The Denver Broncos' 2025 season ended in complete disappointment, even though the team hosted the AFC Championship Game. The Broncos fell one game short of reaching the Super Bowl for the first time in 10 years, and everyone in the fan base will be left wondering how different things could have been if it hadn't been for Bo Nix getting injured.
Because of the disappointing way the season ended, many in the fan base wanted to see the team go all in during NFL Free Agency, getting as aggressive as possible and adding to an already-loaded roster. To say the team took a patient and conservative approach to adding to the roster would be an understatement.
The Broncos -- even now -- have only signed one outside free agent to the team (safety Tycen Anderson). They did, however, make a blockbuster trade in the middle of March to acquire wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, a player who could represent the missing piece for this Broncos team.
That is the sentiment of Broncos star cornerback Pat Surtain, who hosted an event during OTAs and made it clear that the Waddle addition was not just enough for getting this team where they want to go, but more.
Pat Surtain II says that Jaylen Waddle is "more than enough" for Denver Broncos in 2026
Here is what Surtain had to say when asked if the addition of Jaylen Waddle was "enough" for the Broncos when you consider what other top-tier teams have done to improve this offseason as well:
Pat Surtain, asked if he felt the #Broncos’ trade for Jaylen Waddle is enough to compete w/other top teams in NFL: “I think we’ve got a great team all around. So it’s more than enough, honestly.” pic.twitter.com/KfaQQOHyHa
— Luca Evans (@bylucaevans) June 3, 2026
"I just think we've got a great team all around, so it's more than enough...I'm glad he's on the team."
- Pat Surtain II
For a team that was already on the cusp of winning a 4th Super Bowl, maybe just being one injury to Bo Nix away, that's the type of message the rest of the league doesn't want to hear. The Broncos may have landed the final piece of the puzzle.
It's a fair question to ask, especially in the wake of the Los Angeles Rams trading for reigning Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett, and the New England Patriots acquiring star wide receiver AJ Brown.
The Broncos knew they had to get a difference-maker to help Bo Nix and his development, and they got one. Not only that, but they got a player who really fits their culture as a team. The Broncos' offense desperately needed a receiver that could create separation and create offense all on his own, and they got him.
When you compare that to the moves the Rams and Patriots made, those feel like upgrades more than finding the missing piece. And the Broncos were already this close just last season, so it really does feel like Waddle can be the player to take the team over that proverbial January hump.
And that's not good news for the rest of the league. Surtain isn't just happy that the Broncos added a really close friend of his to the team, but his sentiment reflects the views of the entire locker room. When a front office goes out and makes a blockbuster trade like this, it sends a very clear message to every player on the roster. The message is: We're going for it all.
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