The Denver Broncos made a splash play via trade by acquiring star wide receiver Jaylen Waddle from the Miami Dolphins but signed just one external free agent.
The Denver Broncos took home the American Football Conference West division crown for the first time since 2015, the same year it won its last Super Bowl, after going 14-3.
Although the team lost just three regular season games and advanced to the AFC Championship against the New England Patriots, the Broncos didn’t do much to improve its team when free agency began.
In fact, Denver has signed just one external free agent, special teamer Tycen Anderson, and were the last team to sign a player outside of the organization. The team did finally make a splash play for an offensive playmaker, acquiring star wide receiver Jaylen Waddle and an fourth-round pick from the Miami Dolphins for three draft picks.
It was a long-awaited move for a guy who could provide some pop offensively and Waddle should make a big impact within head coach Sean Payton’s offense. Other than those two moves, the Broncos either re-signed key players or watched them walk to other teams in free agency.
The most notable players that will be returning for the 2026 season and beyond are linebackers Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad as well as running back J.K. Dobbins, who all made huge contributions to the 2025 team.
The most notable loss was defensive tackle John Franklin-Myers, who signed a large three-year, $63 million deal with the Tennessee Titans. Franklin-Myers had 14.5 sacks over the past two seasons as a Bronco and will surely be missed, not only as a force on the defensive line, but also as a leader and locker room presence.
Pro Football Focus (PFF) created post-free agency rankings for all 32 National Football League teams, and the Broncos came in at No. 12.
“The Broncos were reserved throughout the first week of free agency, opting to prioritize their own pending free agents as opposed to adding new talent,” PFF’s Mason Cameron wrote Thursday. “Not all were able to be retained, as John Franklin-Myers cashed in on a strong showing over the past two years in Denver.
“The real splash didn’t come until this week with the trade to acquire former Dolphins receiver Jaylen Waddle, giving quarterback Bo Nix a highly efficient pass catcher who has ranked in the 88th percentile in yards per route run over the past three seasons.”
Bringing in Waddle is a great move for a team that throws the football as much as Nix and the Broncos do. Nix led the NFL with 612 pass attempts and while WR Courtland Sutton is a great target and reliable option, Denver felt it was lacking playmakers and it went out and got a good one. Waddle began his career with three consecutive 1,000-yard seasons in Miami.
For much of the 2025 campaign, the Broncos checked in around 12th for many publications during weekly power rankings and this ranking is no different; the Broncos are practically the same team with an improved passing game.