The NFL Free Agency period for 2026 officially starts this Wednesday, March 11th, with the “legal tampering” window opening at noon today.
The Broncos finally have both draft picks and cap space to work with in order to improve their team. So let’s take a moment to dive into what I am taking away from the current state of the roster and what moves the Broncos are likely to make.
In case you missed them, here are my roster review links, followed by my general ranking of our roster which will set the stage
for our analysis:
- Denver Broncos roster status: Defensive front
- Denver Broncos roster status: Defensive secondary
- Denver Broncos roster status: Special Teams
- Denver Broncos roster status: Offensive line
- Denver Broncos roster status: Wide receivers
- Denver Broncos roster status: Quarterbacks and running backs
Unit Rating Key
- Critical Need – lack of talent at starter and depth
- Lacking at least one starter
- Mediocre need
- Solid talent and depth
- Elite talent level
Defensive roster status overall: 4
- Defensive Linemen: 4.5
- Outside Linebackers: 5
- Inside Linebackers: 1
- Cornerbacks: 4
- Safety: 3
Special Teams status overall: 5
Offensive roster status overall: 2
- Interior Linemen: 4
- Tackles: 4
- Wide Receivers: 2
- Tight Ends: 2
- Quarterbacks: 5
- Running Backs: 1
Offensive Needs
Running Back
The #1 free agent signing to look for from the Broncos on Wednesday will be a starting running back. The Broncos just started having a really balanced look last season with consistent run plays from JK Dobbins when he got injured. For this offense to thrive, they need a reliable runner with playmaking upside.
I expect the Broncos to take a big swing at Travis Etienne, as he is just the kind of playmaker that would help this offense take a solid step forward. I’d also be down with Kenneth Walker, but I think there will be a heftier price tag with Walker for similar levels of output.
Many have been pounding the table for Dobbins, but his injury history makes it very difficult to have any faith that he’ll be able to carry the load for a full season. I loved his play, but if I were the GM, I wouldn’t be willing to spend big on him and would instead give a cheap “show me” contract just to have him here for depth.
Wide Receiver
I’m really intrigued by the possibility of getting an upgrade at wide receiver. The number of drops from our receiving corps leads me to be intrigued by the idea of getting a more reliable pass catcher for the offense. There have been rumors of interest in former Green Bay Packer Romeo Doubs, which seems a bit odd to me, as he would bring in the same kind of drop problems we’ve been seeing. Why pay money for that when you can just keep trotting out Troy Franklin on the cheap?
Tight End
The tight end position has Evan Engram and Nate Adkins. I fully expect the Broncos to add a tight end if not in free agency, then in the draft. There’s a big argument to be made for making a big push for an upgrade at tight end.
I wouldn’t hate a move for Dallas Goedert, honestly. He’s got the ability to impact both the run and the pass game (unlike Engram), and could step right in and begin making plays for Bo Nix and the Broncos offense. The downside to this is he’s going to want at least a three-year deal, but if you are in win-now mode, this is a guy that could make a difference over the next three years.
Defensive Needs
Inside Linebacker
The Broncos have already locked in Justin Strnad with a 3-year deal, which I am very excited about. He is absolutely a starting quality linebacker and, unlike Singleton, isn’t a constant liability in coverage.
The biggest upgrade the Broncos can make on defense is finding another starting linebacker who can handle the captain’s helmet and hold down the middle of the field for Vance Joseph.
Devin Bush is a guy I would love to see signed who could step in for years to come and be an impact player on this defense. He’s a force with lateral agility, speed, and coverage skills that the Broncos haven’t seen from the inside linebacker position since 2015.
The fear I have is that Vance Joseph is not going to want to rock the boat and just resign Singleton. It is the easy button move for the defense. Singleton definitely knows the defense and can do the job, but I just don’t think familiarity alone is a good enough reason to spend money on a contract for a player that you have to scheme around in order to cover up his lack of aptitude. He’s not even what I would consider a plus against the run. I feel like he’s average vs the run and below average vs the pass.
Safety
The big question at safety is whether or not we can resign P.J. Locke to an affordable contract. I liked what we saw out of him last season, but I’m not sure we can keep his contract low enough.
The Broncos will definitely need another safety for depth and possible dime packages. While I’d love a guy like Andre Cisco or Jalen Thompson, I think the draft is a far more likely area in which the team will look to add a safety. The problem is that the kind of talent we want is going to want to start, and there’s no reason for the Broncos not to start Brandon Jones and Talanoa Hufanga.
Draft Thoughts
Once free agency is done, we’ll know more about what the Broncos will need to do in the draft, but I think it is worth talking about a couple of spots that make sense to draft and develop instead of needing to draft a guy to start right away.
I already mentioned safety as one spot I like for this. Another I would add is a running back. We will need 1-2 more young backs to be developed for the future, regardless of what we do in free agency. Finally, I’d add a tight end for development as well.
The sleeper position that the Broncos will likely target this year is offensive guard. I think the team has a versatile guard / tackle with starting upside in Alex Palczewski. I think Ben Powers is going to be too expensive in another year, and they will need a guard to plug in or a replacement swing tackle. At some point, you have to future plan for the offensive line, as we’ve got some grizzled vets in Garrett Bolles, Ben Powers, and Mike McGlinchey that could be in the sunset of their careers in a year or two.
It is worth noting that Sean Payton has historically leaned both into best player available and targeting need. Jahdae Barron is an example from last year of getting a talented player for a position you already had covered. R.J. Harvey and Pat Bryant are examples of his drafting needs. The truth is, you are always looking at both need and talent throughout the process.
Final Thoughts
There’s a ton of variability at play this year for free agency. We can make a big splash or a bunch of medium splashes as needed. I am pretty geeked to see what happens on Wednesday.
Hit me up in the comments and let me know your thoughts on what the Broncos need to do in Free Agency this season!
