The Denver Broncos are currently projected to receive not only one but two seventh-round compensatory draft picks in the 2026 NFL Draft, and that number could very well increase over the next year.
The Broncos were active in NFL free agency, but thanks to the fact that tight end Evan Engram was cut by the Jaguars and not a traditional unrestricted free agent whose contract expired, the compensatory pick formula is working in Denver's favor.
The Broncos lost a variety of players in NFL free agency including linebacker Cody Barton, quarterback Zach Wilson, and a handful of other names, but the two guys who are likely netting the Broncos a couple of compensatory picks?
Well, they might be the last ones you'd expect.
Broncos projected to get compensatory picks in 2026 for Riley Dixon, Javonte Williams
Nothing is finalized at this point, but NFL.com projects the Broncos to land compensatory seventh-round selections for the losses of punter Riley Dixon and running back Javonte Williams.
Dixon signed a two-year deal worth $6 million with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this offseason while Williams signed a one-year deal with the Dallas Cowboys worth $3 million.
Those deals were just big enough to help the Broncos out in the 2026 compensatory formula, and if they can land multiple compensatory picks, that just gives general manager George Paton more darts to throw in next year's draft, or possibly even trade for veteran help.
I mentioned earlier that the Broncos might be in line for additional compensatory selections, and at this point, that's purely hypothetical and nothing concrete. If Vance Joseph winds up getting a head coaching gig elsewhere in the league, the Broncos would get multiple third-round compensatory selections.
As of right now, though, the Broncos don't have any official compensatory picks for 2026. We won't know officially until next year if that's happening, but there are folks out there who have pretty much figured out the formula. And landing a couple of picks for Riley Dixon and Javonte Williams?
There's nothing wrong with putting more arrows in the quiver for George Paton. The Broncos currently have all their picks for the 2026 NFL Draft except for a sixth-round pick (John Franklin-Myers trade).