Taysom Hill, a Sean Payton favorite when the two were in New Orleans together, announced this past Wednesday that he was leaving the Saints. The longtime quarterback-tight-end-special-teams-gadget-dude

The football wonks up in the Grading The Week offices are hoping, and not all that quietly, that the 6-foot-2, 221-pound former BYU star would consider a short-term deal here. And that the Broncos will do the same for the veteran utility banger.

As Payton/George Paton moves go, finding a place for Hill in orange and blue just makes sense. Almost too much sense, when you think about it.

Yes, Hill will turn 36 next month. Yes, he hasn’t played on at least 300 combined offense/special teams snaps since 2023. Yes, he hasn’t attempted more than 11 passes since 2022.

You know what we say to that?

Nix the overthinking, my friend.

Taysom Hill to Broncos Ìý— B

As this past January reminded us, the most important, critical, almost spinal thread toward a march to the Super Bowl in 2026-27 is a.) playing in postseason games; and b.) having Nix healthy and rarin’ to go for those playoff tilts.

Taysom, even at 36, could become one of Bo’s best friends.

What could the Broncos use on the fringes right now, at least on paper?

• A different, more athletic, option at backup QB. That’s Hill.
• More proven, reliable, short-yardage options at tight end. Also Hill.
• A veteran presence who knows Payton and can help smooth over the coach’s more well-known, shall we say, rough edges during times of crisis. Especially on game days. Sound like anybody we know?

Again, it’s about Bo. What if, instead of always leaning on Nix as a runner on critical short-yardage situations, you could take No. 10 out from time to time and use Hill as a “tush push” weapon on third or fourth down? Or at the goal line, where Nix’s ankle would also be routinely tested?

Or, if you want to keep the element of surprise, why not line up with both quarterbacks on short yardage, and make the defense have to choose who’s getting the ball? Given Payton’s mad-scientist proclivities and game-planning creativity, the sky’s the limit. Any coach that could get Frank Crum in the end zone in a postseason game could find fun ways to use Hill in a pinch.

Nix accounted for 25 rushing first downs on 83 attempts last fall, a ratio of 30.1%. Hill sported a first-down ratio of 30.8% in 2025, and a 46.1% first-down ratio the season prior to that. Save those legs, man. Save those ankles.

We’ll grant you this: The same caveat applies to shoehorning Hill onto the Broncos as it does to trying to bring back, say, Von Miller — with a roster this sound, at least at the start of training camp, how often would he actually, seriously, play? Whom would you cut to make room? And, true, something might have to go very wrong over the next few weeks for an obvious roster spot to open up.

But by the same token, it’s not as if the Broncos can’t afford him, either. According to OverTheCap.com, as of Friday afternoon, the law firm of Payton & Paton had $29.5 million in cap room to work with, ninth-most of any NFL franchise.

And unlike the Vonster, Hill has been used as a spot/situational player for years. He knows his role. Knows the drill. He also comes to Dove Valley with a comparatively clean slate locally.

What do you give a team that has, presumably, everything? A player that can do just about anything might be the final X-factor that pushes the Broncos over the AFC pile and into a Super Bowl berth down in Inglewood, Calif. next February.

Joker’s horses riding high — A

A belated toast to Delicious Gar, the horse owned by Nuggets icon Nikola Jokic The hoops guys on the GTW crew just hope the Nuggets, and new assistant coach Dave Joerger, can make the Joker as happy next spring as his horses do now.

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This week, Broncos quarterback Bo Nix placed 18th in ESPN’s , compiled from anonymous conversations with various NFL staffers. Indicative, certainly, of league-wide belief that Nix has steps to take entering Year 3: he did finish 26th of 33 qualified quarterbacks in passer rating (87.8) and 28th in yards-per-attempt (6.4) last year, after all. But the mid-tier placement given Nix’s league-leading seven game-winning drives in 2025 and playoff win over Bills star Josh Allen.

Was such a ranking fair? Who knows. Probably a bit low. But we here at The Post are not here to speculate about league-wide hot takes; weÌý³ó²¹±¹±ðÌýdecided to speculate, though, about Broncos-specific hot takes that have been simmering in the back of our minds for an offseason since Denver fell to New England in last year’s AFC Championship.

With that in mind, Broncos beat reporters Parker Gabriel and Luca Evans have assembled individual lists of five sizzling predictions for Denver’s 2026 season (plus one completely off-the-wall take), a couple of short weeks removed from the start of training camp. Time for our own slightly informed think-piece. Let’s dive in.

Disclaimer: We are in no way advocating for these to come true or rooting for these predictions to take place. These are solely opinions and should be viewed as such.

Parker Gabriel’s takes

No. 1. I am less confident in the Broncos making the postseason this year than I was at this time last year.

To be clear, I think the Broncos will make the playoffs and will be surprised if they don’t. But the first-place schedule is no joke. The opening six games are brutal. The stretch run is no joke. Denver has been largely healthy in the regular season since Payton arrived. The changes on defense in both personnel and staff might be a bit underrated. Plus, when a team is so good in one-score games one year, there’s natural wonder about regression the next year. Plus, Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow and Lamar Jackson didn’t make the playoff field last year. Teams will beat up on each other, but 10-7 isn’t a sure ticket to the playoffs this fall in the AFC.

No. 2. Que Robinson will finish second on the team in sacks

Part of this, naturally, is because of the uncertainty around Jonathon Cooper’s future as he faces a felony assault charge stemming from June’s domestic violence-related incidents with his former girlfriend. Part of it, though, is because Robinson looks like a true breakout candidate going into his second season. Could Jonah Elliss get to 10 sacks with more playing time? Sure. Might Zach Allen set a new career-high and flirt with double digits? Certainly possible. But Robinson’s explosiveness and his ability to play in any down-and-distance situation make him an intriguing candidate behind clear team sack leader Nik Bonitto.

