Player acquisition season in the NFL never really ends.
Broncos outside linebacker Dondrea Tillman is a perfect example.
This time last year, Tillman was preparing to play a full 10-game season for the Birmingham Stallions in the UFL.
He didn’t catch on with the Broncos until late June, working out for the club after it broke mandatory minicamp for summer vacation.
Tillman signed June 20, started the regular season on the practice squad after a strong training camp and eventually forced his way into Denver’s outside linebacker rotation, logging two sacks in his debut Week 3 at Tampa. By the end of the season, he had five sacks to his name and he’s penciled in as part of one of the best edge groups in football for 2025.
“He’s certainly been a big plus,” Denver coach Sean Payton said late in the regular season. “He’s given us physicality. He works his tail off and he works at it. When you can get a player like that, maybe you weren’t counting on, that’s a good sign.”
Talent is the lifeblood of any team and rosters in the NFL are always churning.
With Denver’s first wave of free agency work done, though, and the draft just more than a month away, it’s a good time to evaluate the impact the past couple of weeks have had on the Broncos’ depth.
Some positions have been fortified. Others still look thin. Some will look very similar in 2025 and others will look quite different.
Denver currently has 67 players under contract. Another free agent addition or two, a full draft class and fresh crop of college free agents will push that number toward the full 90.
For now, though, here’s an updated positional guide to the Denver roster, ranked by need from greatest to least.
Running back
Already here: Jaleel McLaughlin, Audric Estime, Tyler Badie, Blake Watson
Departed: Javonte Williams
Still available: FB Mike Burton
Updated need: Very high
Denver’s got able bodies, but nobody expects them to go into the season with Estime and McLaughlin as their 1-2 punch. It’s a loaded draft class and the Broncos will be looking for the guy who fits their eye the best. There are probably starters to be had on Day 3 of the draft, but Denver may take their shot earlier than that. Burton’s a candidate to return unless Payton and the offensive staff think Nate Adkins can be their fullback.
Tight end
Already here: Adam Trautman, Nate Adkins, Lucas Krull, Thomas Yassmin
Added: Evan Engram
Updated need: High
The Broncos landed Engram to be the pass-catching threat the franchise has lacked for years. He’ll play a ton, operate out of the slot frequently and should quickly become one of Nix’s favorite targets. But Denver shouldn’t be done trying to upgrade. Engram’s on a two-year deal and was hurt for a good chunk of last year. Not only that but it’s a deep draft class and you can never go wrong outfitting a young quarterback with more weapons. If Denver goes from no real receiving threat at the position to two, all the better.
Wide receiver
Already here: Courtland Sutton, Marvin Mims Jr., Devaughn Vele, Troy Franklin, A.T. Perry, Michael Bandy
Added: Trent Sherfield
Still available: Lil’Jordan Humphrey
Updated need: Medium
Payton and the Broncos are bullish on their young group of receivers behind Sutton. They didn’t get into the bidding war for Cooper Kupp because of that and the fact they’d already added Engram. Now, could they find room for a veteran? Sure. Might they try to find a guy who can round out the room in the draft? It’s certainly on the table. But there’s no rush to find somebody just because. Sherfield can hold up here and there but is primarily a special teams stalwart.
Safety
Already here: Brandon Jones, P.J. Locke, JL Skinner, Devon Key, Keidron Smith, Tanner McCalister, Delarrin Turner-Yell
Added: Talanoa Hufanga
Updated need: Medium
Hufanga adds much-needed production and depth to this group assuming he stays healthy. He’s missed 17 games over the past two seasons but is a force when he’s on the field. The need here is based in part on whether Denver keeps Locke. If not — he’s got no guaranteed money and Denver could save $4.19 million by cutting him — it’s a much bigger need. But if Locke stays, it’s a nice three-man rotation and takes the pressure off one of the younger guys rising to full readiness.
Defensive line
Already here: Zach Allen, John Franklin-Myers, Malcolm Roach, Jordan Jackson, Eyioma Uwazurike, Matt Henningsen, Jordan Miller
Retained: D.J. Jones
Updated need: Opportunistic
This group has a good argument for being the strongest and most complete on the roster. So could Denver also use its first-round pick on a defensive lineman? It’s not crazy, given the talent that could be available at No. 20 and the importance of keeping the front line strong. Allen’s due for a massive extension and Franklin-Myers is entering the final year of his contract. After giving Jones a three-year, $39 million deal, it’s an open question if the Broncos can afford everybody. If not, having a premium young player in a rotational role this year and a bigger role in Year 2 is a reasonable outcome.
