The Broncos entered 2025’s offseason needing answers at linebacker. They still do, as 2026 dawns. They entered last year, too, needing to upgrade skill talent around Bo Nix; they still do. The foundation — coaching, quarterback, defense, line play — just so happened to be strong enough to catapult the Broncos to their best season in a decade, and land at a launching point for larger hopes.
The first step to answering Denver’s roster questions comes in Indianapolis, starting Monday, where head coach Sean Payton and general manager George Paton will get a hands-on look at potential draftees at the NFL Combine. A year ago, a heap of combine buzz around a handful of running backs and tight ends proved fruitless, as the Broncos eventually pitched a curveball and drafted cornerback Jahdae Barron with their first-round pick in 2025. But Indianapolis was also the place where former Denver receivers coach Keary Colbert first became enamored with rookie receiver Pat Bryant, and where the Broncos’ early targets will emerge again in 2026.
Building off a 14-3 season, Denver’s needs are even clearer this February than last. Linebacker, running back and tight end will all be points of emphasis in Indianapolis, as the Broncos will have to make decisions on several key unrestricted and restricted free agents at those positions. And fortunately for Payton, Paton and company, this early 2026 draft class is padded with strengths in areas where the Broncos could stand to grow.
Here’s The Denver Post’s Broncos-specific guide to this year’s combine.
Combine schedule for on-field workouts
Thursday, Feb. 26: Kickers, defensive linemen, linebackers (drills begin at 1:00 p.m. MT)
Friday, Feb. 27: Tight ends, defensive backs (drills begin at 1:00 p.m.)
Saturday, Feb. 28: Quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers (drills begin at 11:00 a.m.)
Sunday, March 1: Offensive linemen (drills begin at 11:00 a.m.)
Class strengths and weaknesses
The Broncos will almost certainly see a new franchise quarterback in the AFC West, with Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza all but penciled in as the Raiders’ No. 1 overall pick in April’s draft. Beyond Mendoza, though, this is anything but a quarterback-heavy class. As of now, Alabama’s Ty Simpson is the only other potential first-round pick at QB.
It’s not a very buzzy class. This, ultimately, could land in Denver’s favor.
“When you’re picking 30-31 down there in this draft – I think it’s solid … you’ll hit solid doubles,” an AFC scout told The Denver Post, speaking on their early draft evaluation on condition of anonymity.
“Will you hit home runs? Eh, I don’t know about that. But you’ll hit solid doubles.”
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The Broncos could look for another running back to pair with rookie RJ Harvey; however, this backfield class is “not deep at all,” as that AFC scout told The Post. Denver could easily look to the draft for pass-catching help and target another runner in free agency.Five potential fits to watch at the combine
Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez (10) reacts to the snap against Kent State during the first half of a game Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025, in Lubbock, Texas. (AP Photo/Justin Rex)Jacob Rodriguez, ILB, Texas Tech
Measureables: 6-foot-1, 230 pounds
2025 stats: 14 games, 128 tackles, four interceptions, seven forced fumbles
Comment from AFC scout: “With Denver, I think if they had Jacob Rodriguez, that’d be a heck of a pick for them, considering how their defense is set up.”
The man’s Twitter bio reads “Football Player,” for good reason. Rodriguez has already cycled through several lifetimes before hitting the NFL: he was a three-star quarterback in high school, played a year at Virginia as a hybrid offensive weapon, and then transferred to Texas Tech in 2022 and switched to linebacker. Three years later, he won the Bronko Nagurski Award as the nation’s best defensive player in 2025.
Rodriguez’s combine stock and eventual draft range will be interesting, as his frame hardly leaps off the page and he’s not an exceptional athlete by NFL standards. Scouts love ball production, though. And in music to Broncos fans’ ears, few linebackers in this class profile better in coverage than Rodriguez.