No. 3. The Broncos won’t trade a player who is slated to have a substantial role this summer, but they should

Nearly every move Denver has made this offseason has been about winning this fall. Certainly, they’ve done some long-range planning in how they structured contract extensions and they opted to let John Franklin-Myers walk even though technically they could have afforded to keep him, but by and large this looks like a team that¶¶Òõap putting a lot of chips in right now. Makes sense with Bo Nix still on his rookie contract. We also know depth is paramount as seasons grind on. Still, if the Broncos are relatively healthy by the middle of training camp, there’s a decent chance somebody else around the league will want somebody on Denver’s roster. Is that Ben Powers? Riley Moss? Troy Franklin? Jarrett Stidham? The Broncos profited nicely by trading Devaughn Vele last summer. They can afford to do something similar this summer if a team comes calling in a similar fashion, and it’d be good business for the future.

No. 4. The next Broncos assistant to get a head coaching interview is Evan Rothstein and it will happen this winterÌý

Three Broncos assistant coaches got head coaching interviews this winter: Webb, Joseph and special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi, so they’re off the board. Rothstein isn’t an on-field coordinator like those three — his title is director of game management and assistant QB coach — but Payton holds him in extremely high regard. He’s instrumental in the building, even if he doesn’t get a ton of public mention by Broncos coaches and staffers. He’ll get some head-coaching buzz and will be a sneaky offensive-coordinator candidate in Denver if Webb gets a head-coaching job.

No. 5. Sam Ehlinger will win the No. 2 quarterback job in training campÌý

Stidham has been the No. 2 for each of the past three years and is the favorite to win that job again. Webb, though, was really high on Ehlinger as a free agent last spring and the former Colt and Texas Longhorn impressed coaches in his first season with the Broncos. Let¶¶Òõap say they’re about even through training camp. Do Payton and Webb carry on with the status quo? Or might a bit of a shakeup — with the possibility that Ehlinger’s mobility might be appealing in a short stint relieving Nix — be in order? In this situation, the Broncos probably keep all three on the 53 unless a trade partner materializes for Stiddy.

And one (crazy) extra: If the Broncos win the Super Bowl, Sean Payton will publicly muse about retirement but find the allure of a potential dynasty too much to pass up

One of the more hilarious nuggets in Seth Wickersham’s opus on the Broncos’ postseason run was Payton saying he wants to outlast NFL commissioner Roger Goodell by at least a year, essentially just so he could say he did. But if Denver wins a Super Bowl, Payton will have little left to prove. His Hall of Fame bona fides will be beyond doubt. There would be a post-Super Bowl Sean McVay-esque ‘will he or won’t he’ period fueled by Payton himself. Ultimately, though, the bet here is he’d decide he was about to win three more in the next four years.

Luca Evans’ takes

No. 1. The Broncos start the season 0-3, Myles Garrett sacks Bo Nix at least twice in Week 3, Sean Payton slowly inserts himself back into play-calling duties, and the Webb-Payton hybrid brain trust rides to a top-10 offensive finish.

Is the 31-year-old Davis Webb built to handle the natural ups and downs of his first full NFL season as a play-caller? Yes, if you ask him. Will the notoriously hyperactive 62-year-old Payton give him the full leeway to work through the bumps, in literally the first time Payton has ever given up play-calling? Hard to see. I keep thinking back to a text I sent former Saints running back Deuce McAllister in February before Webb was officially given the keys, on whether he could actually see Payton making the move.

“Hey Luca nice to meet you,” McAllister wrote back. “Sean’s not giving up play calling.”

Of course, Payton did. That text was still indicative of how tightly the coach has gripped his offense over the years, as central to not only his NFL identity but his identity as a person at large. Payton’s Broncos teams have started the season 0-3, 1-2 and 1-2 in his Denver tenure; these Broncos will now face a healthy Patrick Mahomes at Arrowhead on “Monday Night Football” to start the year, then come home to play a Jacksonville team that outplayed them last season, then play the arguable Super Bowl favorites in the Los Angeles Rams.

In this scenario, I think Payton quietly maneuvers for more play-calling influence after an early-season slump, a combination of tough love and natural acclimation steadies the ship, and a Webb-Payton hybrid attack puts the Broncos back in the playoffs as a middle-ish AFC seed.

No. 2. The Broncos trade Riley Moss by November’s trade deadline, and maybe sooner.

Moss has a near-perfect demeanor as Denver’s CB2 opposite Pat Surtain. But there is a wide set of factors working against his long-term staying power in Denver. Firstly, he’s a proven, productive cornerback who could hit free agency after 2026 and earn a few million more than the Broncos would be willing to pay him. Secondly, the Broncos may need to pick between an extension for him or nickel Ja’Quan McMillian, who’s arguably more valuable to coordinator Vance Joseph’s defensive system. Thirdly, the Broncos have 2025 first-round pick Jahdae Barron now likely set to compete with Moss at outside cornerback come training camp.

The Broncos are in a tricky spot here. If they start Moss, first-round pick Barron would likely play a reserve, situational role for the second year in a row. If they bench Moss, he will naturally lose trade value over the course of the year. The most logical option for the front office would be to either start Moss with the idea of moving him closer to the deadline or trade him sometime before the start of 2026.

No. 3. Rookie running back Jonah Coleman catches 40-plus passes in 2026.Ìý

This isn’t really that hot of a take. Third-string back Tyler Badie saw 31 targets last season, and Coleman will likely play more than Badie did. He caught a bunch of passes during the Broncos’ summer program and had 31 catches for 354 yards in 12 games at Washington last year. And despite the heavy involvement of RJ Harvey, Payton’s offenses have long featured two running backs in the passing game: think Pierre Thomas and Darren Sproles in 2013 (77 and 71 catches, respectively).

No. 4.ÌýQue Robinson racks up at least eight sacks.Ìý

Robinson is a high-upside pass-rusher who took time to develop as a rookie and finished with 1.5 sacks combined across the regular season and playoffs. There’s direct precedent here with the name ahead of Robinson on Denver’s depth chart: Nik Bonitto, a high-upside pass-rusher who took time to develop as a rookie and jumped from 1.5 sacks to eight in his second NFL season.

