3 winners (and 2 unfortunate losers) from Broncos' offseason programs

The Denver Broncos are now done with OTAs and minicamp, and the next big event on the offseason calendar is going to be training camp, which should come in late July. On paper, the Broncos aren't missing much of anything.

Everything up to the ownership is top-tier, so this team should end up firmly in the Super Bowl contention window for all of the 2026 NFL Season. Sure, that is not a guarantee, but it's hard to envision that it is not the case.

Let's dive into some winners and losers from the Broncos OTAs and minicamp here in the 2026 offseason.

Denver Broncos winners and losers from OTAs and minicamp in 2026

Winner: Que Robinson, OLB

Not only did Que Robinson show out in OTAs, but he followed it up with a strong minicamp, and we're now left with a situation where the Broncos already elite pass-rush might have just gotten a lot better. The second-round product didn't play much as a rookie, but the Broncos have definitely dipped their toes into the developmental waters along the defensive line.

Defensive coordinator Vance Joseph had some great things to say during OTAs about Robinson:

"I'll tell you again, after the season, watching the cut-ups again -- when Que played, he played really well. He looked like a guy who can be a future starter for us. So it's our job to keep improving with Que, and get him more reps. Last year, he didn't dress a lot of games. He dressed a handful of games, but, when he did dress he played well both for coach (Darren) Rizzi and for me. Obviously, it's a year later, and he's ready for the next step as far as playing more defensive snaps..."

And even during minicamp, Robinson was still getting attention:

Simply put, Robinson has maximized the spring offseason activities thus far, and at this rate, training camp could bring even stronger performances. It might end up being quite hard for the Broncos to keep him off the field in 2026.

Winner: Jaylen Waddle, WR

From the above tweet, Jaylen Waddle has been a big winner this offseason, and it seems like he has been what the Broncos have hoped. Offensive coordinator Davis Webb even offered up a great comparison for how the Waddle trade could impact the Broncos:

"He's good. He's a really good player," he said Thursday of Waddle. "There are some similarities when I was with Josh Allen going into Year 3, similar to Bo (Nix) going into Year 3, and we traded for Stefon Diggs. That was a good year. That was a good two-year run in '20 and '21 when I was together with them. Just seeing the growth from both players, that time, there's some similarities of what's starting to happen here. "

The Broncos added Waddle because the team needed better play from the wide receiver room as a whole. Waddle brings speed and legitimate separation ability to the offense. He's also a No. 1 wide receiver and should be able to form an elite duo with Courtland Sutton, whose "X" receiver ability pairs up perfectly with what Waddle does well.

Denver invested a lot into the trade, and the early returns seem to be quite solid.

Loser: The Linebackers

Did we really hear a peep about the linebackers thus far? That might not be a bad thing, but I am not sure guys like Alex Singleton or Justin Strnad really stood out that much so far. I dove more into it here, but it truly seems like the lack of attention at this position could potentially mean that the unit is still a major weakness.

Denver does have time to make another move if they wanted, but given the two multi-year contracts that were handed out, coupled with the rookie additions of Red Murdock and Taurean York, the Broncos might be content rolling with that group into the season, perhaps still leaving the door open for a major move if the players can't help this group improve.

Loser: Caleb Lohner, TE

Early in the offseason, head coach Sean Payton really pumped up the Caleb Lohner hype train. However, news broke back on June 7th that Lohner would be missing the next couple of weeks with what was called a 'routine' lower-body procedure:

Mike Klis said further that Lohner is expected to be full-go by training camp, but this was valuable time lost, as the Broncos drafted two rookie tight ends in the 2026 NFL Draft in Justin Joly and Dallen Bentley, and the team re-upped Adam Trautman on a three-year deal.

Evan Engram has one more year left on his deal and already has a relationship with Webb, so there is reason to believe that Engram could be a key piece of the passing game. It would be quite shocking if the Broncos kept five tight ends on the active roster, and Lohner losing these two weeks does nothing but hurt him when roster cut-downs have to happen.

Yes, he's a big-bodied frame and a former basketball player, but he's also missing valuable practice time, and there might not be enough time for Lohner to make that up. He should be viewed as being on the roster bubble at the moment.

Winner: Davis Webb, Offensive Coordinator

What an offseason it's been for Webb. The Broncos were able to keep Webb and obviously gave him play-calling duties. I would also not be shocked if he got a substantial pay raise, but that doesn't appear to be something we can confirm - it's jut a hunch I have.

Webb is now in charge of what could be one of the most talented offenses in the NFL. He saw the addition of Waddle to the mix, may have three capable running backs, and now has two rookie tight ends to gameplan with.

The quarterback is quite good, and, when you look at the big picture, there might not be a better situation in the NFL for a young coach to call plays than in Denver. It also helps Webb's case that the defense is elite, as Joseph's unit should be able to put the offense in some advantageous spots.

All in all, this has to be a dream offseason for Webb, right? Sure, there's a lot of pressure given how the 2025 season ended, but Webb's job could also be made rather easy thanks to the personnel around him.

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