The Denver Broncos, like just about every other NFL team, have a very mixed bag of success and failure when it comes to the NFL Draft. Unfortunately for the Broncos, some of the better players the team has drafted have gone on to have better success with other NFL teams after their playing days in Denver. The Broncos have certainly been guilty of giving up on some players too soon, and while not every player leaving Denver goes on to have better success elsewhere, there are a handful of players who certainly have.
Looking back at the last 20-25 years, which players drafted (or originally signed) by the Denver Broncos have gone on to have better success with other NFL teams? Let's take a look at 11 familiar names and some players whose best NFL success came after they left the Mile High City.
11 players who had better success after leaving the Denver Broncos
1. DeMarcus Walker, DL (2nd round pick, 2017)
Current team: Chicago Bears
Many Denver Broncos fans will be surprised to learn that DeMarcus Walker was actually a pretty big-money free agent acquisition for the Chicago Bears in the 2023 offseason. And the Chicago Bears are going to be a theme within this post, so beware...
Walker was playing for the Tennessee Titans last season where he racked up a career-best 7.0 sacks while playing just 426 total snaps. On top of that, Walker added career-highs in TFLs (10.0) and QB hits (16). He had 17 pressures last year and now entering his 7th NFL season, it's clear that Walker is doing much better in his post-Broncos career than he did in Denver, even though he racked up 8.5 sacks very quietly over his final two seasons with the team.
The Bears signed him to a three-year deal worth $21 million and nearly $16 million in guarantees.
11 players who had better success after leaving the Denver Broncos
2. Jay Cutler, QB (1st round pick, 2006)
Most notable NFL team: Chicago Bears
At one point in time, Jay Cutler was considered the crowned prince of the Denver Broncos. The Broncos have not had much success drafting quarterbacks through the years but when they traded up for Jay Cutler in 2006, expectations were high. The team had just made it to the AFC Championship game the year prior with Jake Plummer, so the selection of Cutler was a bit of a surprise. Even so, Cutler made the Pro Bowl in his third NFL season.
He was promptly traded away in the 2009 offseason by new (at the time) head coach Josh McDaniels. McDaniels alienated Cutler quickly, shipped him off to the Chicago Bears in one of the biggest QB trades ever, and Cutler went on to have some really solid success for Chicago, although probably not what Bears fans had hoped for.
Cutler averaged almost 4,000 yards and 26 touchdowns per 17 games with the Chicago Bears, and even though he threw a lot of interceptions, it's hard not to think about the "what if" scenarios with Cutler in Denver.
3. Brandon Marshall, WR (4th round pick, 2006)
Most notable NFL team: Chicago Bears
Although Josh McDaniels traded Jay Cutler away immediately, he at least waited a year with star wide receiver Brandon Marshall. Marshall was part of the same draft class as Cutler back in 2006, although he was a relatively unknown 4th-round pick at that time.
The big-bodied receiver would quickly become a hit among fans in Broncos Country, and he would quickly establish himself as an absolute star in the NFL.
After making two Pro Bowls in his first four seasons in Denver, Marshall went on to play some really tremendous seasons with the Dolphins, Bears, and Jets before finishing his career off with the Giants and Seahawks. He was named to All-Pro teams with the Bears and Jets and made the Pro Bowl with each of the Dolphins, Bears, and Jets.
I contend that Marshall is one of the most underrated receivers in the entire NFL. Marshall averaged 1,200 yards per 17 games in his post-Broncos career and is one of the best receivers to play from 2000-present.
11 players who had better success after leaving the Denver Broncos
4. Peyton Hillis, RB (7th round pick, 2008)
Most notable NFL team: Cleveland Browns
Peyton Hillis has been making headlines lately for much more important things than football. He recently saved his son and niece from drowning and fought for his own life after the fact. He survived, thank goodness, and although he says he was just being a dad, most everyone sees him as a true hero for his actions.
When he was in the NFL, Hillis was the epitome of a fan favorite. The Madden video game franchise allowed fans to vote for the player on the cover of the 2011-12 version of the game, and Hillis was voted in by the masses. It was absolutely amazing.
He was exciting for the Denver Broncos as one of the team's 85 running backs used in 2008, but Josh McDaniels traded him for Brady Quinn and Hillis immediately racked up over 1,600 yards from scrimmage in his first year with the Browns.
Although Hillis would never match that same success, it was still so frustrating to see him go elsewhere and flourish, because Broncos fans knew the team was sitting on that kind of gold mine. Josh McDaniels didn't.
5. Eddie Royal, WR (2nd round pick, 2008)
Most notable NFL team: Chargers
Drafted by the Denver Broncos in the second round back in 2008, Eddie Royal's NFL career got off to a roaring start as he absolutely torched the (then) Oakland Raiders in his first NFL game. Royal was outstanding in his first couple of seasons for Denver, but like many other players on the list, he was drafted by Mike Shanahan and ended up crossing over into the Josh McDaniels era, although Royal was pretty heavily targeted in his second year under McDaniels.
It was John Elway who didn't retain Eddie Royal and he went on to have a really good career with the (then) San Diego Chargers. He had nine touchdown catches in his four seasons with the Broncos combined, and he had 16 touchdowns in three seasons with the Chargers. After his time with the Chargers, Royal joined the Bears (who on this list didn't?) and he was a strong return man even until his final year in the league where he had a return touchdown in 2016.
