The Denver Broncos do not have a first-round pick this year but still have enough ammo in the 2026 NFL Draft to find some long-term solutions at key positions. Despite being one of the most talented teams in the league, this front office has slipped up from time to time.
General Manager George Paton isn't without his faults, but he's made few, if any, in conjunction with Sean Payton since the two started working together back in 2023.
Let's dive into a few mistakes this team simply cannot make in this year's NFL Draft.
The Denver Broncos cannot afford to make these mistakes in the NFL Draft
Opting for 'best player available' at a position of little (or no) need
This is something we saw the team do in the 2025 NFL Draft by taking Jahdae Barron at pick 20. The 'best player available' approach is something that most, if not all NFL front offices like to draft by, but when the roster is as stacked as the Broncos, employing a BPA mindset ends up putting teams in a position to neglect other spots on the roster.
For Denver, both inside linebacker and tight end have fallen victim to this. In some instances, drafting for need is what has to happen, as there is no long-term clarity at those two positions, and even at running back. If the best player available at pick 62 is a wide receiver, would the Broncos make the move?
It'd make absolutely no sense in that specific case. The best player available cannot be the strategy unless it's also for a position of need.
Taking a positionless player
I guess I could specifically boil this down to Vanderbilt 'tight end' Eli Stowers, but taking a player that doesn't really fit into a certain spot would be something a win-now, Super Bowl-caliber team like the Broncos cannot afford to do.
The Broncos have to set the stage for the long-term with this draft class, as they already indicated that they didn't really care enough for pick 30 among the incoming class, as it was used for an immediate-impact player.
So now, the Broncos have limited capital but do have a GM that has thrived outside of the first round. The one way Denver will be able to keep this Super Bowl window open for years to come is if they are able to replace the aging veterans with young talent on rookie deals.
That won't be done with players who kind of hover in between a tight end and wide receiver, for example.
Again not addressing the offensive tackle position
The Broncos have not taken a tackle since Garett Bolles way back in the 2017 NFL Draft, and with both Bolles and McGlinchey getting up there in age, the time is now. This is especially true considering how good the offensive line is.
It's a strength of the team, and will remain that way if the front office can find some developmental prospects to replace the bookend duo when that time comes. This is true at other positions, but those groups haven't been neglected in the NFL Draft as much as the tackle spot.
That 62nd pick might be firmly in play to see a tackle attached to it. While fans might clamor for someone who could at least contribute some as a rookie, the best long-term play might be to use that pick on a potential Bolles and/or McGlinchey replacement.
But at some point, this team needs to snag a tackle.
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