Special teams
Already here: PK Wil Lutz
Retained: LS Mitch Fraboni
Added: P Matt Haack
Departed: P Riley Dixon
Updated need: Can’t hurt
Pretty simple here: The Broncos needed a punter until they signed Matt Haack on Wednesday. He’s got history with new coordinator Darren Rizzi as they were in Miami for two years together previously. Still, it wouldn’t be a surprise for the Broncos to bring in competition at some point this offseason, whether that’s draft weekend or even up to and into training camp.
Offensive line
Already here: Garett Bolles, Ben Powers, Luke Wattenberg, Quinn Meinerz, Mike McGlinchey, Alex Forsyth, Alex Palczewski, Frank Crum, Nick Gargiulo, Calvin Throckmorton, Will Sherman
Retained: Matt Peart
Still available: Quinn Bailey
Updated need: Low, but…
The Broncos have all five starters back plus their three top reserves with Peart returning on a two-year deal. They like their development plan and they like their young guys in Crum and Gargiulo. All the same, four starters are in the top nine of pay at his position league-wide, Wattenberg is entering the final year of his rookie deal and Denver will have one of the most expensive groups in football this fall. Perhaps some of the next wave is already in-house with Palczewski and Forsyth each having position versatility. But nabbing more young talent in the draft would be good future planning, too.
Cornerback
Already here: Pat Surtain II, Riley Moss, Ja’Quan McMillian, Kris Abrams-Draine, Damarri Mathis, Reese Taylor, Quinton Newsome
Departed: Tremon Smith
Updated need: Fairly low
Any room led by the reigning defensive player of the year is probably in a good spot. The Broncos have young, talented players alongside Surtain, too. Moss emerged as a solid starter and Abrams-Draine really impressed in limited work as a rookie. A longer-term question: Does Moss stay outside or bump in as a physical, athletic nickel as McMillian nears a big payday? Denver doesn’t have to start planning for that just yet — McMillian will just be a restricted free agent after 2025 — but it might be somewhere in the back of the mind as the draft unfolds.
Inside linebacker
Already here: Alex Singleton, Drew Sanders, Levelle Bailey, K.J. Cloyd
Retained: Justin Strnad
Added: Dre Greenlaw
Still available: Zach Cunningham
Updated need: Low
Few positions have seen more tending by the Broncos so far. First Payton and Paton essentially committed Sanders to the room after two years of injury and floating between ILB and OLB. Then they fought off San Francisco and others for Greenlaw’s services and also retained Strnad. Singleton and Greenlaw are coming off injury but can be a dynamic duo in the middle of Denver’s defense if healthy. They’ve also built in some depth. Sanders is the wild card. Is he merely a situational blitzer or can he unlock his talent and blossom into a middle-of-the-field force?
Outside linebacker
Already here: Nik Bonitto, Jonathon Cooper, Jonah Elliss, Dondrea Tillman, Andrew Farmer
Updated need: Low
Pretty easy here. The Broncos’ edge group is young, talented and likely to be in Denver for quite a while. Elliss broke his scapula against Buffalo but should be back up to speed by training camp, if not sooner. Denver could add here — you really can’t have too much pass-rush — but it would be a luxury or a too-good-to-pass-up scenario.
Quarterback
Already here: Bo Nix
Retained: Jarrett Stidham
Departed: Zach Wilson
Updated need: Low
The Broncos made sure Stidham didn’t actually hit the market, inking him to a two-year deal before free agency opened. Wilson figured to have a nice market and he landed good money to be the No. 2 in Miami. The Broncos understandably didn’t want to mess with the chemistry in the quarterback room and now three key pieces are back: Nix, Stidham and quarterbacks coach Davis Webb. Payton’s talked about the value of developing quarterbacks down-roster regularly, so it will be interesting to see if Denver drafts one late or signs an undrafted guy to stash on the practice squad.
Want more Broncos news? Sign up for the Broncos Insider to get all our NFL analysis.