The Denver Broncos have done themselves some favors in the NFL Draft in recent years, as the front office has uncovered some legitimate players and have also been a top team at developing young talent. On the flip side, though, some of the team's moves in free agency in recent years have also been great.
All in all, Denver's roster is among the best in the NFL and has a perfect blend of the draft and develop side of things and the free agency side. Hopefully, in the 2026 offseason, the team is able to keep their foot on the gas to uncover some more gems in the draft and in free agency.
The Broncos are able to be aggressive in the open market in March, so they could fill some roster needs during that month, but they'll also take to the 2026 NFL Draft to find some other key players at positions of need like tight end, wide receiver, defensive line, and perhaps even offensive tackle. However, some recent NFL Draft fits by Bleacher Report do miss the mark quite a bit with the team's needs.
Bleacher Report puts emphasis on the safety position for the Broncos in the 2026 NFL Draft
From Bleacher Report, here is their summary of why safety could be a top need for the Denver Broncos in the 2026 NFL Draft:
The Broncos elite defense has been crucial in putting them atop the AFC. Unfortunately, it could mean that some of their defensive talent is poached on the free agent market. P.J. Locke is headed for the open market and it wouldn't be surprising to see Denver find a replacement in the draft. - B/R NFL Scouting Department
Safety fits that Bleacher Report has for the Broncos are Emmanuel McNeil-Warren from Toledo, Zakee Wheatley from Penn State, and Dillon Thieneman from Oregon.
To be fair, Bleacher Report identified the Broncos' top needs as tight end, offensive tackle, linebacker, safety, and defensive line. Outside of safety, all of those other positions are indeed needs, but wide receiver is probably the Broncos' top need, and I am not sure how safety is a need for this team at all.
Sure, it might be a good idea to draft a late-rounder at the position, but B/R's analysis of the safety room in Denver is a bit odd - Brandon Jones has been an exceptional player for the Broncos and still has another year remaining on his contract. He's been out with a pectoral injury but has largely been a very reliable player and a great signing for the team.
Talanoa Hufanga will also have two more years left on his deal after 2025, and as we know, PJ Locke has been a backup for two years now, so his potential departure in free agency won't be Denverl osing a starter.
All in all, safety is absolutely not a top need for this team in the NFL Draft. I would expect Denver's first pick in 2026 to be a wide receiver, tight end, tackle, or linebacker.