The Broncos already wanted to create more snaps for Robinson in 2026, and now face an uncertain situation at OLB, as starter Jonathon Cooper is facing a felony assault charge in Douglas County District Court that could lead to league discipline. Regardless of how Cooper’s legal process plays out, Robinson will see the field more in his second season and is poised to capitalize on snaps playing alongside Zach Allen and Denver’s interior pass-rushers.

No. 5. Payton convinces Taysom Hill to come out of semi-retirement midseason.Ìý

Payton loves his guys. Hill, a quarterback-turned-²õ´Ç³¾±ð³Ù³ó¾±²Ô²µÌýwho played a key part in Payton’s offenses late in his time in New Orleans, is one of his guys. He is also currently unsigned, and his NFL career might be over at 35 years old after a season averaging 3.3 yards per offensive touch with the Saints.

At least one interesting name seems to find its way into Payton’s locker room every season with depth necessities, though. Remember Marcedes Lewis last year? I have no idea what role Hill would play, or if he’d even get a snap in 2026. I’m just thinking it’ll happen.

And one crazy extra: Frank Crum accounts for at least three offensive touchdowns.

The world changed on Jan. 17, 2026, the day that reserve tackle Frank Crum became an eligible receiver. Crum’s goal-line touchdown in the Broncos’ wild-card win over the Bills was lost in the immediate emotion of Bo Nix’s season-ending injury, but should not be forgotten.

Payton loves gadget players, and the 6-foot-7-plus Crum is agile and versatile enough to legitimately handle a handful of short-yardage touches. Plus, longtime Payton ally John Morton gave him the idea for that Crum play, and Morton is now back permanently on staff. The cards are perfectly aligned for some Crum-mania.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Let’s try anyway.

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

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

Here’s the breakdown.

The picks

Day 2, Friday:ÌýNo. 62 (second round)

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

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

The needs, in order of importance

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

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

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

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

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

The sinister six

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

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

DT Caleb Banks, Florida

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

OT Travis Burke, Memphis

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

LB Kyle Louis, Pittsburgh

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

G Emmanuel Pregnon, Oregon

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

TE Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt

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

RB Mike Washington Jr., Arkansas

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

The top-30 visits

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

ILB Kaleb Elarms-Orr, TCU:Ìý4.47-second 40-yard dash, 40-inch vertical jump at 234 pounds. Phew. A potential fourth-round difference-maker.

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

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

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

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

DT Christen Miller, Georgia:Ìý321-pound nose tackle who can be a consistent presence in the middle of an NFL defensive line. Might not be there at 62.

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

G Emmanuel Pregnon, Oregon:Ìý24-year-old strongman who could be an instant starter, but probably won’t land in Denver.

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

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

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

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

The runners

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

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

Jadarian Price, Notre Dame

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

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

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

Emmett Johnson, Nebraska

Likely draft slot:Ìý3rd-to-4th round

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

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

Demond Claiborne, Wake Forest

Likely draft slot:ÌýDay 3

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

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

Kaytron Allen, Penn State

Likely draft slot:ÌýDay 3

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

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

The nuts and bolts

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

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

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

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

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

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

Under contract: Bo Nix, Jarrett Stidham, Ehlinger

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

Top Five

Fernando Mendoza, Indiana

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

Ty Simpson, Alabama

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

Garrett Nussmeier, LSU

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

Carson Beck, Miami

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

Drew Allar, Penn State

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

Broncos options

Cole Payton, North Dakota State

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

Luke Altmyer, Illinois

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

Athan Kaliakmanis, Rutgers

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

Jack Strand, MSU Moorehead

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

Taylen Green, Arkansas

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

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.ÌýWashington 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.ÌýTrigg 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:ÌýNobody. 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.ÌýAt 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:ÌýTE Oscar Delp, Georgia.ÌýDelp 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.

He’s not the group’s best player — that¶¶Òõap fellow cornerback Pat Surtain II — nor does he relay the calls from coordinator Vance Joseph. Nonetheless, the Broncos’ nickel is in the middle of just about everything.

He’s responsible for the communication between the middle of the field and the perimeter. The way the secondary handles motion, bunched and stacked formations and more runs through him.

That¶¶Òõap just before the snap. In 2025, he built on his knack as one of the group’s best playmakers, accumulating four sacks, five tackles for a loss and making the biggest play of the Broncos’ season with a diving interception of Josh Allen in overtime of Denver’s 33-30 divisional round win over Buffalo.

“You’ll go five, 10 years before you see a turnover like that one,� head coach Sean Payton said that night.

McMillian, somewhat quietly, is also at the center of the Broncos’ offseason decision-making process.

Undrafted in 2022, McMillian won’t hit the open market, but he is a restricted free agent.

That puts Denver in a strong position to keep him, but also means McMillian is set for a major raise and perhaps a top-of-the-market extension.

“Best in the world,� Denver inside linebacker Alex Singleton, himself an impending free agent, said after McMillian’s game-saving pick against the Bills. “Someone should pay that dude $16 million a year and it still won’t be enough. He’s the best nickel in the world.�

Singleton would be a good agent. Though nickel has become a premium position in the NFL, the top of the market at the position is currently around $13 million per season. Some hybrid players check in between $14-18 million and from there it’s the upper echelon of the cornerback market— Surtain territory.

The Broncos have essentially three options: They can try to work out an extension before free agency begins, they can put a restricted free agent tender on McMillian — then either let him play at that number or continue working on extension — or they can trade him.

“He’s a proven guy, he’s come in and he’s battled through,” Gilmore said. “They’ve drafted people over him and he’s never complained. He’s embraced the challenge and risen. … He loves it there. It’s a great fit. It’s all stuff that we all know.”

