ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — The Denver Broncos were late to the party this offseason — and happily so.
After reaching the AFC championship game
— and feeling strongly that they would have made it to the Super Bowl had quarterback Bo Nix not broken his right ankle — the Broncos were the last team to make a splash in the offseason and they were the last team to make a selection in the three-day NFL draft that concluded Saturday.After securing 17 of their
own players with a combined $320.5 million guaranteed at signing since the start of training camp in 2024, they sat on the sidelines in free agency this spring while other teams made all the big moves.
They traded away their first-round pick to Miami last month for speedy wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, and they traded away their second-rounder Friday night to the Buffalo Bills in a two-for-one picks deal that netted them the 66th overall selection in Round 3.
That's where they selected versatile Texas A&M defensive lineman Tyler Onyedim with their only pick through the first two days of the draft.
They had a half-dozen selections Saturday, starting with a pair of picks early in the fourth round, when they selected Washington running back Jonah Coleman and Boise State offensive lineman Kage Casey. Those were the two selections that general manager George Paton said a night earlier would define Denver's draft.
The Broncos moved up in the fifth round to select North Carolina State tight end Justin Joly, whom they had in for a top-30 visit. In the seventh round, they selected Illinois receiver-turned-safety Miles Scott, Utah tight end Dallen Bentley and Buffalo linebacker Red Murdock, the last pick of the draft, known as “Mr. Irrelevant.”
“We just added to a really good locker room,” Paton said.
Assistant general manager Reed Burckhardt said the Broncos' roster continuity gives the draft picks a little bit more landing room to develop without being rushed into action.
“You don't have to force like this guy needs to come in and make a huge impact for us Week 1,” Burckhardt said. “Now, they've got to make the team and do all the things to put them in that conversation. We don't feel that we have to expedite someone's progress in order to fill a hole, if that makes sense.”
Paton said he and coach Sean Payton “both feel really good about the last couple of days and the team in general. We had seven picks and yet we also got Waddle. So, we feel good about the team, feel good about our depth. We helped our team in a lot of areas.
“We wanted to get younger in both lines, I felt like we did that. And wanted to get some offensive help, some more explosion and I think we helped ourselves at running back and tight end.”
Tight end was viewed by many as the weakest link on a roster that went 15-4 last season.
Joly enters the NFL as a terrific pass catcher, especially in traffic. But, like almost every other tight end drafted over the weekend, he'll need to hone his run-blocking skills to become a well-rounded pro.
“I feel like there are a lot of things that they feel like I can do, being used in the backfield, in the slot,” Joly said. “Obviously I’m going to have to learn and get ready to just play. Overall I look forward to it, and I know they do to. I’m just happy they believe in my skill set.”
Bentley is more of an in-line tight end who had three combined catches his first two years in Provo and 48 receptions last year.
Payton said Nix is recovering well from his ankle surgery in January and is on track to participate in the team's on-field workouts, which won't be until June.
“Yeah, he had a recheck that was scheduled,” Payton said. “He's doing great. Man, we're excited about his progress, nothing to report.”
Coleman is a complementary piece in the Broncos' offensive backfield, where he'll join RJ Harvey and J.K. Dobbins.
“You ultimately have a three-headed monster in the run game. I believe that’s where it starts, in the trenches,” Coleman said.
Coleman gets high marks in pass protection, which is key for a young back.
“It’s really important,” he said. “Now I get to go protect Bo Nix, and I take pride in that. I may not have all the exciting plays and all of that, but I do the dirty work.”
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