Here's How Many Draft Picks Broncos Have
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Over the next few months, and probably for the rest of the year, Denver Broncos fans will have to deal with opposing fans stating that the team has no draft picks. While the Broncos are currently ranked second-to-last in most value in terms of draft capital for 2023, according to Tankathon’s draft power rankings, Denver isn't entirely without means of drafting players or adding further draft picks.
So how did the Broncos get here, and what picks do they have now? The Broncos have gone the entire season without their first, and second-round draft picks, as Denver included both in the deal with Seattle to acquire Russell Wilson.
Those two picks, which wound up the No. 5 overall and 38th pick in the draft, are certainly a lot higher than anyone in Denver could have believed when it first landed Wilson last offseason.
The Broncos did chip away at their lack of draft capital this season. When it seemed pretty obvious this squad was going nowhere fast once again, Denver sent former top-five pick Bradley Chubb to the Miami Dolphins, acquiring the San Francisco 49ers’ first-round pick (which Miami acquired in the 2021 draft trade).
It was fun considering whom the Broncos could select with that first-round pick for a few months. Then, just last week, the Broncos were again wheeling and dealing early draft capital, sending the draft pick from Miami (from San Francisco) to the New Orleans Saints for the rights of head coach Sean Payton. Along with swapping Denver’s 2024 second-round pick for New Orleans’ 2024 third-round pick, the wheeling and dealing is enough to make anyone dizzy.
Again, the Broncos are low on draft capital for the 2023 NFL draft as things currently stand. Of course, the team could maneuver to trade off players currently on the team for more picks, but that remains to be seen. Furthermore, while it’s unfortunate for Denver to be low on draft capital for the 2023 draft, the Broncos might have picked a good year not to have as many picks.
During a recent episode of ESPN’s First Draft, long-time NFL draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. discussed the quality of the 2023 class.
“I don’t think this is a good draft. I have never really said that much because I know there are going to be good players out there. I had trouble with a Top 150 ratings board. It’s just not a good draft on paper… some NFL teams have echoed the same to me.”
So where do the Broncos stand this season with their limited draft capital? Denver currently owns two early third-rounders at 68 and 69 overall, an early fourth at 109 overall, an early fifth at 142, and a sixth at 196. The picks after the third round will drop in number after compensatory selections are awarded, but that’s where Denver stands for now.
Denver’s 2023 Draft Picks
- Third Round/Pick 68
- Third Round/Pick 69 (via Indianapolis)
- Fourth Round/Pick 109*
- Fifth Round/Pick 142*
- Sixth Round/Pick 196 (via Pittsburgh)*
* = pick number will change after the NFL announces compensatory picks
How did these picks get to Denver’s position? In perhaps one of his most tricky moves of the 2022 offseason, GM George Paton traded the Broncos’ 96th overall in the 2023 draft to the Indianapolis Colts in exchange for pick 179 in the 2022 draft and a 2023 third-round pick.
Given how poor the Colts were this season, that third winds up a very early one at pick 69 overall. Denver also possesses the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 2023 sixth that was acquired in this past offseason’s trade of Malik Reed.
The Broncos possess their third, fourth, and fifth-round selections, but they wound up trading away their sixth in a trade back in the summer of 2021 in the exchange with the Detroit Lions in the Trinity Benson trade. Denver also sent its own seventh to the Niners in the trade to acquire Jonas Griffith. The Broncos also, at one point, controlled the Minnesota Vikings’ 2023 seventh-round pick, but that selection was sent to the Steelers in the Reed trade.
For the 2024 draft, things are currently a tad less complicated. Denver still possesses their own first, third, and fifth-round selection.
The Broncos also possess the Saints’ third which was previously discussed as part of the Sean Payton trade. On top of a third from New Orleans this season, Denver nabbed a 2024 fourth from Miami in the Chubb trade.
Denver also did some do-see-do with picks for its 2024 round-four selections. In the middle of the 2022 season, Denver acquired Kenny Young from the Los Angeles Rams, along with a 2024 seventh.
In the trade, Denver sent back its own sixth to the Rams. This last year, the Broncos acquired Jake Martin from the New York Jets and a 2024 fifth-round pick in exchange for a fourth. The tricky part about the Jets trade is it’s not yet been announced which fourth Denver will be sending; their own or the one acquired from Miami in the Chubb trade.
As things currently stand, here is the Broncos’ cache of 2024 draft picks:
2024 Draft
- First Round
- Third Round
- Third Round (via New Orleans)
- Fourth round*
- Fourth round (via Miami)*
- Fifth Round
- Fifth Round (via Jets)
- Seventh Round
- Seventh Round (via Rams)
* = one of these picks will be going to the New York Jets, but it is not yet announced
The Broncos, obviously, start to get back to normalcy for the 2024 draft.
Denver does not own a clean sweep of their own selections for 2025, as Denver sent its own fifth in that year’s class to the Dolphins in the Chubb trade. But other than that, nothing is difficult for 2025:
2025 Draft
- First Round
- Second Round
- Third Round
- Fourth Round
- Sixth Round
- Seventh Round
Bottom Line
As things currently stand, the Broncos need more draft capital for the 2023 draft. Denver could flip some of its own players for draft capital before April rolls around to gain more capital. Still, Denver could just as easily trade some of their mid-round selections to upgrade their roster with more veteran talent.
However, after the 2023 draft, things more-or-less return to normalcy for Denver in the draft pick department. That is until the Broncos start to get that itch again and begin to wheel and deal as they have done over the last two seasons in the NFL.
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