The Denver Broncos traded their first-round pick and some change to the Miami Dolphins for Jaylen Waddle. This could go down as one of the more aggressive moves the Broncos have ever made, and it really does seem like this team made the right decision.
Waddle fits like a glove into the current infrastructure of the offense. He's going to now become the top target in the passing game and will make life easier for everyone else on offense. However, acquiring a player of such a caliber did mean the Broncos had to send their first-round pick in 2026.
And with that pick now with the Dolphins, the Broncos could miss out on these three 2026 NFL Draft prospects.
The Denver Broncos will likely have no shot to draft these three players in 2026
Jadarian Price, RB, Notre Dame
Jadarian Price actually profiles a little bit like Javonte Williams, the former Broncos second-round pick back inthe 2021 NFL Draft. The team did re-sign J.K. Dobbins in free agency, but it's clear that another addition in the backfield is needed. On one hand, this isn't a very good running back class outside of the other Notre Dame running back, Jeremiyah Love, but on the other hand, the Broncos could find some insane value with other running backs like Mike Washington Jr or Jonah Coleman in the later rounds.
Price is a three-down running back and someone who would have fit in nicely in the backfield. As of now, Denver is poised to run it back with the same players, but when Dobbins went down, it become very clear that the Broncos running back room just was not good enough. There is every reason to believe that another addition is coming, but Price does feel like someone who is going to be gone well before the Broncos second-round pick.
CJ Allen, LB, Georgia
Widely-regarded as one of the more intelligent players in the NFL Draft, CJ Allen is a future stud at the linebacker position. However, he is a first-round prospect and was consistently mocked to Denver before the team swung the deal for Waddle.
At the end of the day, the team can likely find multiple other future starters at this position, as the NFL Draft is quite deep at linebacker. Allen, however, would have fit in nicely in Denver and likely would have gotten himself on the field in a starting role sooner than you think.
With no first-rounder, Broncos fans might want to key-in on other linebackers like Jake Golday or Anthony Hill Jr.
Blake Miller, OT, Clemson
Blake Miller is a future NFL right tackle, but he's also another first-round prospect who the Broncos likely won't be able to snag. Both Mike McGlinchey and Garett Bolles are on the wrong side of 30, so the team will have to slowly begin finding a replacement for both players.
Miller would have been that answer. He's actually very similar in size to McGlinchey, has a ton of collegiate starts under his belt, and is a polished tackle prospect right now. For any of these prospects, the Broncos could always trade back up into the first round, but this team's first selection right now is not until the 62nd overall selection.
Trading up at least 30 spots would cost a ton, and it just doesn't feel like it'd be smart business for the front office to do that.