Broncos Get Major Free Agency Praise With One Concern Remaining

The Denver Broncos are starting to get real recognition for how they handled free agency this offseason, and one national voice just made that clear.

In a full ranking of all 32 teams’ offseason moves, ESPN analyst Ben Solak placed Denver at No. 5 overall. The evaluation went beyond just big names, factoring in value, roster flexibility and long-term outlook. For the Broncos, one move stood above the rest.

“I loved the Waddle trade,” Solak wrote. “This is the sort of move that contending teams in rookie QB contract windows should make.”

That says a lot about where Denver is right now.

With Bo Nix still on a rookie deal, the Broncos are in a position to be aggressive. Instead of waiting on a late first-round pick to develop, they flipped that asset into a proven weapon in Jaylen Waddle.

Solak made it clear that decision changed the outlook of the entire offense.

“With the 30th pick in a weak draft class, the Broncos were unlikely to get a needle-moving player for 2026,” he wrote. “Instead, they used that pick … to get Waddle.”

Waddle Trade Gives Offense Immediate Boost

After a very quiet start to free agency, general manager George Paton and the front office faced criticism as the Broncos were the last team to add an outside free agent.

However, that criticism changed when the Broncos traded for Jaylen Waddle.

Denver didn’t just add another receiver. They added a piece that directly fits what the offense was missing.

Waddle brings elite speed, separation ability and yards-after-catch production. More importantly, he gives Nix a reliable option against zone coverage, something the offense lacked at times last season.

Solak pointed to that fit as a major reason the move stood out.

“He’s a sudden playmaker with great deep speed,” Solak wrote. “Waddle gives Denver more punch, not just for one season but for multiple years to come.”

That long-term impact matters just as much as the short-term boost. Waddle is still in his prime and under team control, making this more than a one-year swing. It’s a move that raises the ceiling of the offense for years to come.

Coming into the offseason, many NFL insiders and executives believed the Broncos were one offensive piece away.

They now have that piece and will look to build on last year’s success and take the next step forward.

Broncos Linebacker Question Still Lingers

Even with the strong ranking, not everything about Denver’s offseason was viewed the same way.

Solak’s biggest issue centered on linebacker.

“I didn’t love running it back at linebacker,” he wrote.

By bringing back Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad without adding clear upgrades, the Broncos are banking on continuity at a position that showed some weaknesses last season.

Solak specifically pointed to coverage concerns.

“I do think that the Broncos’ linebackers were often exposed in man coverage,” he noted. That could still be something opposing offenses look to exploit again in 2026.

Still, the overall takeaway remains clear. Denver made one of the most impactful moves of the offseason and did it in a way that fits their timeline.

That’s why ESPN analyst Ben Solak ranked them No. 5 among the NFL’s most improved rosters.

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