Broncos Trade Picks, Rely on Mid-Round Magic

0:00On March 19, the Denver Broncos gave up key picks in the 2026 NFL draft to land wide receiver Jalen Waddle in a major trade. Now their earliest selection sits at number 62 overall, their only top 100 choice. This marched the third straight draft without a first rounder for General Manager George Patton and the sixth in a row for the team overall. Payton has a track record of turning mid-round picks into stars. In 2022, they grabbed Nick Benito at 64, who's emerged as one of the league's top pass rushers. The next year, Marvin Mims joined at 63 and quickly became an all pro return specialist with big play receiver skills. Last season, second rounder RJ Harvey nearly hit 1000 all purpose yards and scored 12 touchdowns as a rookie. Fans might feel the sting of missing early picks, but the Broncos roster looks solid after keeping most free agents and returning over 90 percent. Of last year's starting snaps, that's among the highest rates in the NFL, leaving few

1:00glaring needs despite hopes for splashy outside signings. This draft class gets mixed reviews from analysts with depth at linebacker, safety, and both line spots where Denver could add help. Running back options feel thinner, but day two and three should offer solid fits to build on their current group. Get patterns to stay aggressive, trading up or down like always, chasing immediate contributors during their super bowl push. Their history suggests they can make it work without lottery tickets.