Broncos Stand Pat at NFL Trade Deadline, Confident in Contending Roster

Dante
4 days ago
2 min read

The NFL’s trade deadline came and went on Tuesday at 2 p.m. MT — and the Denver Broncos decided to stay the course. Despite plenty of speculation leading up to the deadline, Denver made no trades, opting instead to preserve its draft capital and continue with the roster that has powered the team to a strong 7-2 start. There was buzz that the Broncos might pursue a wide receiver, with Miami Dolphins star Jaylen Waddle rumored as a potential target. However, no deal materialized. General manager George Paton ultimately chose to keep the team’s 2026 draft assets intact, and the Broncos will roll into the second half of the season with just over $4.6 million in remaining salary cap space.

According to KUSA-TV’s Mike Klis, the Broncos were “in on a few players,” but the asking prices were “deemed too high.” That sentiment aligns with head coach Sean Payton’s confidence in his current group — a roster that has already proven it can compete with some of the AFC’s best.

“We like the team we have,” Payton said earlier this week. “Our focus is on continuing to get better every week and putting ourselves in position for a playoff run.”

Denver’s decision to stand pat signals belief in its internal depth and chemistry rather than taking a swing on a midseason addition. The Broncos will now turn their attention to maintaining their momentum heading into the stretch run of the 2025 campaign.

Broncos 2026 NFL Draft Picks:

Round 1: Own pick
Round 2: Own pick
Round 3: Own pick
Round 4: Saints pick (from Devaughn Vele trade)
Round 4: Own pick
Round 5: Own pick
Round 7: Own pick
Round 7: Projected compensatory pick (Javonte Williams)

Denver’s front office clearly values flexibility for next spring’s draft — and for now, the Broncos believe their best move was no move at all.