There are four RFA tenders: first round, second round, original round and right of first refusal. Since McMillian went undrafted, the original round is out of the equation. Right of first refusal makes little sense because it would allow other teams to do the negotiating with McMillian without the potential cost of having to part with draft capital.

The RFA tender amounts will be finalized once the NFL’s official salary cap for 2026 is set in the coming weeks, but OvertheCap currently projects the second-round tender at $5.81 million and a first-round tender at $8.11 million. Other teams can try to sign a player who has been given a first or second-round tender, but Denver would have the right to match contract terms or opt not to match and take the commensurate draft pick from the signing team.

It¶¶Òõap become uncommon for players to receive and actually play on a first-round tender, though Payton and New Orleans gave Taysom Hill one in 2020 ahead of free agency before eventually working out an extension with him in April of that year.

Broncos GM George Paton wouldn’t say exactly what the Broncos’ plan for McMillian was during his postseason news conference, but he raved about the defensive back’s growth.

“I remember his first year, we started him outside against the Chargers in the last game of the year,� Paton said last month. “And I’m just like, ‘Oh man, he’s 5-9, he’s going to play outside against his receivers.’ He played a great game, and you’re like, ‘Wow, maybe we have something here.’ Then he’s just gotten better, in the run game, pass game.

“We’re going to work through that as a staff in that (roster) deep dive and kind of go through that and just keep that in-house.�

Joseph has talked extensively about McMillian’s importance to Denver’s defense — he said last month that McMillian is at his best when “things are hard and dark� — and teammates have similarly high opinions. Safety Talanoa Hufanga knew some about McMillian before arriving in Denver last spring and thought, “this guy is good, he can play, he’s a dog.�

Then he got to Denver and saw McMillian up close and personal.

“I kid you not, I’m not even joking, OTAs to training camp — even before the season started — I’m like, ‘why is this guy not talked about enough?’â€� Hufanga said after the season. “This dude went undrafted? I just started putting all these pieces together and next thing you know, you see this dude come up with big plays over and over again. To see how he works, when he steps on the field, there’s nobody that can beat him. For a guy that¶¶Òõap a little undersized as a nickel, to see the heart he has … J-Mac is definitely a top guy in our room.â€�

What happens with McMillian ultimately will have a ripple effect for the Broncos.

Denver has 2025 first-round pick Jahdae Barron, whom Payton sees first as a nickel but with the flex to play outside or even safety. Riley Moss, meanwhile, is entering the final year of his rookie contract in 2026 and reserve Kris Abrams-Draine has two years left on his rookie deal.

McMillian will likely be the first in a sequence of decisions that could all play out this spring or could unfold over the next 12 months.

Will Denver allow a team to tempt it with draft pick compensation? Or will the Broncos work to get a long-term deal done in the coming weeks with a player who has turned himself from a plucky undrafted defensive back to one of the best nickels in football?

“No one has called plays for Sean Payton in 18 years. Just knowing him over a few months, is that a move —”

“That’s not happening,” Sherfield interjected Monday night.

The former Broncos receiver then broke into a chuckle, knowing quite well the discussion that’s swirling around Denver.

“I don’t think so,” Sherfield continued. “I don’t think so. I’m putting my money on that — ain’t no way he’s giving up play-calling duties.”

The 62-year-old Payton will face a true crossroads once returning from offseason vacation, after the Broncos successfully convinced fast-rising offensive mind Davis Webb to stay on as the team’s new offensive coordinator. A source told The Denver Post after Webb’s official hire on Monday that Payton had made no official decision on passing off play-calling, and that there wasn’t any specific language in Webb’s contract that stipulated he’d actually take up those duties.

It would make little sense, ultimately, for Webb to pass on legitimate OC interest elsewhere — Baltimore and New York, for two — to be relegated to simple operational duties and a title change under Payton in 2026. But Webb’s direct level of involvement is still wholly unclear. And Denver now marches head-on into the offseason, coming off a year of inconsistent offense that resulted in the firing of previous offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi.

And more importantly, why or why not?

‘Sean’s show’

Deuce McAllister answered the question within exactly one minute of being sent a text and within the span of two sentences.

“Hey … nice to meet you,” McAllister texted The Post Tuesday. “Sean’s not giving up play-calling.”

McAllister was the Saints’ bell-cow running back in Payton’s first season as a head coach in 2006, and he remained in New Orleans’ backfield next to Reggie Bush for two more seasons. In 2018, he joined New Orleans’ FOX affiliate as a Saints analyst, has stayed in touch with several Payton staffers, and has golfed with the man himself in the offseason. McAllister said now-Bills head coach Joe Brady — a late-20s offensive assistant with Payton in New Orleans from 2017-18 — brought in great offensive ideas. So did now-Bears offensive coordinator Declan Doyle, a mid-20s offensive assistant with Payton in his final seasons in New Orleans and then the Broncos’ tight ends coach in his first two years in Denver.

“But,” McAllister told The Post over the phone, “it was still Sean’s show. And I think that’ll be the same thing (with Davis).”

That being said, Payton would often pass off specific situational duties to different areas of his offensive staff in New Orleans. McAllister noted that Webb could have an increased role as a play-designer — bringing Payton a list of concepts he liked on first down, for example.

But Payton will have the ultimate sign-off, McAllister said.

“I mean, Sean’s not physically playing, but he’s still a competitor,” McAllister said. “And he knows the buck’s going to fall with him.â€�

‘Even the mad geniuses need some idea guys’

Jason Garrett widened his eyes and opted for diplomacy.

“Well, I hope he doesn’t,” Garrett said Tuesday, at a roundtable in San Francisco for Super Bowl week. “Because he’s a great play-caller. He’s one of the best play-callers of his generation in the NFL. And he’s done such an amazing job in Denver, in New Orleans before that.”

