If the Denver Broncos are going to make waves in the AFC in 2025 (and they want to do exactly that), then they are going to need to have a tremendous free agency period in the weeks to come. Broncos general manager George Paton has stated multiple times that he wants to be "measured" in his approach, citing last year's free agency success despite rather modest moves as an example to follow going forward.
There could be big splashes made at multiple positions, but the Broncos could also go hunting for some diamonds in the rough, particularly at wide receiver.
There are some intriguing notable names at receiver and there are other players whose names you will recognize, but not necessarily for their big-time NFL production. At least not to this point. Back when the Broncos signed Emmanuel Sanders in NFL free agency, he was a budding player on the Pittsburgh Steelers who simply needed a bigger opportunity.
Could the Broncos go looking for the "next" Sanders in 2025? Who could that end up being?
3 underrated free agent receivers the Broncos should consider in 2025
1. Elijah Moore, Cleveland Browns
There was one point in time when just about everyone in the NFL thought extremely highly of Elijah Moore. A second-round pick out of Ole Miss in 2021 by the New York Jets, Moore was traded to the Cleveland Browns in the 2023 offseason after the Jets made a move to get Aaron Rodgers and all his pals, leaving no room for Moore.
To say that Moore had a rough stretch with the Browns would be an understatement. Moore's two years in Cleveland were plagued by forced usage and horrendous quarterback play. Still, the glimpses were there for Moore including a performance against the Denver Broncos that won't soon be forgotten. Although Jerry Jeudy stole the spotlight that night, Moore finished with eight receptions for 111 yards. He also had a nice game (8 receptions for 85 yards) in the Browns' upset win over the Ravens a couple of weeks prior.
Moore's speed and separation skills could make him an intriguing potential pickup, and he will be just 25 years old this coming season.
2. Dyami Brown, Washington Commanders
Another player who may just now be starting to hit his stride in the NFL is former North Carolina Tar Heels receiver Dyami Brown, a third-round pick by Washington back in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Brown is not going to turn 26 until later this year, and would be an interesting upside play after showing some fascinating flashes down the stretch this past season, especially in the postseason. In the playoffs, Brown had 14 receptions on 18 targets for 229 yards and a touchdown. Not to overreact to one small stretch of games, but if you extrapolate that over a full season, it would come out to 80 receptions for 1,300 yards and 6 TDs.
The game that really started to pique my interest in Brown was the Commanders' tight regular season win against the eventual Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles. He made a couple of clutch plays in that game.
The Commanders could potentially move on from Brown without contest this offseason after acquiring Deebo Samuel in a trade with the San Francisco 49ers...
3. Josh Palmer, Los Angeles Chargers
Believe it or not, out of the players on this list, Josh Palmer probably has had the most consistent production over the last four years. Averaging over 15 yards per reception over the last two seasons, Palmer has proven himself to be a big-play threat but he might be a better fit for the offense in Denver than he is for the one with the Chargers.
Palmer's game went to the next level in a couple of ways under Joe Lombardi, who is now in Denver as the offensive coordinator under Sean Payton. Under Lombardi, Palmer was averaging 15.3 yards per reception and a career-high 58.1 yards per game, but he was limited to just 10 games due to injury.
The Broncos might see an opportunity here for a guy like Palmer to be much better on a second contract than he was on his first. He's got the biggest frame of anyone on this list at 6-foot-1, 210 pounds, and he is still brimming with potential at just 25 years of age. He could be a breakout player over the next 2-3 seasons.