The Denver Broncos could be on the cusp of becoming Super Bowl contenders, and they need to look to the Eagles for some roster-building inspiration. With the news that the Los Angeles Rams plan on trading WR Cooper Kupp, Broncos' fans have chimed in, and one of the main reasons why I see that people are against this is the idea what the Broncos have to 'draft and develop.'
While this is true, it is only true to an extent. In today's NFL, you absolutely cannot build a team through free agency. Teams do need to draft and develop the most important positions like quarterback, tackle, and pass rusher.
'Draft and Develop' can't always work out
However, there comes a time where a team has to get aggressive - after all, no team is going to ever win a Super Bowl without having some aggressive moves present on the roster. The argument of 'draft and develop' cannot always apply, and the Philadelphia Eagles are a perfect example of this.
Their most important positions were from the NFL Draft. Guys like Jalen Hurts, Jordan Mailata, Lane Johnson, Nolan Smith, Jalen Carter, and others along the defensive line were key draft picks that any NFL team needs to sustain success. However, their three best players in 2024 are AJ Brown, Zack Baun, and Saquon Barkley, who were all additions via trade or free agency signing.
And at some point, the Denver Broncos can't always just 'draft and develop.' A Super Bowl team in the NFL is a mixture of drafting and aggressive moves during free agency. The 53-man roster in the NFL can't just be 53 draft picks from the team - draft picks don't work out from time to time, and NFL teams that have 'good' draft classes may come away with only three legitimate starters.
The Denver Broncos are in a position to make an aggressive free agency move or two - the most important postions/players on their roster like Bo Nix, Garett Bolles, Quinn Meinerz, Jonathon Cooper, and Nik Bonitto are all draft picks that have worked out.
But any given team does need some immediate-impact players on their roster. For the Broncos, their successful 2024 NFL Season can pave the way for them to be aggressive. Someone like Chris Godwin would be an aggressive move that could pay huge dividends for the Denver Broncos. Zack Baun could be another player like this as well if he does hit free agency.
People who think the Broncos should always just keep their picks and focus on the NFL draft are not wrong, but they are only partly correct.