Garrett, the former Cowboys head coach, was a backup quarterback with the New York Giants for three years in the early 2000s, where Payton was the offensive coordinator. In 2002, then-head coach Jim Fassel stripped Payton of play-calling duties midseason. It was the last time Payton rid himself of a call sheet — by his choice or someone else’s.

“If he chooses not to do it anymore,” Garrett said, “it just should be because he’s wanting to pass the torch. Because whoever does it, those are big shoes to fill.â€�

Elsewhere in the same room, NBC analyst Chris Simms, a former quarterback for several years under Payton associate Jon Gruden, echoed Garrett’s sentiment. With a considerably stronger reverb.

“No way,” Simms said. “No way.”

Similar to McAllister, though, Simms noted that Webb could form a sort of mind-meld with Payton. In studying tape throughout 2025, Simms told The Post he felt Payton’s 14th-ranked offense — normally rife with gadgets — was “rather basic” in 2025.

“I feel like Lombardi was very basic West Coast offense,” Simms said. “I think Davis Webb is going to have more ideas to throw into the pot of stew for Sean Payton, and more concepts, and a little more creative that way.

“And I think that¶¶Òõap probably what Sean’s looking for,” Simms added. “Sean’s a mad genius. But even the mad geniuses need some idea guys behind the scenes, right?”

A big maybe

Lance Moore took a completely different stance.

“He’s super smart, but not one of those people that thinks it always needs to be about him,” Moore texted The Post on Payton Tuesday. “If he sees there’s an opportunity for them to be better, then it would make total sense to me that he’d make that change.â€�

Moore was one of Payton’s key receivers in New Orleans from 2006 to 2013, there to witness the full journey of Payton truly clicking with his scheme and with quarterback Drew Brees beginning in 2009. In many ways, Payton has cycled through several evolutions since: incorporating more run-pass option concepts with gadget extraordinaire Taysom Hill in Brees’ final seasons, pulling a 9-8 season out of four starting quarterbacks after Brees’ retirement in 2021, and trying to mold his attack for rookie Bo Nix and mold Nix into it in Denver.

Along the way, Payton always kept a contingency plan in his back pocket: he’d have longtime offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael Jr. call plays during the preseason over the years to “stay sharp,” as former Saints backup quarterback Luke McCown remembered. He did the same with Webb in August 2025, handing him the reins for a 27-7 preseason win over the Cardinals that rocketed Webb’s stock.

“I personally don’t see Sean giving it up full time,” McCown texted. “But giving the stage of his coaching career … maybe.”

What’s in a title?

Troy Franklin burst out laughing when told that Payton’s never once given up play-calling.

“Man, for me knowing Sean – I think Sean, if he trusts Davis to call the (expletive), he’s going to let him do it, for sure,” Franklin told The Post in San Francisco Thursday. “Most definitely. So that¶¶Òõap all I can say about that.â€�

He wasn’t playing coy. The second-year Broncos receiver quite honestly doesn’t know what’ll happen here: Payton hasn’t indicated to the larger roster whether or not Webb will call plays, as Franklin confirmed. The 31-year-old former quarterbacks coach, though, has the public endorsement and trust of almost every Bronco who’s spoken out.

“He has the (OC) title, so he’s going to have some type of say in the offense, for sure,” Franklin said.

There are two complete worlds within that statement, though: one where Payton finally takes his hands off the hilt, and one where Denver continues to live and die by his sword.

“We go back to the start of the race,” Payton said at his end-of-season press conference. “Every 32 teams have to go back and go meet their parents, eat their oranges and get ready to start again.”

“I’d say we’ll be opportunistically aggressive,” Penner said Wednesday.

Before free agency hits in March and the NFL Draft rolls around in April, the organization has plenty of in-house decisions to make with expiring contracts and coaching moves.

Here’s The Denver Post’s complete guide to a key offseason for these Broncos.

Who are the Broncos’ unrestricted free agents?

The Broncos have 11 players whose contracts have expired and are set to hit free agency. Here’s a rundown with age, stats, and intel on their chances of landing back in Denver or elsewhere.

DL John Franklin-Myers (29)

2025 stats: 16 games, 7.5 sacks, 15 QB hits, 25 tackles

Outlook:ÌýDenver has yet to approach Franklin-Myers on an extension, and doesn’t seem likely to start now. Franklin-Myers has anticipated since August that he’ll hit free agency and should be a top defensive-line option on the market. According to a source, Franklin-Myers’ camp is looking at the Miami Dolphins’ 2025 extension for Zach Sieler — three years, $64 million for a highly-productive 29-year-old defensive tackle — as a salary floor. The Broncos have already committed big money to their defensive line. Franklin-Myers is all but gone.

LB Alex Singleton (32)

2025 stats:Ìý16 games, 135 tackles, one sack, three tackles for loss

Outlook:ÌýThe NFL can be a cruel world. Singleton earned the Broncos’ 2025 Ed Block Courage Award — the team’s easiest decision of the season — after returning from a torn ACL in 2024 and then returning midseason from testicular cancer surgery. The veteran linebacker had arguably the best year of his career in 2025 and is still a downhill force in the run game and the play-caller of Denver’s defense. The Broncos, though, have yet to pay Singleton and could elect to bring in younger talent this offseason. This could depend if Vance Joseph is back as the defensive coordinator in 2026.

TE Adam Trautman (28)

2025 stats:Ìý17 games, 20 catches, 195 yards, one TD

Outlook:ÌýOne of Payton’s favorites here. Trautman has pretty much put up the same stats for six years since beginning his career with Payton in New Orleans in 2020. He wants to be back in Denver and fills a key and trusted role in Payton’s system as a blocker.

S P.J. Locke (28)

2025 stats:Ìý16 games, 16 tackles, 3 passes defended

Outlook:ÌýAfter serving as a backup most of the year, veteran Locke stepped back into a starting role and was invaluable once safety Brandon Jones went down in December. Across five starts at safety across the regular season and playoffs, he allowed just five catches in 17 targets as the nearest defender in coverage, according to Next Gen Stats. There’s no easy path to a starting job with Talanoa Hufanga and Jones returning, and Locke’s likely to hit the open market.

