The Denver Broncos shocked a lot of us by swinging a trade for linebacker Daiyan Henley at the NFL Trade Deadline. It was a move made later on Tuesday as the deadline neared. For all of the chatter we had heard about the running back and tight end positions, the Broncos 'zigged' instead of zagged and added an athletic linebacker.
Denver built on a strength, and when you look at how many minor injuries the defense has had this year and how much they have had to dip into their depth, it really isn't a surprise that Henley was added.
Let's dive into the team's winners and losers from the deadline itself.
Denver Broncos winners and losers from the 2026 NFL Trade Deadline
Winner: Jonah Coleman, RB
Jonah Coleman is a huge winner from the deadline, as the Broncos did not add a running back in a clear act of faith with Coleman, who has essentially taken over the RB1 duties over the past few weeks. RJ Harvey has been on IR, and we have seen J.K. Dobbins' carries lessen since Coleman has gotten back up to speed since his IR stint.
The rookie runner has shown flashes as a runner and receiver and does have a 'complete' skillset at the position, so much so that we've seen the veteran Dobbins be almost totally phased out of the game plan on offense, even with Harvey on IR. Denver's run game has largely been poor this year, but Coleman getting going in the coming weeks could have that unit on the rise.
Winner: J.K. Dobbins, RB
While Dobbins' touches have declined this year, I still believe he's a winner from the deadline, as if the Broncos would have made a move for, let's say, a Tony Pollard or Jonathan Taylor, it would have been hard to see where Dobbins would have fit. With the deadline now over and Dobbins still healthy enough to be on the field, I'd not be shocked if we saw more of him sprinkled into the lineup.
Dobbins does have a good bit of experience and is someone who could end up being a high-end complement to Coleman. His still being on the team after the deadline does display some level of faith that he can continue to contribute in this room, even if the first nine games have not gone how many of us thought they would.
Losers: Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad
The Broncos adding Henley to the linebacker room would not have been done, in my opinion, if the Broncos felt like Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad were playing well enough. Henley is in his age-27 season and was traded for with fourth and fifth-round picks. He's a free agent after this year, someone who wore the green dot for Los Angeles, and someone who was also a team captain.
Folks, Henley is going to be a long-term fixture on this defense - it just makes too much sense. With that in mind, it's also realistic to suggest that one of Singleton or Strnad could see their snaps decline. Singleton has been unplayable at times with his missed tackles and subpar coverage,
And while Strnad has been sound in coverage this year, he has also missed tackles at a high rate, missing six tackles this year for a missed tackle percentage of 12. Strnad is also less stout against the run than Singleton is, so adding Henley into the mix does not only give Broncos a high-end coverage linebacker, but someone with a bit of youth who can also hold up against the run.
He instantly becomes the most complete linebacker on the roster and does paint Strnad and Singleton as losers from this.
Winner: Vance Joseph
Vance Joseph finally has a high-end coverage linebacker, perhaps someone who can consistently hold up against tight ends, which has seemingly been an issue for years now. The Broncos defense has always been limited with the linebacking group over the years, and while Singleton does have value as the green dot wearer and a leader, his limitations are on display almost weekly, so Denver's unit was suffering at times.
With Henley in the mix, Joseph now has three complete units on his side of the ball, perhaps unlocking another level of this defense that we haven't quite seen yet.
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