It is no secret that the Denver Broncos have been looking for a wide receiver upgrade for what feels like months now. The unit simply isn't good enough and is not doing Bo Nix any favors. Ian Rapoport recently reported that free agent WR Stefon Diggs was choosing between the Broncos and New England Patriots last offseason.
He chose the Patriots and is having a great year. We also have some degree of certainty that Denver would have taken Ohio State WR Emeka Egbuka at pick 20 if he was still on the board, and we know that the team had some degree of interest in Jaylen Waddle at the trade deadline.
It's shaping up to be a crazy 2026 offseason, as the Broncos now have no choice but to come away with a high-end WR to help the offense, but who could they pursue?
The Denver Broncos have to invest in a high-quality wide receiver this coming offseason
AJ Brown, Philadelphia Eagles
AJ Brown is definitely a vocal player, and it seems like he has voiced frustration more times than not on the Eagles. In many instances, WRs who speak out generally just want the ball, and I don't really think there is anything wrong with that.
Brown was traded from the Titans to the Eagles a few years ago and won a Super Bowl with Philly in 2024. He has just 408 yards through eight games this year for the Eagles, but he's got five 1,000-yard seasons and is absolutely one of the best in the NFL. Brown is the most physically dominating receiver in the NFL, and you just have to wonder if Philly will have had enough after this year.
They don't necessarily need two high-end receivers on the team, as their identity has never been to throw the football a lot with Jalen Hurts at QB. Getting AJ Brown on the Denver Broncos finally gets Bo Nix the WR1 he's needed.
Jaylen Waddle, Miami Dolphins
The Denver Broncos appeared to have some degree of interest in Jaylen Waddle at the NFL trade deadline, but the team clearly did not want to pay the price. Denver could revisit any talks next offseason to see if the asking price as fallen a bit. If the Miami Dolphins are committed to trading Waddle and starting fresh, they might not ask for a first-round pick in return.
Waddle is another high-end WR1 with blazing speed and a ton of production to show for it. He's on pace for his fourth 1,000-yard season in his first five years in the NFL and turns just 27 later in November.
Marvin Harrison Jr, Arizona Cardinals
Marvin Harrison Jr was billed as the next great Ohio State wide receiver, but it's not been a great start to his career with the Arizona Cardinals. Perhaps Harrison Jr just isn't quite as good as people think, or maybe he's a product of the shaky personnel around him? The Cardinals seem to be headed toward a huge QB decision in the offseason, and some have even wondered if head coach Jonathan Gannon could be shown the door.
The Cardinals are a vulnerable team right now, and that could be even more true in the offseason. Harrison is a physically imposing player who can do a little bit of everything, and this could be an instance of he already needing a fresh start with a more established offense. Denver could consider this move as well.