LB Justin Strnad (29)

2025 stats:Ìý16 games, 58 tackles, 4.5 sacks, eight QB hits

Outlook:ÌýStrnad established himself as possibly the best linebacker on the Broncos’ roster in filling in for both Dre Greenlaw and Alex Singleton across the 2025 season. After two years in spot-starter duty, he’s now fully committed to looking for a starting job somewhere, as he told The Post this week. Will that be in Denver, though? The Broncos will have to clear a path for him to keep him.

RB J.K. Dobbins (27)

2025 stats:Ìý10 games, 772 rushing yards, 5.0 yards per carry, four total touchdowns

Outlook:ÌýThe Broncos’ most important skill piece of 2025 nearly made it back in three months from a Lisfranc injury in November. The issue: the running back has played just 47 of a possible 101 regular-season games in his six-year career. Dobbins was an invaluable piece of the team’s locker room, and the Broncos could look to bring him back as a veteran presence despite injury concerns. He went into last year’s offseason trying to bide his time until a team needed him in training camp, and he seems poised for the same position this offseason.

FB Michael Burton (33)

2025 stats:ÌýN/A (hamstring injury)

Outlook:ÌýPayton’s trusty fullback signed back in 2025 but didn’t play a single game with a hamstring injury. Payton loyalists always have a place, but there’s no real reason for Denver to bring back Burton.

TE Marcedes Lewis (41)

2025 stats:Ìý5 games, no catches, no yards

Outlook:ÌýThe Big Dog first has to decide if he’ll even continue playing in 2026. The Broncos brought in Lewis for his blocking and locker-room presence in 2025, but Lewis won’t be any kind of priority this offseason.

WR Lil’Jordan Humphrey (27)

2025 stats:Ìý7 games, 9 catches, 101 yards, one touchdown

Outlook:ÌýHumphrey signed back with Denver off the Giants’ practice squad midseason, and became an important receiver as Pat Bryant and Troy Franklin got banged up down the stretch. Payton loves Humphrey’s abilities as a blocker. His status will depend on whether another team shows enough interest to pull Humphrey away.

C Sam Mustipher (29)

2025 stats:Ìý1 game

Outlook:ÌýThe Broncos brought in Mustipher late in the year after starter Luke Wattenberg went down, and Mustipher played some important late-season snaps. Again, not an immediate priority.

QB Sam Ehlinger (27)

2025 stats:ÌýN/A

Outlook:ÌýEhlinger became an important piece of a tight-knit Broncos QB room in 2025, and predictably never saw action behind Nix and Jarrett Stidham. He’ll likely try to follow quarterbacks coach Davis Webb wherever he goes.

Who are the Broncos’ restricted free agents?

CB Ja’Quan McMillian (25), OL Alex Palczewski (26), RB Jaleel McLaughlin (25), TE Nate Adkins (26), TE Lucas Krull (27), DL Matt Henningsen (26)Ìý

The Broncos have an interesting group of restricted free agents. Remember, with restricted free agents, the team has three tender options — original draft round, second or first — that come with set salaries and give the team the right of first refusal to match any deal another team offers. If Denver doesn’t match, then the signing team must give the draft pick that aligns with the tender.

A first-round tender is a rarely used tool — more on that with McMillian below — though Payton’s Saints did use one with Taysom Hill in 2020 before signing him to a two-year extension in April of that year. Of Denver’s restricted free agents group, only Henningsen (2022 sixth round) was actually drafted, so the original-round tender is mostly out of the equation, too.

Every player in the group has had a role at some point in his career in Denver. So, interesting choices ahead and certainly some extension candidates in the group ranging from modest to blockbuster.

Who are the Broncos’ exclusive-rights free agents?

S Devon Key (27), OLB Dondrea Tillman (27), DL Jordan Jackson (27), RB Tyler Badie (25)

The exclusive rights group should be pretty straightforward. The team has the right to tender these players a one-year, league-minimum contract, which keeps them from negotiating with any other team. Key is a first-team All-Pro special teamer, Tillman is a regular in the OLB rotation, Badie was Denver’s third-down back and Jackson didn’t play a ton but only because of Denver’s terrific defensive line depth. They are all easy tender decisions. That doesn’t guarantee Badie will make the 2026 roster, but an initial tender makes sense.

Who are in-house candidates for contract extensions and restructures or potential cap casualties?

CB Ja’Quan McMillian

McMillian is a restricted free agent, so the Broncos could plop a prime tender on him — he’d be a guarantee for either the first or second-round tender and a bargain at either salary number, both of which will be below $8 million — but say the Broncos put a second-round tender on him. Another team might be willing to give up that pick to sign McMillian long-term. In that case, that other team is doing the Broncos’ negotiating for them and they’d have to match to keep McMillian.

Or, the sides could work out a long-term extension. McMillian, an undrafted free agent in 2022, has played his way to being among the best slot men in the game.

General manager George Paton wouldn’t say what Denver’s exact plan with McMillian is this offseason, but on Tuesday raved about his growth.

Really, the only complicating factor with McMillian has nothing to do with him. Denver drafted Jahdae Barron in the first round in April and also has depth outside behind Pat Surtain II in Riley Moss and Kris Abrams-Draine.

Moss is entering the final year of his rookie contract this fall, while Abrams-Draine has two years left on his.

One thing is certain: Defensive coordinator Vance Joseph considers McMillian an indispensable part of Denver’s defensive success over the past two years.

Veteran OL pair

Right tackle Mike McGlinchey and left guard Ben Powers were among the first free agents signed after Payton was hired in 2023. Both are still playing at a high level. They also currently account for the highest and third-highest 2026 cap numbers on the roster, respectively, and neither has guaranteed money left on his deal. That makes them prime candidates to have their contracts touched in some way, whether it be an extension, reworking or cut.

