In just a little over a week, the Denver Broncos will kick off their 2025 regular season when they host the Tennessee Titans. But for fans of college football, the collegiate season is already upon us. You know that that means—the return of Future Broncos
. Last year, I started off the series providing an outline of the team’s draft selections and their early draft needs. This year it makes sense to do the same.The Broncos’ 2026 Slate of Draft Selections
After the Devaughn Vele trade, the Broncos
now have seven selections in the 2026 NFL Draft. They have an additional fourth round pick via New Orleans Saints. If the Saints play as bad as most people think, that selection could wind up being one of the earliest at the start of Day 3. They have all of their original picks with one exception: the New York Jets have Denver’s sixth round pick due to the Jonathan Franklin-Myers trade.
- Round 1: Original selection
- Round 2: Original selection
- Round 3: Original selection
- Round 4: Saints selection from Vele trade
- Round 4: Original selection
- Round 5: Original selection
- Round 7: Original selection
What are the Broncos’ biggest future needs on the roster?
Offensive Line
Ironically, this is a position group I had listed last year at the beginning of the series. It may come as a surprise to some this season considering the Broncos’ offensive line performed quite well in ‘24. All starters are scheduled to come back for this season. However, the makeup of the top five beyond this year seems quite ambiguous.
Center Luke Wattenberg is in the final year of his rookie contract. Whether or not he will get a second contract from the Broncos remains to be seen. Additionally, veteran left guard Ben Powers may not be in the team’s future plans. That’s pure speculation, but one that may have some merit. Powers’ ‘26 cap number is $18.425 million. I don’t believe there is any way the Broncos bring him back at that cap number. A post-June 1st cut next offseason seems likely with the Broncos saving $13 million against the ’26 salary cap by doing so.
Do the Broncos think they can find upgrades at either of those positions whilst saving a lot of salary cap space? I’d wager they would. With their recent contract extensions, they are going to need a little bit more cap cushion to retain their best players.
Oh, and at some point, it would be nice to finally see Denver use a draft selection on finding a tackle. While I doubt the Broncos move on from Mike McGlinchey, it’s important to note he turns 32 next season and will account for nearly $24 million (roughly 8-percent) of the team’s salary cap.
Defensive Line
The Broncos enter the ‘25 season with one of the deepest defensive lines they’ve had in quite some time. Headlined by Zach Allen, Denver boasts a formidable and battle-tested four-man rotation with Jonathan Franklin-Myers, D.J. Jones, and Malcolm Roach.
Joining them will be third-round pick Sai’vion Jones who flashed this preseason and has future starting potential. Additionally, veterans Jordan Jackson and Eyioma Uwazurike also made the roster. That makes them seven deep at the position.
With that said, you might be wondering why I consider DL need for the Broncos. First, both Franklin-Myers and Roach are set to be free agents at the end of the season. It seems likely at least one of them will on to greener pastures in free agency. Franklin-Myers would be my guess considering he has been vocal about the desire for a new contract.
Looking forward, the elder Jones will be 31 next January. I believe they would be wise to consider finding a potential long-term replacement in the draft that can handle his duties. I’m always a big advocate of building up the lines and keeping the Broncos’ defensive line a strength for the future would be smart to do.
Inside Linebacker
How the duo of Dre Greenlaw and Alex Singleton fare this coming season is one of the big storylines to watch on defense. It’s likely the most ‘boom or bust’ position group on the squad. However, I am not sure what to think of Drew Sanders’ long-term potential after yet another injury. Long-time veteran Justin Strnad, like Singleton, is in the last year of his deal. While rookie UDFA Karene Reid is a complete unknown. Though I am optimistic about the potential of both Levelle Bailey and Jordan Turner who are on the practice squad.
Broncos Country is collectively hoping Greenlaw’s injury woes are behind him. If so, he can be their blue-chip player there. If he doesn’t, I’d surmise ILB is an area that the Broncos’ brass may consider utilizing a Day 2 selection on in ‘26. They might like their depth players, but I don’t think they would preclude them from adding to the group.
That being said, it takes a truly special prospect to be an early round selection at off ball linebacker. For whatever it’s worth, I think this year’s talent at the position is very good. But that’s a whole other article I’ll have sometime down the road.
