The Denver Broncos traded out of the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft, and actually just traded down four slots into the top of the third round. The Broncos obviously got a pick out of that trade down, and that pick could come into play at some point later on.
Denver took Texas A&M defensive tackle Tyler Onyedim with the 66th overall selection in quite the bold move. Onyedim joins the best defensive line in the NFL, and one that has excelled at getting to the quarterback over the past two seasons.
It's obviously the best qualiry of that side of the ball, and perhaps of the entire team. Well, the Onyedim pick is a good one, as he profiles as a future starter and could occupy that vacant defensive end spot left by John Franklin-Myers, who signed with the Tennessee Titans, but this could also paint a bleak picture for another young defender.
Denver Broncos may have just put Sai'vion Jones on notice with the Tyler Onyedim selection
The Broncos also used a third-round pick on a defensive end in the 2025 NFL Draft, taking Sai'vion Jones from LSU. Jones was drafted with no path to a starting job, as Franklin-Myers still had a year left, but the Broncos coaches did get to look at Jones throughout the 2025 season to see his potential development.
This had to have factored into the team's decision to take Onyedim, so Jones might have just seen a potential starting spot in 2026 go up in smoke. However, you could very easily argue that the Broncos are simply wanting to keep the defensive line as stocked up as possible.
Heading into the rest of the offseason, all of Onyedim, Jones, and Enyi Uwazurike could all battle it out for that defensive end spot. Adding Onyedim into the mix does give the Broncos another player who is quick on his feet and who can get to the passer.
But using two-straight third-round picks on players at the same position, especially with Zach Allen still at the peak of his powers, is an interesting situation that does kind of put Jones in an odd spot. Hopefully, Jones develops and takes a leap into year two, making it impossible to keep him off the field.
If not, the Broncos now have Onyedim in the mix, a player who gives the team yet another option to find a future starter. All in all, this was a solid pick at a hugely important spot, but it does raise some eyebrows for Jones' situation and his potential role in the rotation.
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