The Broncos have restructured both deals in the past, ahead of the 2024 season, when they swallowed $53 million of Russell Wilson’s dead money, and weren’t bit by it because both have remained high-quality players.

McGlinchey played maybe the best football of his career. Powers missed two months with a torn bicep but returned down the stretch.

What¶¶Òõap interesting is that Alex Palczewski could factor in with either. He was McGlinchey’s backup, but then jumped into the lineup when Powers got hurt and played well.

McGlinchey carries a $23.78 million cap number for 2026 and Powers is at $18.16 million.

Powers is a more likely cut candidate than McGlinchey in part because he’d save $8.38 million against the cap and incur $9.78 million in dead cap, a more balanced proposition than McGlinchey ($8.45 million saved, $15.33 million dead).

Both, though, have been considered key pieces to one of Denver’s best units.

Either could be a candidate for a short extension or perhaps a deal where some guarantees are installed in exchange for cap flexibility.

S Brandon Jones

The safety has been a steal since arriving on a three-year, $20 million deal ahead of the 2024 season. His 2025 was cut short by a pectoral injury that required surgery and now he heads into the final year of his contract with a $9.2 million cap hit and no guaranteed money.

Jones will be 28 when training camp starts and should have a lot of good football in front of him. An extension makes sense this offseason if the Broncos think they can fit it into their longer-range planning.

Expiring rookie contracts

A couple of key ones here in Moss ($3.85 million cap hit) and wide receiver Marvin Mims Jr. ($6.01 million). They’re each relatively modest cap numbers and Denver may well let both play out the 2026 season — or revisit on the bye week next year, as the club just did with Wattenberg in November. Still, they’re interesting players generally speaking and also contractually.

Underwhelming free agent signings

It would be going too far to call either tight end Evan Engram or inside linebacker Dre Greenlaw a bust, but neither veteran 2025 free agent signing had a big year in his first with the Broncos.

Engram had 40 catches and played just 42% of snaps. He’d never been under 67% play time in eight previous NFL seasons. Greenlaw dealt with multiple injuries from April through December, collected 43 tackles in eight games and acknowledged after the season that the transition to Denver from San Francisco was “tough.�

Each could well be back next year. Cutting Greenlaw would save $6.02 million on the cap and incur $4.33 million dead.

Engram is a steeper consideration. The Broncos could save $3.8 million but would incur $10.33 million dead. If they cut him and applied a post-June 1 designation, they could spread the hit out over two years, save $6.47 million on the 2026 cap and take $7.67 million of the dead cap hit in 2026.

How does the Broncos’ draft outlook shape up?

Denver could’ve certainly used Devaughn Vele in the AFC title game. But as they head into April, their preseason trade of Vele to New Orleans looks quite pretty. The Broncos picked up a key extra fourth-round pick in that trade, and now have significant capital for draft season. Here’s a current rundown of their expected picks:

1st round, pick No. 30

2nd round, pick No. 62

3rd round, pick No. 94

4th round, pick No. 108 (from Saints)

4th round, pick No. 130

5th round, pick No. 168

7th round, pick No. 246

The Broncos could also gain a couple more late-round comp picks for losing RB Javonte Williams and punter Riley Dixon in last year’s free agency.

“We have five picks in the first four rounds, and we could get two compensatory, which would give us nine,” general manager George Paton said Tuesday. “I always talk about flexibility. We’re going to have all sorts of flexibility.â€�

Where will they apply that flexibility? There’s a world of draft season left to unfold, but one thing is clear: this is a receiver-heavy draft class. NFL’s Daniel Jeremiah ranked 11 wideouts in his and the Broncos clearly need some pass-catching help. They could also look to bolster the interior defensive line (with Franklin-Myers’ expected departure), the offensive line (with some expensive veterans in Garett Bolles, Mike McGlinchey and Ben Powers) and the linebacker room.

What are the Broncos’ staff needs, and expected changes?

Sean Payton appears to have a changing of the guard brewing in his offensive meeting room.

Offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi: Fired. Senior offensive assistant Pete Carmichael: Off to Buffalo to be offensive coordinator there.

Let¶¶Òõap take the offensive room first.

It¶¶Òõap also probably worth pointing out that Payton brought former passing game coordinator John Morton back to consult for Denver’s playoff run after he was fired as Detroit¶¶Òõap offensive coordinator.

Payton, regardless of how those top spots in the offensive meeting room shake out, will have different and likely younger voices around him.

On the defensive side, the Broncos appear poised to get coordinator Vance Joseph back. There surprisingly has been no landing spot for him among the 10 head coaching vacancies and the final two still open look ticketed elsewhere.

Sean Keeler: It goes without saying that Bonitto has to be great. It also goes without saying that he can be great — the Broncos don’t beat Buffalo without him forcing Josh Allen into two fumbles. The problem? Those turnovers only turned into six Denver points, via two field goals. Which is where Steady Stiddy comes in. I don’t know if Stidham has “great” in his gear box. He just can’t be terrible, or shrink on the stage. Let the defense bring it home. What was Peyton Manning’s stat line in the 2015-16 AFC championship? Seventeen completions on 32 pass attempts for 176 yards through the air — and one massive 12-yard run. Zero interceptions. One fumble lost. The Broncos need that. They need almost exactly that.

Renck: This season is starting to feel like a movie I have seen before. Ten years ago. Patriots at Broncos. AFC championship. Questions about Denver’s quarterback — yes, there were doubts about Peyton Manning — and the nastiness of the Broncos’ defense. Time to run it back. The path for Stidham must be a short one, created by turnovers caused by a menacing pass rush. In the Nik of time, Bonitto is playing his best football. Even when he went into a sack drought during the final quarter of the season, his pressure metrics and pass-rush wins remained steady. Against the Bills, he brought back memories of the Orange Rush. Bonitto is capable of playing like Von Miller, circa 2015. A strip sack or a quarterback hit that leads to a pick-six is very realistic.

