If good things come to those who wait, then something really good will be coming for the Denver Broncos at some point.
The Broncos have had an active 2026 offseason, but it's been largely unprecedented in terms of the number of players returning to the team -- 71 of the players on the roster were on last year's team in some capacity -- and players being brought in from the outside.
Other than draft picks, the Broncos have only made two external additions in 2026: Wide receiver Jaylen Waddle and safety Tycen Anderson. The Broncos have prioritized continuity on their roster, but that could simply be the team taking a patient wait-and-see approach when it comes to making impact additions.
The Broncos' newfound salary cap space and future war chest of NFL Draft picks might mean the team is waiting in the weeds to make a surprise move or two, but we just have to wait for the timing to be right.
Denver Broncos have the assets to be active at roster cuts and this year's trade deadline
Watching teams like the Los Angeles Rams and New England Patriots make fun, league-altering trades in the month of June can cause a little bit of FOMO, maybe even bordering on jealousy. To see the Rams acquire a player like Myles Garrett on a roster that was already outstanding? That one stings, especially when the Broncos have to go up against them so early in the season.
The Patriots acquiring AJ Brown has been a foregone conclusion for seemingly months at this point, but it is still at least a little annoying to see the Broncos' counterpart in the AFC Championship Game this year getting a top-tier weapon like that.
Even though the Broncos have added Jaylen Waddle this offseason -- a massive move, for sure -- you can't help but wonder: Have they done enough?
The good news is, player movement is still happening. There are still free agents to be had, and there are still trades to be made. The Broncos just so happen to be in the top half of the league in two crucial categories right now:
- Salary cap space ($25.65 million), and
- 2027 NFL Draft capital (10 projected picks)
Thanks to the Broncos' strategy in free agency, they are projected to receive an additional 4th-round compensatory pick for the loss of defensive lineman John Franklin-Myers and a 7th-round compensatory pick for the loss of safety PJ Locke.
Everything is setting up for the Broncos to be one of the league's most active teams when it comes to making deals at roster cuts and/or at this year's in-season trade deadline.
Again, good things come to those who wait...
The Broncos already have one of the best, deepest, and most well-rounded rosters in the entire league. They don't have to make any reactive moves because of trades other teams are making, nor do they have to blow all of their cap space at once. The measured approach of GM George Paton and head coach Sean Payton feels like it's going to pay off.
The Broncos operate in relative silence. Nothing gets out of the building that the team doesn't want out of the building. And looking at the field of teams around them this season, they obviously know that the margin for error is slim.
If players become available who can help this team, the Broncos are well equipped to go after them and be aggressive. They have the cap space, they have the draft darts, and they have time.
There are still explosive moves yet to be made, and given the way the Jaylen Waddle trade snuck up on everyone, you never know when the next one could come.
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