The Denver Broncos have almost upgraded their wide receiver position -- significantly -- on a number of occasions over the past two years.
Almost.
After reports of the team trying (and failing) to trade for Jaylen Waddle at the NFL trade deadline emerged, Broncos Country was understandably a little disappointed. The team has been connected to names like Waddle, Cooper Kupp, and Deebo Samuel, among others, in the past year, and even more names besides that in the last two offseasons. NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport further tortured Broncos Country by saying they finished second to the New England Patriots in the bidding for free agent receiver Stefon Diggs.
Broncos finished 2nd in bidding for free agent WR Stefon Diggs in the 2025 offseason
From TNF Tonight on @NFLonPrime: The #Patriots signed WR Stefon Diggs, a potential comeback player of the year candidate, as a big-time leap of faith. pic.twitter.com/jTsYaoyFWz
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 14, 2025
Rapoport says here that the Diggs free agency bidding came down to the Patriots and Broncos, and the Patriots obviously won with a three-year deal. And that deal seemed exorbitant at the time, especially considering how (not so) far removed Diggs was from a major knee injury. At his age as well, it felt like the Broncos may have dodged a bullet in the moment, but that no longer appears to be the case.
Diggs has put together a Comeback Player of the Year type of season with the Patriots and their budding superstar quarterback Drake Maye. He just posted his third game already this season with 100 or more yards receiving, and going into Thursday's game against the Jets, he had three straight games with a touchdown.
With 59 catches so far this season for 659 yards, Diggs has proven to be the go-to target for the Patriots that everyone is wishing the Denver Broncos had right about now.
This isn't the first time we're hearing of the Broncos pursuing Diggs, but this is the first time we've heard that they came as close as Rapoport is saying here.
This is an issue we're seeing rear its ugly head for the Broncos' offense in recent weeks. Since late in the game against the Eagles, Courtland Sutton has been getting bracketed by opposing defenses, and the Broncos are targeting Troy Franklin a ton as a result. The production simply hasn't been there, whether Bo Nix is inaccurate with the football or Franklin just isn't making the plays.
And this is where a player like Diggs could have been a huge help. Diggs has been able to beat all types of coverage with his route running savvy and ability to make impossible catches look easy. If you put the ball in his vicinity, he's making the play.
The Broncos don't have a player like that right now in the offense who can be a consistent go-to threat. And the report from Rapoport just reminds everyone how close they came to actually getting a solution.