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Good morning, Broncos Country. The festivities at the 2026 NFL Combine in Indianapolis are in full swing. After a multi-week post-Super Bowl lull, draft information and other tidbits are making waves once more as one of the biggest events of the offseason circuit ramps up.
On Tuesday, Head Coach Sean Payton and General Manager George Paton fielded questions about the state of the roster and potential plans to make the team better via the draft and free agency. Positions such as running back, linebacker, and tight end were specifically mentioned as key areas to address. Ones, that in my opinion, would be wise to take care of before the draft kicks off at the end of April.
This afternoon, the first on the field workouts of this year’s combine will occur. General managers, scouts, and player personnel from across the league have dug into the tape and games over the past several months. Now, they get the chance of double-checking their athleticism marks, while also being able to sit down and interview up to 45 players they have an interest in adding to their club.
Today, all specialists, defensive lineman, and linebackers are slated to perform. On Friday, the defensive backs and tight ends will get their opportunity to showcase their abilities. Saturday is the time for the quarterbacks, running backs, and wide receivers to shine. Last but not least, the offensive lineman drills will cap off the event on Sunday.
We’ve talked about a lot of prospects in our Future Broncos segments. We’ve also been over the strengths of the draft and also discussed various approaches and philosophies Denver could make with their selections this season. With the combine underway, I thought it would be worth discussing three storylines to watch with respect to the Broncos over the next few days.
Crafting a future vision at defensive back.
The Broncos certainly have a strong secondary. They performed well last season as a whole. Unfortunately, they didn’t generate a whole lot of turnovers. That is an area for improvement in 2026, and one Payton and Paton are hoping to address. But first, they have some in-house question marks to deal with.
Nickelback Ja’Quan McMillian is a RFA and safety P.J. Locke is an unrestricted free agent. GM Paton emphasized McMillian as a core player on the team and that would like to have him back. However, it’s unknown if the team has discussed parameters on a possible extension and one that could be costly. Some of the best nickel corners are receiving around $12 to $15 million annually. If no long-term agreement can be reached, I’d expect Denver to place a 2nd round tender on McMillian to at least keep him around for their ‘26.
Outside of that, they have several other players entering the last year of their contracts. Those would be starting cornerback Riley Moss and starting safety Brandon Jones, as well as backup safety J.L. Skinner. That’s a lot of key players and depth Denver will certainly not be able to keep long-term. They need to be thinking about the future here, and in a way, that’s certainly already started.
The Broncos have revamped their secondary coaching staff after the Buffalo Bills hired Jim Leonhard to be their defensive coordinator. Doug Belk was hired to coach the defensive backs, with former University of Colorado defensive coordinator Robert Livingston taking over as their defensive passing game coordinator. On top of that, former safety Kareem Jackson is serving as an area scout for the Broncos’ scouting staff this season.
All things considered, it seems like Denver will be diligent trying to find some more playmakers to their secondary that those guys above may like. Sure, they used a first-round pick on Jahdae Barron last year, but defensive backs are important players, and Paton has a history of utilizing picks early and often to upgrade the secondary.
I’m interested in seeing who some of the names are Denver is allocating their visits to at safety and cornerback. I think they are going to prioritize versatility here. Guys like Bishop Fitzgerald, Kamari Ramsey, and AJ Haulcy, all intrigue me for Denver based on skillset and staff connections. Keointe Scott is a name to watch for as a potential McMillian replacement if Denver can’t keep him long-term. Treydan Stukes and Jalon Kilgore are versatile defensive backs who I’m excited to see in drills as well.
Just how focused will the Broncos be on the trenches?
The NFL Draft is the ultimate team building event. It’s the most important way a franchise has to forge themselves into a contender. One major team-building philosophy is “It all starts in the trenches.” During his media presser, Paton spoke about the importance of keeping the foundations of the team strong.
“I think you always have to feed the offensive lines and defensive lines to sustain success in this league. We’ll continue to do that, regardless of how good our offensive line is,” Paton remarked.
With Garett Bolles and Mike McGlinchey getting up there in years and toward the end of their contracts, it’s probably wise for Denver to start thinking about the future there too. They have five selections in the top four rounds. There is no excuse not to find a tackle to develop that has starting traits. It’s long overdue for them to make an early addition there. The Broncos haven’t drafted a true tackle since taking Bolles in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft. That’s almost a decade.
On top of that, John Franklin-Myers seems destined to sign elsewhere in free agency. And while D.J. Jones has played well; they might need to find a guy they can develop on the inside who can take over for him eventually. This year’s defensive line class is pretty deep. Things are fluid right now, but a case could be made for players like Keldric Faulk, Peter Woods, Kayden McDonald, Christian Miller, Caleb Banks, or Lee Hunter to merit significant consideration if available for Denver late in the first round.
Will this be a year we see early investment in the trenches? Maybe some news out of Indianapolis comes out over the next few days to give Broncos Country a better idea if that has a chance at happening.
All eyes on potential long-term upgrades at inside linebacker.
General Manager George Paton mentioned linebacker as a position group that seems to be very talented in this year’s draft. I certainly agree, and those who’ve followed along with the Future Broncos segments know that if there was any year to pick a linebacker—this one would certainly be it. Kind of like how last years was with tight end, but Denver didn’t take advantage of.
This year, I’m really hoping it’s different. Snag a player in a deep class at the position. On the surface, it certainly appears like they are being diligent in finding potential additions to room. They have allocated quite a few of their 45 visits to the position group. These sessions will be important for Denver’s ability to gauge how capable these guys are at understanding and communicating defenses. Moreover, getting a feel for if they have the mindset and attitude the Broncos want in their locker room.
A lot of prospects in this year’s class have been extremely productive throughout their collegiate careers. There are no shortage of accolades and records from the top guys at the position group. But what I’m looking for today is to see who separate themselves from the others athletically. How they fare in that regard will have a big impact on where they get stacked on the board relative to the competition. Denver certainly needs a long-term player there, but who will showcase themselves as the best of the bunch? I’m eager to find out.
How about you, Broncos Country? Any specific storylines or things you are focused on with respect to the team and this year’s combine? Let me know in the comments. As always, thank you for reading. Here is today’s slate of articles for Horse Tracks.