The dust has now settled from free agency and the 2026 NFL Draft, and the Denver Broncos are about to start their first on-field work of the 2026 offseason. Even with all of the additions this team has made, primarily through the NFL Draft, there are a handful of players whose situations will be worth monitoring in the coming months.
The theme of the 2025 and 2026 offseasons has been "continuity", and even if Sean Payton doesn't like the idea of a "run it back" theme, that's pretty much exactly what the Broncos have done.
Anytime you bring in new players through the draft, trades, or free agency, it puts a little extra pressure on holdovers and players already on the team who might be forgotten, in a sense.
We're going to take a look at a trio of players the Denver Broncos absolutely cannot give up on in 2026, regardless of their perceived roles this offseason, or what players have been brought in to possibly replace them.
Even though these Denver Broncos players might have unclear futures, they can still get a lot out of them
1. Marvin Mims Jr., WR
One of the players most directly impacted by the Denver Broncos' biggest offseason move is wide receiver Marvin Mims Jr. The team's trade for Jaylen Waddle affected everyone at the wide receiver position, of course, but Mims is the only one among the team's top five at the position who is entering the last year of his contract with the team.
Mims was a 2nd-round pick in 2023 and has been elite as a return specialist, but that took a step back this past season in the kickoff return department, especially when Mims suffered multiple concussions.
As good as Mims has been in the return game, he's been arguably the most clutch performer on the offense over the past few seasons. Even with a limited sample, the impact Mims has made is undeniable. The Broncos need to make sure they are still utilizing him properly and not just casting him aside after the addition of Waddle.
2. Sai'vion Jones, DL
After losing John Franklin-Myers to the Tennessee Titans in NFL Free Agency, the Broncos clearly planned on a replacement-by-committee approach. Eyioma Uwazurike and Sai'vion Jones both return from last year's group, but the team also used its top pick in the 2026 NFL Draft on Texas A&M defensive lineman Tyler Onyedim.
Even with Uwazurike being more experienced and Onyedim being the team's top pick in this year's draft, the Broncos can't simply cast Sai'vion Jones to the side, and I don't believe they will.
Jones was basically given a redshirt year in 2025, his rookie year coming out of LSU. The Broncos traded up into the back end of the 3rd round in the 2025 NFL Draft to take Jones, and clearly believe he has what it takes to be a key contributor on one of the league's best defenses.
After taking the risk and letting go of Franklin-Myers, they have to stick to whatever the development plan is/was for Jones. His pass rush talent is tremendous, and if he's improved his strength at the point of attack, he could have some of the highest future upside of anyone on that defensive line group.
3. Drew Sanders, EDGE/LB
This may be the most unpopular take of all shared so far, but the Denver Broncos cannot give up on Drew Sanders just yet.
The former 3rd-round pick is still just 25 years old, and up to this point in his NFL career, it's been a frustrating combination of lack of clarity with his position, on top of injuries preventing him from actually being able to get on the field.
But Sanders was one of the top two picks from Sean Payton's first draft class with the team. He was the first defensive player picked when Vance Joseph returned as defensive coordinator. Despite the fact that the Broncos have not been able to see Sanders actually get on-field work, he has plenty of talent to work with and can contribute on special teams.
Although Sanders hasn't shown much by comparison, we've seen situations like the Packers with Christian Watson, who was given a one-year contract extension after suffering a season-ending injury in the final year of his rookie deal. Essentially, the Packers put a little bit of faith behind their investment in a player.
The Broncos could do the same.
The Broncos gave up on someone like Greg Dulcich, probably a year too early. And this is how they can learn from that mistake. There's really no risk in keeping Sanders around unless the Broncos feel like they literally don't have a single roster spot to spare.
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