Mile High Mailbag: Broncos Eyeing Draft Replacements at Key Positions

We're only days away from the 2026 NFL draft kicking off. The Denver Broncos have to wait 62 picks before going on the clock for the first time, but they hold seven total selections.

This team doesn't have any dire needs, and that gives Broncos GM George Paton some flexibility in the draft, and it makes it a little bit harder to forecast what they're going to do. That's not going to stop us from trying, though.

Today is the last iteration of the Mile High Mailbag pre-draft edition. We'll take some questions next week about the actual draft class the Broncos bring in.

For now, though, let's see what's on Broncos Country's mind. We've pulled questions from X and the Mile High Huddle YouTube community.

DragonSlayer69: Which current roster players will likely have their replacements drafted on Thursday?

Great question. The first guys to think of are those starters entering a contract year. Think safety Brandon Jones, cornerbacks Riley Moss and Ja'Quan McMillian, tight end Evan Engram, and left guard Ben Powers.

I know you weren't specifically asking about starters, but those are the ones the Broncos will likely be looking to replace, or at the very least, draft someone at the position to have a developmental option ready for 2027.

Beyond the starters, the Broncos are hyper-aware of the advancing age of their book-end offensive tackles, Garett Bolles and Mike McGlinchey. The Broncos don't need a replacement today, per se, but they need long-term developmental options, and I'm not sure Frank Crum fits the bill.

DeAnna Hendry on X: In the upcoming draft, do you feel Arkansas running back Mike Washington Jr. would be a likely pick for Denver?

Washington makes a lot of sense for the Broncos. In his five years as GM, Paton has made four second-round draft picks, and two of them have been running backs (Javonte Williams and RJ Harvey).

I doubt Paton views pick 62 through that lens, but it makes me think that Denver won't be thinking running back in Round 2, and that's Washington's sweet spot in this draft. I like Washington as a fit for Denver, especially as an insurance policy to J.K. Dobbins, and someone who could offer the Broncos true first and second-down efficiency in the event that the starter goes down.

Washington proved his explosiveness and rare athleticism at the NFL Combine, but it doesn't show as consistently on tape as you'd expect. He also has some fumbling issues.

There is no perfect prospect, though, and Washington would bring a lot that is missing in the Broncos' running back room. If he's there at No. 62, it would be hard to pass on him, even if the Broncos aren't thinking running back.

David Younkin: Which position do you think will get picked first? I think it'll be linebacker.

Texas Tech Red Raiders linebacker Jacob Rodriguez (10) gets into position vs. the BYU Cougars. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

That's the maddening thing about the linebacker position: the Broncos need depth there, but they haven't drafted one that high since D.J. Williams in 2004, though he was a first-round pick. Since 2004, the highest the Broncos have drafted an inside linebacker is in Round 3 twice: Nate Irving in 2011 and Drew Sanders in 2023.

Sanders is reportedly being moved to outside linebacker, though, which only further exposes the Broncos' need inside. This is a long-winded way of saying that, although I agree that linebacker is a need, history tells us that the Broncos are unlikely to draft one as high as Round 2.

So, my answer is an educated guess: defensive line.

Elliott: Do the broncos have a realistic chance at trading back up into the first round, and if so, will they take advantage of it?

Denver Broncos general manager George Paton speaks during the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Not unless the Broncos want to mortgage future draft picks for the privilege. You don't typically see teams give up future first and second-round capital to trade up into the first round unless it's for a quarterback.

The Broncos don't need a quarterback (God bless Bo Nix). So, it's extremely unlikely that Denver trades up into Round 1.

Will there be a "realistic chance?" I'm trying to think of a single player in this draft class who would even come close to justifying the capital it would cost Denver to trade up to land him, and I'm drawing a blank, so I don't think so.

The closest I can come is Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love and Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq, neither of whom would be worth such a ransom relative to their positions.

It's always an interesting topic, though, Elliott. Paton shot down the notion of a trade-up into Round 1 during his pre-draft presser.

Quentin Caldwell: Do you think Riley Moss will be traded during the draft?

It's a distinct possibility. Gun to my head, I don't think it happens, though there are plenty of rumors, and folks on our staff who believe it will.

I get it; Moss is on an expiring contract and would have some value around the NFL, despite his reputation as a penalty magnet. The Broncos don't have a third-rounder this year, so if a team came knocking with such an offer for Moss, Paton would certainly listen.

Would Paton pull the trigger, though? I'm not sure, but forecasting player trades during the draft is even more perilous than predicting which teams will select which players.

The truth is, even on an expiring contract, Moss is worth more to the Broncos on the roster this year than a third-round pick would be, especially if they're trying to compete for a Super Bowl ring while Nix remains on his cost-controlled contract. A third-rounder is the absolute most Denver could hope to get for Moss.

Yes, Moss was a penalty liability, but he was also the most targeted cornerback in the NFL, and his completion rate allowed to opposing quarterbacks ranked among the 10 lowest. In other words, he was targeted a lot, but if an official didn't throw the yellow laundry, looking his way rarely availed the opponent.

Moss is about as good as it gets as a No. 2 boundary cornerback. Yes, Jahdae Barron needs playing time, but Moss's skill set will be needed this season with the murder's row of quarterbacks on the Broncos' schedule.

Shiloh Heesch: We've talked about a lot of prospects that seem to fit the Broncos roster, but which players best fit the positions of "need" and characteristics the team has recently pursued in drafts? Characteristics including team captain, 4-plus-year player, multiple-year starter, etc.

Bud Clark. — TCU Horned Frogs safety Bud Clark (21) intercepts a pass intended for Utah Utes wide receiver Luca Caldarella (19). | Rob Gray-Imagn Images

Going deep on this one, my brother. I like it.

I'll throw out a few names who fit the scheme, characteristics, and culture: Georgia tight end Oscar Delp, Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez, Washington running back Jonah Coleman, Oklahoma defensive lineman Gracen Halton, and TCU safety Bud Clark.

There are many others, but all of the names I listed above were four or five-year seniors and team captains, while producing at the individual level as multi-year starters. These are the type of players the Broncos have coveted in the draft, and it's a big reason why Sean Payton's locker room culture has taken root, and why this team is ahead of schedule in its rebuild.

Great question.

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