The 2026 NFL Draft is quickly approaching, and the Denver Broncos are still going to have considerable work to do to trade away their first-rounder for Jaylen Waddle in early March. The Broncos have a pair of early fourths along with their own second, and George Paton has worked well in that range before. He could put his drafting and scouting magic back to work next month.
As always with the draft, it appears as though a few key Broncos might be on much less comfortable footing than they were before. Whether it be former draft selections or veterans who are nearing the end of their deals, the draft paints a picture of future plans for an NFL team. The Broncos are no different, and a few key pieces should be of concern heading into April.
The Broncos 2025 season was one of great magic and overwhelming surprise after coming up just short of a Super Bowl, but the Broncos need to do all they can to get over the top next year. Looking specifically at the offensive side, the Broncos should be ready to welcome in a new era of their offense beginning next year. Defensively, one key piece who entered with incredible excitement could be looking at his helium completely going flat.
These three Denver Broncos are officially on notice heading up to the 2026 NFL Draft
3) Jahdae Barron
Jahdae Barron is the Broncos' most recent first-round selection, so his being on this list is quite telling about his rookie season. He is going to enter 2026 in the same spot on the depth chart as he did in 2025, which is pretty brutal for a first-round selection who is currently the fourth corner on the depth chart. If the Broncos can find a player who fits their system at corner, they could opt to trade Barron and recoup some of their lost value with him.
2) Ben Powers
Ben Powers was a cap casualty candidate for the Broncos heading into the 2026 offseason, but the Broncos opted to keep him. He is entering the back half of his contract with the Broncos, and the team could look to find a replacement for him as soon as the 2027 season. Powers has been good for the Broncos, but Father Time has never lost, and the Broncos likely are not going to extend him beyond his initial free agent contract.
1) Evan Engram
Evan Engram was expected to be a major piece of the 2025 offense, and he was able to produce when needed in major moments (in Washington against the Commanders), but the overall body of work is fairly rough to look at. The Broncos could look to find their tight end of the future in the 2026 draft, which could allow them to not rely on Engram as much, which, by extension, means they could bench him if he struggles again. The tight end spot is still a question for the Broncos, and Engram could find himself in the dog house fairly quickly if they draft a tight end.