The Denver Broncos, for the most part, are running it back during the 2026 NFL season.
And it’s hard to blame head coach Sean Payton and GM George Paton for retaining a massive percentage of the roster after the Broncos went 14-3 and made the AFC Championship Game.
Aside from the blockbuster trade to acquire WR Jaylen Waddle from the Miami Dolphins, it’s been a quiet month.
But in order to land Waddle, Denver had to part with its first-round draft choice (and more). That means, as of now, the Broncos won’t pick until No. 62 overall in Round 2 later this month.
So what position will Payton and Paton target?
The oddsmakers have released “position of first player drafted” for all NFL teams and the ones for the Broncos are interesting.
There are two favorites, with both linebacker at +250 as well as defensive line / edge at +250. Offensive lineman is +400, while tight end is +425. After that it’s safety (+750), running back (+750) and cornerback (+1200).
Of course it’s a little strange that defensive line / edge are grouped as one position, but after the departure of John Franklin-Myers to the Tennessee Titans, D-line might make sense.
And while the Broncos retained Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad last month, they did move on from Dre Greenlaw. Inside linebacker definitely seems like a strong possibility as well.
The O-line is getting older and tight end could also be viable, especially with Evan Engram likely playing his last season in Denver.
None of this confirms exactly what Payton and Paton are thinking, but the oddsmakers usually are spot on with these kind of things. It is at least a small hint of what the Broncos might do in about 2.5 weeks.
To see the full odds, click here.
