Latest News on Top Free-Agent WR of 2026 Isn’t What Broncos Fans Hoped

The Broncos will need a contingency plan.

Oct 26, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens (3) makes a catch against Denver Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain II (2) in the second quarter at Empower Field at Mile High. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Those Denver Broncos fans pining for Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens in free agency can channel their football fever dreams in a different direction. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported from the Super Bowl that the Cowboys are planning to franchise-tag Pickens, keeping him from hitting the free-agent market.

"The Dallas Cowboys are expected to place their franchise tag on Pro Bowl wide receiver George Pickens, league sources told ESPN," Schefter wrote. "The projected cost of the one-year, fully guaranteed franchise tag for Pickens will be roughly $28 million."

Pickens had one heck of a year, totaling 93 receptions for 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns, all career-high marks. Against the Broncos, though, he had seven catches for 78 yards as the Cowboys were blown out.

The Broncos have several different approaches they can take to improve the wide receiver room this offseason. The free-agent market is one of the, as is the trade block.

Rumors abound that A.J. Brown in Philly can be had via trade, as well as Jaylen Waddle in Miami. Either would cost the Broncos significant draft capital, and they'd have to either pay them or find room for them on the salary cap.

We at least know that Denver was interested in Waddle ahead of the trade deadline last November. However, Miami's asking price was prohibitive, and the Broncos moved off Waddle, doubling down on the receivers they had in the fold.

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How it Panned Out at WR

Dec 14, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos wide receiver Troy Franklin (11), wide receiver Courtland Sutton (14) and wide receiver Marvin Mims Jr. (19) celebrate a touchdown during the third quarter against the Green Bay Packers at Empower Field at Mile High. | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

That worked to varrying degrees of success, with Courtland Sutton posting his second straight 1,000-yard season, which got him just his second-career Pro Bowl nod. Troy Franklin may not have had the breakout season Sean Payton envisioned during the summer, but he finished second on the team with 65 receptions for 709 yads and six touchdowns.

Pat Bryant came on strong over the second half of the season. Alas, he had some bad injury luck, suffering multiple concussions and a hamstring injury that cost him most of the AFC championship game.

Squandered Resource

Marvin Mims Jr. was the untapped resource Denver had waiting in the wings. He got short shrift usage-wise for most of the season, but when both Franklin and Bryant were hurt vs. the Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots in the playoffs, Payton had no choice but to turn to Mims, and it paid dividends in both games.

Once again, Mims finished a season so strongly that fans were left to only guess at why the Broncos don't make him a focal point in the offense. His value as a two-time All-Pro returner must trump what Payton sees as his upside in the offense. If so, that's a misguided viewpoint.

If the best predictor of the future is the past, we can safely guess that when the cleats hit the grass again next fall, Mims will once again be relegated to rotation duty, buried behind the likes of Franklin and Bryant as the team's top punt and kick returner.

At the very least, perhaps the Broncos could pursue Rashid Shaheed in free agency to swap him with Mims at returner. That would allow Mims to feature more as a wideout without depriving the Broncos of a game-changing weapon in the return game.

No Stone Left Unturned

If the Broncos' wide receiver fortunes are going to improve, it will need to come via offseason additions: free agency, trades, and the NFL draft. The draft class has several intriguing options at wide receiver, although it will be a little bit trickier to land one of the top guys at No. 30 overall in Round 1.

Stranger things have happened before, though. The Broncos need more than receiver help this offseason. If Bo Nix is going to help the Broncos take the next step in 2026 and get over the Super Bowl hump, the front office must commit more strongly to building the nest around him.

Denver has invested heavily in its offensive line, and thank goodness for that. With the starting five set to return in 2026, the Broncos can now turn their attention to the skill positions.

The additions of tight end Evan Engram and running back J.K. Dobbins last offseason was a good first step; now Denver must bridge the remaining gap and give Nix an arsenal that opponents will fear.

Don't expect Pickens to be one of those arrows in Nix's quiver, though. The Cowboys are going to take him off the board.