Although the price may not have been right, it would have been interesting to see what Peyton Manning could have done with Eddie Royal in the mix of that 2012 offense had the Broncos found a way to bring him back.
11 players who had better success after leaving the Denver Broncos
6. Malik Jackson, DL (5th-round pick, 2012)
Most notable NFL team: Jacksonville Jaguars
It's hard to say that Malik Jackson had "more success" after leaving the Denver Broncos considering he was part of that Super Bowl 50 team, but in terms of personal, individual success, I think he qualifies. He racked up 18.0 sacks and 42 QB hits with Jacksonville including a career-high 19 QB hits in his first season with the team (2016).
He was named to his first and only Pro Bowl in 2017 with the Jaguars, racking up a career-high 8.0 sacks and four forced fumbles while helping the Jaguars reach the AFC Championship game. Jackson will forever be known for scoring the touchdown after Von Miller strip-sacked Cam Newton in Super Bowl 50, but he had some great success individually after Denver.
7. Isaiah McKenzie, WR (5th-round pick, 2017)
Most notable NFL team: Buffalo Bills
There might not be a better example on this list than Isaiah McKenzie. This poor guy was run out of Denver so quickly, and it's painful to remember his time in the Mile High City. Most people probably forget that he even played for Denver.
The human joystick that is McKenzie struggled badly in his rookie year with Denver. He fumbled a whopping six times in 2017 and although the Broncos kept him into the 2018 season, but just for a game. The Bills picked him up quickly after Denver let him go, and McKenzie ended up playing 68 career games for Buffalo, scoring 15 offensive touchdowns and racking up over 1,500 yards from scrimmage.
His NFL career will continue in 2023 with the Indianapolis Colts after signing a one-year deal in free agency.
11 players who had better success after leaving the Denver Broncos
8. Deltha O'Neal, CB (1st-round pick, 2000)
Most notable NFL team: Cincinnati Bengals
The Broncos used their first-round pick in the 2000 NFL Draft on Deltha O'Neal and he turned out to be a really good pick for them rather quickly. By his second season in the NFL, O'Neal made the Pro Bowl with a whopping nine interceptions. He followed that up in year three with five picks. In his rookie season, O'Neal had over 1,100 kickoff return yards and a kick return touchdown.
He was a dynamic punt returner with two punt return touchdowns in his first four NFL seasons. Despite his tremendous production, the Broncos let O'Neal walk in free agency in 2004 and focused on acquiring Champ Bailey instead.
O'Neal went to the Cincinnati Bengals and was named a second-team All-Pro in his second season with the team, picking off 10 passes and recovering a fumble. Although O'Neal didn't return kicks and punts as well in Cincinnati as he did in Denver, he forced a ton of turnovers -- 21 in total -- and made an All-Pro team.
9. Chris Myers, C (6th-round pick, 2005 NFL Draft)
Most notable NFL team: Houston Texans
Chris Myers may not be the guy on this list drawing the most headlines, but he was a highly effective player for a lot of yaers in the NFL. He was selected by the Denver Broncos in the 2005 NFL Draft in a stretch of time where the team was having a ton of success adding from the vaunted Miami Hurricanes program.
In 2002, the Broncos drafted Clinton Portis out of Miami. In 2004, they took linebacker DJ Williams. In 2005, they landed Chris Myers. While he was in Denver, Myers started 16 games in 2007. He left in the 2008 offseason to go follow Gary Kubiak to the Houston Texans, and wound up starting every single game for Houston over the next seven years straight.
He was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2011 and 2012 as a member of the Texans.
11 players who had better success after leaving the Denver Broncos
10. Shaquil Barrett, EDGE (UDFA, 2014)
Most notable NFL team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Okay, this is definitely cheating based on the title of the post. Shaquil Barrett was not drafted by the Denver Broncos, but they were his first team in the NFL, so it kind of counts. I still remember watching the entire 2014 Denver Broncos draft class and being much more excited about Barrett than just about everyone in the class.
And he has turned out to be the best NFL player from that rookie class, which included first-round pick Bradley Roby.
Barrett was a fan favorite in Denver despite mostly playing a backup role, but he's been a superstar with the Buccaneers. He had 19.5 sacks in his first season with the Bucs, helping them win a Super Bowl. He has averaged 13.0 sacks per 17 games in Tampa Bay and is certainly no longer living in the shadow of Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware.
11. Kalif Raymond, WR (UDFA, 2016)
Most notable NFL team: Detroit Lions
The Denver Broncos discovered Kalif Raymond out of Holy Cross back in 2016, and even though that roster had just won the Super Bowl, he actually ended up playing in a handful of games over the course of his rookie season in Denver. Unfortunately, the Broncos drafted some "juice" in Isaiah McKenzie and Carlos Henderson back in 2017, and Raymond was pushed off the roster.
He bounced around a little bit between the Jets and Giants before latching on with the Titans in 2019. After two seasons as a modest role player for the Titans, Raymond really got a shot to play extensive snaps on offense and special teams in Detroit starting in 2021 and he has racked up 1,256 total yards from scrimmage and four TDs in two seasons along with 500 punt return yards and a punt return touchdown.
He was named as a 2nd-team All-Pro in 2022 as a return man.