D
Denver Broncos
A costly weekend of dealing drags the Broncos to a D.
by JKrodel ·
2026 NFL Draft
· 9 picks
· 4 steals
· 5 reaches
Somewhere a scout is still blinking. The Broncos spent the Round 7 slot on CJ Donaldson, a name the board had a full 39 spots lower. A weekend that fought the value and lost, hence the D.
The trades bled value they could not afford to lose. They punted on edge rusher, and it is the miss that keeps the grade honest.
Landing Orange that late papers over a lot of smaller sins. Job largely done: linebacker settled and 5 of 8 of the wish list covered.
Add it up and it is a weekend the front office will hope everyone forgets, edge rusher very much included.
Pick-by-Pick
A quiet steal in Round 2, Pick 30: Gennings Dunker for less than the market said. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
Jacob Rodriguez slid further than he should have, and slot 65 is lovely value for the linebacker. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
They paid a round early for Max Klare in the Round 3 slot, more than the board wanted. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
Domonique Orange in the 108th overall pick is the kind of fall that makes a whole class. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
They left a pile of value on the table to take Oscar Delp this early at No. 111. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
A conviction pick on Seth McGowan at pick No. 170 that the board grades a round light. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.
The board fumbled TJ Hall all the way to pick No. 246, and they scooped it up. A minor need, but a need all the same.
This one needs a full-page explanation: Adam Randall in the 256th overall pick, miles early. It fills a real need, too.
Value said wait; CJ Donaldson in No. 257 says they were not listening. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.