The Denver Broncos have invested a ton of resources into the wide receiver room in recent years, and that has included parting with many former players as well. At one point, the Broncos had all of Courtland Sutton, Tim Patrick, Jerry Jeudy, and KJ Hamler on the roster.
The amount of talent this team had at the position was unquestionable, but that group just never was able to get on the field together. Ever since Sean Payton came aboard back in 2023, we've seen a new era of Broncos receivers, including drafted guys like Marvin Mims Jr., Troy Franklin, Pat Bryant, and Devaughn Vele, even trading for Jaylen Waddle earlier this offseason.
Well, the Broncos had Vele on the team for just one year after a very encouraging rookie season back in 2024. Vele was sent to the New Orleans Saints for a pair of draft picks, and the main pick in that deal, a fourth-round pick in 2026, was just used by the Broncos.
The New Orleans Saints practically handed the Denver Broncos Jonah Coleman thanks to the Devaughn Vele trade
The fourth-round pick that the Broncos landed for Vele was the 108th selection in the 2026 NFL Draft. The Broncos used that pick on Jonah Coleman, their new running back from Washington. Vele netting Denver a fourth-round pick and a late-rounder in 2027 is honestly quite the haul.
The Broncos primarily made this trade last August due to the Saints giving such a strong offer, and also due to the Broncos not necessarily needing someone with Vele's skillset in the room, as both Sutton and Bryant kind of overlapped with Vele.
And suddenly, with the Waddle acquisition, and even Franklin breaking out a bit in year two, the Broncos receiver room currently feels as good as it's been in quite some time. During Vele's rookie season, he played in 13 games but did haul in 41 receptions for 475 yards and three touchdowns, so he was quickly carving out a role as a nice rotational piece.
Vele, already 28 years old, regressed, statistically speaking, in 2025 with the Saints, catching 25 passes for 293 yards and two touchdowns. The Saints also took a trio of receivers in the NFL Draft, including Jordyn Tyson, Bryce Lance, and Barion Brown, so who knows if Vele is even going to have a role with the Saints in 2026.
The Broncos flipping Coleman and a late-round pick for Vele is a masterclass by this front office. Coleman should end up being an instant contributor for Denver. He's patient running in between the tackles, great in pass protection, and is someone who simply does the dirty work well.
Given the Broncos inconsistencies in the backfield, Coleman's role should be defined rather easily. The Broncos did have to give up their own first and third-round picks to acquire Waddle, so having that extra fourth thanks to the Saints really helped things out. If that trade didn't happen, it wouldn't be a guarantee that Coleman gets picked by the Broncos, and the draft class as a whole just does not look that special.
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