Denver Broncos receiver Troy Franklin was one of the more underrated contributors in all of football last year, and might have been the biggest bargain contract at his position. The breakout of Franklin was fairly surprising to Broncos fans, especially considering how poor his rookie season in 2024 was. Still, Franklin was an unsung hero in 2025, but could find himself on the wrong side of a roster issue heading into 2026.
The Broncos brought in Jaylen Waddle at the beginning of March, immediately raising questions as to whether the team would consider trading Franklin or not, especially given how similar their skill sets are. Both have breakaway speed and can stretch the field, but the main difference is how effective Waddle is at it, while Franklin can still very much look the part of a second-year receiver who was taken in the fourth round.
Adding Waddle was a necessity for the offense, but it doesn't take a rocket scientist to see what an odd position this creates for Franklin. With the 2026 NFL Draft approaching, the Broncos no longer have a clear need in the second round, which opens the door to plenty of scenarios at that spot, and at their subsequent positions in the fourth round.
One scenario the Broncos need to consider is selling high on Franklin, a receiver who is the ultimate cap-saver and could still be improving, and doing so in an effort to bring in more draft capital. This would leave the Broncos down a legitimate third receiver, but they could easily fix that with a draft prospect who could be the perfect fit for their offense: Connecticut's Skyler Bell.
Drafting Skyler Bell would allow the Denver Broncos to flip Troy Franklin for more draft capital
The Broncos could find themselves in a situation where they are drafting Bell with one of their fourth-round selections, and it could allow them to move Franklin for additional draft capital. General Manager George Paton has come out and said before that he does not anticipate or want to trade a receiver, but things change quickly in the NFL. Bell was the most accomplished college receiver last year and could be an immediate contributor to the Broncos' offense.
Bell could immediately fill a third or fourth wide receiver role, depending on what steps forward second-year receiver Pat Bryant takes. Bell is incredibly explosive and has great hands, which could make him a great target over the middle of the field, helping layer wide receivers to help a Denver passing game that struggled to meet expectations in 2025.
Bell will be 24 by the time the season ends, which means he will be far closer to a finished product than most receiving prospects in this draft. For a team like the Broncos, which is in a win-now window, a prospect who can help almost immediately makes far more sense than one that might need more time to develop, especially if the team could flip an established piece in the process. The team could find itself in a spot where it can add a good receiver on a similar contract to Franklin's, while gaining two years of cheap cap space in the process.