The Denver Broncos are approaching one of the biggest offseasons in the history of the team. After a run to the AFC Championship Game in 2025, the team has all the reasons in the world to continue building this roster up, and many would agree that the Broncos would be playing in Super Bowl LX had Bo Nix not gotten hurt.
On one had, it's amazing how far the team has come, and it should make all of Broncos Country optimistic for the future. On the other hand, it's heartbreaking how close the team got, as Denver would have blown out the Patriots in the title game if Nix was in the lineup. Well, this should only motivate the players and front office more to get back to that spot in 2026.
Fortunately, Denver is resource-rich approaching free agency. Not only do the Broncos have cap space, but they also have draft picks that could be used to acquire some immediate-impact talent. Recently, the best free agent set to hit the market in 2026 was named as a fit for the Broncos.
PFF names WR George Pickens as a free agency fit for the Denver Broncos
Here is Bradley Locker of PFF on why Pickens would be a fit for the Broncos:
The Broncos advanced to the AFC Championship Game on the heels of their elite defense, but their offense remains a bit of a worry going into 2026. Denver will need to better a unit that ranked 25th in passing success rate, and a weapon like Pickens would enable exactly that.
Pickens grew immensely in his first season in Dallas, playing to a career-best 87.2 PFF receiving grade with 2.35 yards per route run. Although the Broncos will return Courtland Sutton, the team finished 26th in collective receiving grade. Boasting $27 million in cap space before restructures, the Broncos can afford a big-time signing on offense — and there’s none better than Pickens at receiver.
Pickens, set to turn just 25 years old in March, was traded from the Pittsburgh Steelers to the Dallas Cowboys before the 2025 NFL Season. In his first year in Dallas, Pickens played in all 17 games and had career-highs across the board, catching 93 passes for 1,429 yards and 9 touchdowns.
Not only is Pickens one of the best deep-ball wide receivers in the NFL, but he has an unmatched ability to separate with short-area routes. The receiver is simply too agile for most defensive backs to consistently handle. Spotrac.com has his market value as a four-year deal worth about $122 million, which would come out to over $30 million per season.
While it's a steep price to pay, not only can the Broncos afford it, but that's simply how much elite players cost. With Courtland Sutton as the no. 1 option going forward, the passing attack will continue to suffer. Sure, Sutton can make some outstanding plays from time to time, but on a week-to-week basis, he has never been a game-changing target like Pickens is.
Signing George Pickens would also allow the current Broncos' pass-catchers to settle into more of a role that fits them. Then would, in essence, be pushed down a spot on the depth chart, and that would only put further strain on opposing defenses.
A hypothetical wide receiver room featuring George Pickens, Courtland Sutton, Troy Franklin, Marvin Mims Jr, and Pat Bryant would be one of the best in the league. Not only that, but if Denver would also be able to find a more consistent RB1 option, the offense could absolutely emerge as the best in the league in 2026 and beyond.