Denver's Done It Again: Broncos Sitting Out Round 1 for the Third Time in Five Years
The Denver Broncos will be watching from the sidelines when the first round of the 2026 NFL draft rolls around on April 23. And honestly? They're getting used to it. This is the third time in the last five drafts that Denver won't have a pick in Round 1, and general manager George Paton isn't thrilled about the pattern, even if he's the one creating it.
Trading Away the Future (Again)
Paton was pretty candid about it at the league meetings: "No one loves picks more than me, so that's hard. I've probably traded too many [first-round picks], darn it." You gotta respect the self-awareness. The Broncos missed Round 1 in 2022 and 2023 because of the Russell Wilson trade fallout, but this time around, they made a calculated decision to move their No. 30 overall pick to land wide receiver Jaylen Waddle in March. That's it. That's the move that's costing them a voice in Round 1 this year.
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👉 Claim Your Free $10 at KalshiWhy Waddle Was Worth It
Here's the thing: Denver evaluated their board at No. 30 and came to a conclusion. Coach Sean Payton said they were looking at maybe "seven or eight" players who could make an impact at that spot. When you run the math, you realize none of those guys are going to move the needle like Waddle could right now. So the Broncos pulled the trigger.
Waddle and free agent safety Tycen Anderson are the only players Denver brought in from other organizations this offseason. That tells you how much they're counting on the wideout to elevate the roster. By trading that pick, the Broncos essentially said they needed immediate help more than they needed to develop young talent.
The Broncos made it to the AFC Championship Game last season, which earned them that No. 30 pick. Now they're betting that Waddle helps them take another step forward instead of gambling on what some mid-first-rounder might eventually become. Watch to see if that gamble pays off.
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