It some respects, it might be a massive failure by the front office if the Denver Broncos end up choosing a rookie with their first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Denver has obviously been seen as one of the main teams in the league that could pull off a major trade this offseason.
And that major trade might just cost the team pick 30, but it would be worth it, as the NFL Draft class this year doesn't appear to be nearly as deep as in other years, and the Broncos were just one game from the Super Bowl in 2025.
The time for this team to make an aggressive move like this is now, as there really hasn't been a better or more appropriate time than the present, but who could the Broncos trade pick 30 for this offseason? We outlined three obvious names here.
The Denver Broncos must trade their first-round pick if one of these players could be had
Jaylen Waddle, WR, Miami Dolphins
The Broncos had some level of interest in Jaylen Waddle during the trade deadline but obviously did not pull the trigger. With the Broncos needing a wide receiver of Waddle's skillset, this trade should be a no-brainer if all it costs is pick 30. In five years in the NFL, Waddle has hauled in 373 receptions for 5,039 yards. He began his career with three-straight 1,000-yard seasons and has the speed to take the tops off defenses.
Waddle has failed to hit the 1,000-yard mark in the 2024 and 2025 seasons, but he's dealt with some bottom-tier quarterback play during that time, so that isn't on him.
Drake London, WR, Atlanta Falcons
It's not clear if Drake London could be had in a trade, but if so, the Broncos should come calling. The main reason why the Atlanta Falcons could entertain offers is because they have a new regime in place, no first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, and also have players like Kyle Pitts and Bijan Robinson who are either free agents or due for a massive payday.
At the end of the day, if the Falcons had to choose two of those three players, London would surely be the odd-man out, as both Pitts and Robinson are honestly generational talents at their respective positions.
London is only set to turn 25 years old this summer and had 919 yards and seven touchdowns in just 12 games this year. After a 100-catch, 1,271-yard season in 2024, London was actually on pace to finish with 97 receptions, 1,302 yards, and 10 touchdowns had he played a full 17-game slate this year.
With the receiver just now entering his mid-20s and being a high-end weapon, the Broncos should call up the Falcons and not hesitate to offer pick 30 for his services.
Brian Thomas Jr, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars
With the Jacksonville Jaguars trading for Jakobi Meyers and seeing third-year receiver Parker Washington break out a bit, some have wondered if Brian Thomas Jr could be had for the right price. His production dipped after a breakout rookie season, as he caught just 48 receptions this year and hauled in just 52.7 percent of his targets.
It's clear that something went wrong with Thomas in 2025, and with the possibility that Travis Hunter can still get snaps at wide receiver, the Jaguars could opt to trade Thomas. The team would surely be looking for a first-round pick, as they also do not have a first-rounder in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Jacksonville actually traded up with the Cleveland Browns during the 2025 NFL Draft to take Hunter, so General Manager James Gladstone might want to find a way to acquire a first-rounder this year. Thomas is a big-time vertical threat and would become a lethal option on offense.
We did see the offense push the ball down the field many times in 2025, so adding a downfield weapon like Thomas would help that part of the unit thrive.