Keeler: You know what Stiddy’s got to be great at on Sunday? Getting out of the way. There’s a path with Jarrett. There is. It’s narrow. You’ve gotta squint to see it. But it’s there. Mostly, it’s about accepting your limitations without being handcuffed by them. Losing Nix means losing those legs that can create time and move the chains if Plan A/B/C blows up. Great QBs in this league are measured by their ability to make something out of nothing — think Caleb Williams’ ridiculous back-foot touchdown throw against the Rams late Sunday night, or Those two tosses aren’t in Stiddy’s toolbox. Which means you have to be air-tight when it comes to the basics. No sloppy turnovers. No brain-cramps. In Frank Reich’s two postseason wins as Jim Kelly’s understudy, he threw for six touchdowns with just one pick. If Stiddy’s half that sharp, the Broncos have a chance.

Renck: There are nuances to my take. Most notably, Stidham must protect the ball, but not turtle. He can keep the sticks moving with RPOs — he is more mobile than people think — that will open up play action strikes to Marvin Mims Jr. or Courtland Sutton. This will be a close game, especially if J.K. Dobbins returns. Without Nix to go into a phone booth and find a cape in the fourth quarter, it will be on the defense to win it. The group was not great against the Bills, but five takeaways camouflaged the blemishes. Tom Brady played some of his worst games in Denver because of the noise and altitude. Denver must follow this blueprint by hitting Drake Maye early and often. Bonitto causing havoc, getting sacks, or even taking on double-teams that clear the way for Zach Allen is required for the Broncos to return to Santa Clara.

Keeler: If there’s anybody I’d want coaching with a backup QB in a “money” game, it’s Sean Payton. That’s where all that mad-scientist tinkering works to your advantage. Just ask Taysom Hill. Or Trevor Siemian. Or Teddy Bridgewater. If the defense does what it’s done all season, Stidham doesn’t have to worry about being a “game manager.” He just needs to manage to not screw this moment up.

The Broncos are 6-0 this season when Marvin Mims has carried the ball at least once. They’re 11-3 in the regular season when that’s happened over the last two years.

It’s all hands on deck, and this ship is wading into Super Bowl waters, just like Sunshine Sean said it would.

J.K. Dobbins, your offensive MVP for Weeks 1-10, is lost for the season. You’re replacing those touches by committee from here on out. A dash of RJ Harvey. A smidgen of Jaleel McLaughlin, now your best downhill, between-the-tackles runner by default.

But might we humbly suggest replacing a pinch of Tyler Badie with more pinches of Mims out of the backfield?

Or Mims out of the slot?

Or Mims out of anywhere?

You can fake a run game over the last six games of the regular season. You know when you can’t fake it? Against Buffalo or Baltimore in mid-January. Even at home with 80,000 Broncomaniacs at your back, screaming to Mile High Heaven.

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"(When) I get the ball. I want to make the most out of it," Mims told me this past summer. "That's something I pride myself in, is being an explosive playmaker.

"So being a 'gadget' guy is a good thing; when someone (ESPN) tells you you're the NFL's best at something. It's something that you kind of raise your ears at ... but, yeah, I mean, when I see 'gadget' (player) I think, 'explosive playmaker.' Whether it's in the return game, offense, screen game, deep pass, give me the ball. I want to make the most out of it."

Want to make the most of what's left of this offense after the bye? Feature more of Mims in it.

The ex-Oklahoma star appeared on 15 snaps against the Chiefs -- just 24% of the offensive plays. Fullback Adam Prentice (19 snaps) got more run with the first-team offense against Kansas City than Mims, a two-time Pro Bowl return man.

Yes, some of that was choosing discretion over valor. Mims can't scare anybody from injured reserve. He's coming off concussion protocol.

Although by the time the Broncos take the field at Washington on Nov. 30, he'll be four weeks removed from the ding he took against Dallas on Oct. 26.

That said, do you want to win a Super Bowl or not?

No skill player left at Payton's disposal is as singularly explosive as Mims. And he reminded us all why against KC with another special-teams masterpiece -- 101 punt return yards, a new single-game high, and the most by a Bronco since Trindon Holliday's 121 in 2013. Mims' 70-yard runback in the first quarter was another career best, putting the defending AFC champions on their heels at the Chiefs' 21-yard line.

He's averaging 11.0 yards per touch from scrimmage since he entered the league. Badie is averaging 7.0 yards. McLaughlin is averaging 4.6 yards. If you don't want to trust your eyes, fine. Trust the math.

Payton knows how to do quirky, how to improvise when injuries wreck his best-laid plans. In New Orleans, he made Taysom Hill the archetype modern "gadget" weapon. The former BYU star became a 6-foot-2 utility piece. From 2019-2023, Hill bounced between tight end, receiver and quarterback, depending on whatever Sean had cooked up. Hill recorded five straight seasons with Payton in which he threw at least six passes, ran the ball at least 27 times, and picked up at least four receptions. Over those years, Hill averaged 456.8 passing yards, 392.6 rushing yards and 150.4 receiving yards per season.

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Payton is the NFL's Baron Frankenstein, the mind of a mad scientist merged with Bill Parcell's crusty soul. So why does it feel as if the only guy who can truly stop Mims with a head of steam in the open field is his own head coach?

"For me, it's like a daily race," Mims continued. "Just going in every day, working hard. Because with me, I'm a big person (about) wasting time. I hate wasting time. I hate when someone wastes my time."

"That sounds like your boss," I said.

"If I'm going to go in there and I'm going to lift, I'm going to practice, I'm going to go ahead and give (it) my all," he continued. "Because at the end of the day, if I'm not giving my all, I'm wasting my own time. What am I even doing here? So that's been a big thing for me. So I don't really do goals -- just every day, every second, I just want to do the right thing. And then, from that point on, you'll reap what you sow."

This team is on the brink of sowing something special. What good is a killer gadget if you leave it on your tool belt every Sunday?