Early Look at the Broncos' Four Biggest 2027 NFL Draft Needs

The 2026 NFL season hasn’t kicked off, but a segment of the Denver Broncos' scouting department already has its eyes on next year's NFL draft.

GM George Paton and the college scouts are taking a look at the Broncos' roster as it currently stands, including players set to be free agents, players' ages, expensive contracts, and more, to identify the primary spots that may need the most help after this season.

Well, I have done the same and pinpointed four positions as prime targets for help in the 2027 NFL draft, though free agency could also be a solution. Let’s take a look at these four positions.

Offensive Tackle

Denver Broncos left tackle Garett Bolles (72) and right tackle Mike McGlinchey (69) | Derek Regensburger / IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire

The Broncos' offensive tackle position is in good standing for 2026 as long as they stay healthy, but they do have age and depth issues. Starting left tackle Garett Bolles turned 34 in May and is likely nearing the end of his career over the next few years.

While Bolles is under contract for 2027 and 2028, which is when his contract voids, his cap hits are over $27 million and $25 million, respectively, and he would save the Broncos a lot of money by moving on. It's more likely the Broncos work something out in the form of a restructure or a new deal than move on from Bolles, barring a significant drop-off in his play.

As for Mike McGlinchey at right tackle, he is younger, as he turned 31 in January, but his level of play has not been the same as Bolles’s has been. There is also the issue of McGlinchey’s contract voiding after the 2027 season, and Denver could save a lot of money by moving on from him after this coming season.

However, Denver's only true backup tackle right now, at least in terms of having seen any action on an NFL field, is Frank Crum. He has barely played during the regular season, but he looked solid in such limited playing time in 2025.

The Broncos have other options, like Alex Palczewski and an undrafted rookie, but the odds are they're looking at Crum to see if he can take the next step to become a starter at right tackle in 2027, which will help inform their decision on McGlinchey.

No matter what conclusion the Broncos reach, they have serious concerns about the future of the position and may need to make an early investment in the 2027 draft. Tackle is also at the top because it's rare to find starting-quality tackles in free agency who aren’t at a journeyman level of play.

Cornerback

Riley Moss and Ja'Quan McMillian — Denver Broncos cornerback Ja'Quan McMillian (29) celebrates his turnover with cornerback Riley Moss (21) in the second half against the Carolina Panthers. | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

Yes, the Broncos' strongest position on their roster is also potentially one of their biggest needs in the 2027 draft. The reason for that is that they have two of their top three corners set to be free agents, one of whom could be traded before the trade deadline, and they're not in a financial position to keep both.

Cornerbacks are becoming more and more expensive, and while the Broncos got ahead on the Patrick Surtain II contract, they're already having to give him raises to match the current market. Eventually, he will want a completely new contract that is more in line with the current market.

Riley Moss and Ja’Quan McMillian are both playing on expiring contracts, and they could end up walking in free agency next year, if Denver keeps both of them for the season. The Broncos have Jahdae Barron waiting in the wings, but he's still a relative unknown, while Kris Abrams-Draine has proven to be a solid backup but not a full-time starting-caliber player.

With how much the market has grown for corners, free agency can be an expensive avenue to get them, even though there have been good-quality corners to hit free agency over the past few years.

When finances are the issue in keeping Moss and McMillian, it makes it hard to turn to free agency for their replacements, which is why corner is so high on the list for the NFL draft. Cornerback has become a position that is fairly consistent in terms of the quality of classes entering the NFL.

Some may lack talent at the top, but depth is almost always there, especially in the coverage scheme the Broncos use under Vance Joseph. If he takes a head-coaching job elsewhere, that could change the scheme the Broncos deploy.

So, with the offensive tackles, it's a matter of age and finances, but with cornerbacks, it comes down to finances and keeping such a valued position a strength. Both cornerbacks and tackles are expensive positions and are more likely to be hit with earlier investments in the NFL draft.

Tight End

Denver Broncos tight end Adam Trautman (82) carries the ball after a reception against the Washington Commanders. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Unlike with tackles and corners, tight end is up there because of how bad the position is for the Broncos. They have had a bottom-five tight end room for three years in a row, and while they have some potential in Justin Joly and Dallen Bentley, tight end is a position that takes multiple years before finally getting it all together.

There is also the issue that Joly and Bentley aren’t the type of quality blockers that teams need at the NFL level.

Evan Engram is in the last year of his deal, and while the Broncos re-signed Adam Trautman, only time will tell whether that will end well for them. Going off his 2025 season, it’ll mean egg on the Broncos' face, so the tight end position has age, financial, and talent issues that put it on the early watch for help in the 2027 draft. But it's also a complicated one to include.

Tight ends take a few years before really finding their NFL footing, barring elite athletic receiving tight ends. It's uncommon to find a good-to-elite-level blocking tight end enter the draft and have that kind of impact right away.

There is often too much on their plate to pick things up quickly, so they struggle for a year or two to see the field as they acclimate to the NFL. Plus, most college football programs focus more on receiving capabilities at the position than blocking, which sets prospects back.

Even so, the Broncos need to infuse the position with more talent, which means being willing to draft one early. There is also the added issue that tight end isn’t the most valued position, though the 2026 offseason with free agency and the draft showed a significant shift in how they’re valued.

The Broncos didn’t catch on to that this offseason, so maybe they will for the 2027 offseason.

Linebacker

Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad — Denver Broncos linebackers Alex Singleton (49) and Justin Strnad (40) celebrate a sack in the second half vs. the Tennessee Titans. | Derek Regensburger / IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire

The last position is also for a talent reason. Not only do the Broncos have questionable starters, but the question mark surrounding their depth is as they come. There is a lot of fan hype over Red Murdock and undrafted rookie Taurean York, but neither has played an NFL game, and both have their reasons for falling to the last pick of the draft or entirely out of it.

Linebacker is another position that wasn’t valued but shifted significantly in the 2025 offseason, which seemed to catch the Broncos off guard. They still made a splash by signing Dre Greenlaw, but the Broncos cut him after one injury-filled year. The Broncos then sat by and decided to run it back with the questionable unit they have.

The Joseph scheme isn’t easy for linebackers because of the aggressive nature of the defense the Broncos play up front with their defensive line and outside linebackers, which can make it even more difficult for them to find a player who fits what they’re looking for. Linebackers are also like tight ends in their transition to the NFL, with so much more added to their plate than what they're used to in college.

While quarterback remains the toughest position to transition to the NFL, linebacker is making a case for the second-hardest, as they're the quarterback of the defense. The NFL misses often at the position because it's such a difficult position to evaluate.

Hopefully, the Broncos can figure it out because they need to find a pair of linebackers who can bring long-term stability to the position and a level of play where they don’t have to cover for liabilities from the position, especially in coverage.

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