate too high beyond the front office's price point. In the past year, the Broncos have signed nose tackle D.J. Jones, outside linebacker Nik Bonitto, defensive end Zach Allen, and defensive tackle Malcolm Roach to long-term deals. Allen was the highest priority in the summer of 2025, followed by Bonitto; Roach is a high-quality reserve who ultimately signed for less than half of what Franklin-Myers commanded in free agency.

Even as nearly every impact name in the room around him received a nice handout from the Walton-Penner ownership group, Franklin-Myers continued to remain gracious to Denver and never careened around in public with his demands for a new contract.

“Man, I don’t care, shoot," Franklin-Myers told reporters after the Broncos' season ended in January. "I mean, I’m so happy for these dudes, and they changed they lives — they changed their family’s life. And these people work hard, as hard as I’ve ever seen in my life. And man, anybody that gets that opportunity to change their life, I can’t be mad at.

"When my time comes, it comes," Franklin-Myers said, a few words later. "And man, I’m happy. I’m happy to be here. I was happy to be able to play football for the Broncos this year. And we’ll see what happens.”

His time has come in Tennessee, now, where the 29-year-old Franklin-Myers will join the same team his contract year began against. The Titans' writing was on the wall, really, since former Jets defensive line coach Aaron Whitecotton was hired by the Titans before the 2025 season; Whitecotton coached Franklin-Myers for three years in New York, and made clear in an August conversation with The Post that he still loved Franklin-Myers.

Tennessee also traded for Franklin-Myers' former Jets teammate Jermaine Johnson a week ago, and Johnson's set about not-so-subtly recruiting Franklin-Myers on Twitter since. Johnson, in fact, called Franklin-Myers during the week of the NFL Combine -- on the very same day he was traded.

The 29-year-old Franklin-Myers was a key contributor to the Broncos' NFL-best pass rush in 2024 and 2025, racking up a total of 14.5 sacks and 33 quarterback hits across his two years in Denver. He had a "low-key telepathic" connection on the interior with Allen, as rookie Jordan Miller told The Post at one point last season. And he served as a mentor for Denver's 2025 third-round pick Sai'vion Jones, even with Jones likely in a position to compete for Franklin-Myers' vacant job come 2026.

"It just shows his character,” Jones told The Post. “To me, it����ap clear what he values. He doesn’t value football more than his teammates."

With Franklin-Myers now gone, the attention invariably turns to Jones, who will become a key part of Denver's 2026 plans. The Broncos need either Jones or reserve Eyioma Uwazurike to assert themselves come training camp; it's possible Roach also gets more rotational looks in a by-committee approach. Denver, too, could look to bring another cheap veteran piece in the room in free agency.

Broncos land two comp picks.��Mr. Irrelevant in the 2026 draft may just don Broncos colors.

Denver on Monday was officially awarded two compensatory seventh-round picks by the NFL and they're the final two selections of the draft.

The pair of picks is due to the Broncos losing more players in free agency than they gained last spring.

Denver is expected to add the picks. Now they are finalized: Nos. 256 and 257 overall in the 2026 draft. The Broncos have nine overall selections now, beginning with No. 30 near the end of the first round.

The Broncos are currently in line for a likely fourth-round comp pick in 2027 for losing Franklin-Myers, though a major free agency signing could cancel that out should Denver make one.

Adkins near minimum.��The Broncos' one-year deal with tight end Nate Adkins, agreed to Sunday, is for $1.635 million total, according to OvertheCap data. That breaks down as follows: $1.165 million base salary, just above league minimum, a $300,000 signing bonus and $170,000 in per-game roster bonuses. Adkins will count $1.555 million against Denver's 2026 cap.

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.

There is always some refurbishing and refreshing to do, however.

Head coach Sean Payton and general manager George Paton, in the past month, have each expressed confidence in Denver’s roster and also acknowledged that there are areas in need of upgrade.

The Broncos must find more offensive playmaking. They must fill some gaps at linebacker, running back and tight end.

That quest starts in earnest this week, as Denver considers whether to push to retain any of its impending free agents and then hits the legal tampering period with all free agents beginning Monday.

As an organization, the Broncos boast the best salary cap health they’ve had in years. Russell Wilson is finally, officially off their books when the 2026 league year begins on March 11.

