Without a first-round draft pick, Broncos counting on receiver Jaylen Waddle to enhance offense
DENVER (AP) — The Denver Broncos have a long wait ahead of them before their first pick in the NFL draft.
Simply the price of upgrading their offense for quarterback Bo Nix.
After a rather quiet free agency, the Broncos orchestrated a major deal with Miami to acquire receiver Jaylen Waddle as part of a package that included Denver’s pick at No. 30. That means the Broncos aren’t on the clock until late in the second round. In all, the Broncos have seven picks, including a fourth-rounder from the Dolphins.
“We are excited to add a player like Jaylen,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said at the league meetings last month. “We could safely say that (first-round) pick would’ve been one of these seven or eight players. We didn’t feel like that would help us as much as Jaylen.”
The addition of Waddle could make the offense even more potent. The Broncos made it to the AFC championship game before losing to New England with Nix sidelined by a broken ankle. It was a season in which the Broncos won 11 of their 14 games by one score. Waddle was the only significant move the Broncos made, in addition to signing some of their own players. It led to the opinion Denver was content with running it back.
“I hate that term,” Payton said. “It’s not, ‘Let’s run it back.’ Let’s understand one thing: it is anything but that. … You saw the flip in just one season with Kansas City. It’s how do you improve your team. The better you get, the harder it is to improve your team.”
They reached for the fences for Waddle, a first-round pick out of Alabama in 2021 who had three straight 1,000-yard seasons to begin his career. He pairs with Courtland Sutton, coming off a second straight 1,000-yard season.
Nix is expected to be back in time to participate in the offseason program and develop cohesion with his newest receiver — and maybe more offensive playmakers taken in the draft.
“I don’t know if we are ever going to say we’ve taken all the steps that are enough,” owner and CEO Greg Penner said. “We are always looking for what more can we do.”
Need
At the top of the list might be a tight end after a season in which that position combined for three TD receptions. Denver could also use some depth at linebacker following the release of Dre Greenlaw. It was a challenging one-year stint with the Broncos as Greenlaw dealt with injuries.
“That was a tough one,” Payton said of parting with Greenlaw.
Don’t need
Quarterback, of course, after taking Nix with the 12th pick in the 2024 draft. Nix threw for 3,931 yards and 25 touchdowns with 11 interceptions in his sophomore season. Payton is relinquishing the play-calling duties to offensive coordinator Davis Webb.
Another area of strength is an offensive line that had left tackle Garett Bolles and right guard Quinn Meinerz make the All-Pro team.
Compensatory picks
Denver was given two compensatory seventh-round selections in this draft.
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