The Denver Broncos have some notable free agency needs in the 2026 NFL offseason, but that's truly a good thing. The team is well-equipped to spend big-time and fill those roster holes, which could even include swinging a major trade. General manager George Paton has largely done an outstanding job at filling various roster holes over the years.
But one of the hardest parts of building a winning football team is being able to decide when the time is right to say goodbye to certain players and search for their eventual replacements. For the Broncos, this task is only going to get harder, as the team continues to ascend. Building a winning team year over year is a tough job, period.
There are a few players on the roster right now who are set to hit the free agency market in 2026, and under no circumstances should Paton bring these guys back into the mix.
3 players the Denver Broncos should absolutely not bring back in 2026
Alex Singleton, Inside Linebacker
Listen, Alex Singleton's story this year is special. The short of it is, Singleton discovered he had testicular cancer. He had a procedure to remove the cancer and was back on the field in a few weeks. It's a remarkable story and one that clearly resonated throughout the entire organization.
However, Singleton is simply not a functional starter at the linebacker position anymore. He's on the wrong side of 30, is unplayable in coverage, and plays a position that the Broncos must aggressively upgrade in the offseason.
The Broncos could consider throwing a ton of money at free agent linebacker Devin Lloyd, which would be a much more formidable solution. Singleton's time with the team should be up.
Adam Trautman, Tight End
You might truly forget that Adam Trautman is even on the Broncos, but he is. Trautman came over back in 2023, when Sean Payton first arrived. Trautman was on of many former New Orleans Saints coaches and players that followed Payton to the Broncos.
While Trautman is an adequate blocker and catches a pass here and there, he's truly 'just a guy' at the tight end position and is, like Singleton, just not much of a factor in the room. The Broncos need to also get aggressive at this position. Ideally, the front office is able to find a complete, in-line tight end to pair up with Evan Engram in 2026.
Trautman just doesn't bring much juice to the room at all. With how deep the tight end free agency class is, and how deep the 2026 NFL Draft class appears to be at the position, there are bound to be a plethora of upgrades over him in 2026. Denver has to find one.
Lil'Jordan Humphrey, Wide Receiver
Lil'Jordan Humphrey was signed mid-season when he was let go by the New York Giants, and he actually caught a touchdown pass in the Divisional Round. However, like Trautman, Humphrey is simply just a guy in the wide receiver room and is a non-factor in about 90 percent of the games he's played for the Broncos.
Many Broncos fans have looked at the wide receiver room as one the team can significantly upgrade this offseason. Chatter surrounding the potential additions of AJ Brown or Jaylen Waddle has dominated discussions within the fanbase.
Humphrey had his moments here and there, but he's simply a non-factor at the position and really has no business returning to the Broncos for 2026. Paton should not bring these three players back in 2026.