Denver as of Thursday sports just $1.2 million in dead salary cap, the third-lowest mark in the NFL after Chicago traded receiver D.J. Moore to Buffalo.

Payton pointed to that reality after the season when asked about Denver’s ability to improve this offseason.

“If I said I’m going to give you $50,000 to decorate your home or $200,000, your home’s going to look nicer, I think, if you’re a decent shopper, if you have more money.

“The same takes place with our sport.”

Denver’s basically debt-free, but the club has also already spent some of its decorating money.

In fact, last year the Broncos went into free agency with about $40 million in cap space. They could do so again this season by moving money around, restructuring a couple of contracts and perhaps cutting a player or two — some of that kind of work is expected in the coming days — but at the moment they’re sitting at around $21 million in space, according to OvertheCap data.

The Broncos have been on a big run over the past 18 months, rewarding 10 of their own players with long-term deals. They got a jump on free agency, in a way, over their bye week last fall by getting deals done with a trio of impending free agents in C Luke Wattenberg, DL Malcolm Roach and K Wil Lutz.

“Just think if we didn’t get those guys wrapped up, what we’d be facing,” Paton said last month at the NFL Combine. “Every offseason is a little bit of, ‘Wow, how are we going to feed…’ But if we didn’t have all those guys done, just think of how much more daunting the offseason would be. It����ap really important to get ahead of it.”

Then Denver used another $5.8 million in space to place a second-round restricted free agency tender on nickel Ja’Quan McMillian, though that number would change if Denver works out a long-term deal with him in the coming months. The Broncos also agreed to a two-year, $9.5 million deal with Alex Palczewski on Thursday and they’ll need about $4 million in space for their draft class next month, based on their current selections.

With those numbers in mind, here is a non-exhaustive list of players the Broncos could look to if they’re trying to create more cap space.

Cut/restructure candidates

OL Ben Powers

ILB Dre Greenlaw

Greenlaw signed a three-year deal last spring, but it was essentially one year, $11.5 million and we’ll see. Now, we’re about to see. Greenlaw played well when he was on the field, but staying on the field was an issue. Cutting the linebacker would save $6 million on the cap and incur $4.33 million in dead cap. It����ap really just a matter of if the Broncos want him back on the roster in 2026.

TE Evan Engram

Engram’s deal was a two-year pact last spring, but it came with stronger guarantees than Greenlaw’s. Cutting the veteran would save $3.8 million on the cap but incur $10.33 million in dead cap. Certainly not impossible for Denver to swallow, but it also doesn’t make much sense unless the Broncos really think his skills are diminished or they have a ready-made replacement. At the moment, they do not.

OL Matt Peart

A fairly straightforward one here. Peart was signed last spring as a swing tackle, but Palczewski and Frank Crum both showed signs of promise during the season after Peart tore his MCL in Week 6 in London. Denver can save $3.225 million and take $750,000 in dead cap by releasing him.

Extension candidates

S Brandon Jones

Jones is entering the final of a three-year, $20 million deal that����ap been a bargain for the Broncos. He did miss the stretch run of the regular season and the playoffs with a torn pectoral, but he’s been a high-quality player for Denver. Jones carries a $9.243 cap number into 2026, which could be dropped substantially with an extension. If the Broncos want to explore other safety options on the market or think they’ve seen Jones’ best ball, they could save $7.41 million and take $1.83 million dead by cutting him.

WR Marvin Mims

Mims is entering the final year of his rookie deal and carries a $6.12 million cap number. That����ap not huge, obviously, but an extension would likely bring it down some. Payton’s talked about finding more touches for Mims, but part of the challenge in an extension is the sides agreeing on appropriate value given Mims’ on-again, off-again usage so far and his terrific return ability. Perhaps a mid-season revisit makes more sense.

Hold the line

RT Mike McGlinchey

The Broncos have Palczewski under contract for two years after Thursday’s agreement, but they’re not likely to cut McGlinchey and incur $15.325 million in dead cap along with $8.45 million in cap savings. Especially after McGlinchey played arguably his best football in 2025. In fact, a short extension might feel tempting because of the quality of play and the potential to lop $10 million or more off the 2026 cap. The prudent move, though, is to get through the upcoming season with McGlinchey at his current, team-high $23.775 million cap charge and decide what the future at right tackle looks like from there.