Georgia wide receiver Zachariah Branch (1) celebrates a touchdown against Mississippi during the second half of the Sugar Bowl playoff quarterfinal on Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)Zachariah Branch, WR, Georgia
Measurables: 5-foot-10, 180 pounds
2025 stats: 14 games, 81 catches, 811 yards, six touchdowns
Comment from AFC scout: “I think Zachariah Branch is (Payton’s) next Lance Moore.”
Here’s one of the leading candidates for the fastest 40-yard-dash time in Indianapolis. Branch is pure lightning, a wideout that can plant his foot in grass and shift into hyper-speed as quickly as anyone in his class. After an electric freshman season at USC but a disappointing sophomore season, Branch transferred to Georgia and led the SEC in receptions in 2025.
Sean Payton loves his bigger receivers, but the best versions of Payton offenses have always featured a diversified portfolio at receiver; think big-bodied No. 1 Marques Colston and diminutive No. 2 Moore back in his New Orleans days. Branch would overlap directly with Marvin Mims Jr. in skill profile, but Mims has never found a consistent role in Denver and is set to hit free agency after 2026.
If Denver wants to move on from Mims and Branch can show he’s more than a gadget guy at the combine, he could be a nice Day 2 fit for the Broncos.
Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon
Measurables: 6-foot-3, 245 pounds
2025 stats: 14 games, 51 catches, 560 yards, eight touchdowns
Comment from AFC scout: “Guarantee — he’ll be one of the best testers at that position. I think he’s going to explode the combine.”
Wide sections of Broncos fans have already fallen in love with Sadiq as a potential matchup-threat tight end for former Ducks teammate Bo Nix. And Sadiq’s athletic profile is tantalizing, a speedy big body whose muscles have their own muscles.
Let’s pump some brakes on a full runaway hype train here, though. Sadiq doesn’t have big-time height, and his hands need some NFL refinement. The Oregon ties, athleticism and Denver’s need for a tight end still mean the Broncos will do plenty of diligence here.
Florida defensive lineman Caleb Banks (88) sacks LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier (13) during the second half of a game, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in Gainesville, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux, File)Caleb Banks, DT, Florida
Measurables: 6-foot-6, 335 pounds
2025 stats: Three games, six tackles, one tackle for loss
Comment from AFC scout: “I think he’s the wild-card of the bunch … I think that’d be a really good fit for them.”
After a 2024 season in which he racked up 4.5 sacks and seven tackles for loss in 12 games, Banks’ stock dipped significantly due to a foot injury in 2025. Scouts will likely find it admirable that Banks returned late in the year, though, and he could shoot up draft boards with an impressive showing at the combine.
The AFC scout described Banks as the “wild card” of his interior defensive-line group, and said he’d be a “really good fit” for Denver. The Broncos could be looking for young help on their defensive front with John Franklin-Myers likely to hit free agency, and Banks has big-time pass-rush upside.
Texas A&M offensive lineman Chase Bisontis (71) sets to block during a game against Florida on Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Gainesville, Fla. (AP Photo/Gary McCullough)Chase Bisontis, OL, Texas A&M
Measurables: 6-foot-5, 315 pounds
2025 stats: 13 games, 795 snaps, 12 pressures allowed, one sack allowed
Bisontis was singled out by the AFC scout as an offensive-line prospect who could thrive in an outside-zone scheme, as the Broncos moved more towards such principles in their ground game in 2025. He profiles better as an interior offensive lineman in the NFL, and developed well in two seasons at left guard for A&M. The Broncos haven’t drafted an offensive lineman higher than the seventh round in Payton’s three seasons in Denver; this could be their man.
Five sleepers to watch
Mason Reiger, OLB, Wisconsin
The 6-foot-5 Reiger quietly profiled as one of the better edge rushers in the Big Ten in 2025, finishing fourth in the conference with 32 quarterback hurries and tied for fifth with 45 pressures (according to Pro Football Focus). He broke out at the East-West Shrine Bowl, named defensive MVP after a three-sack performance. And Reiger has plenty of buzz behind his name heading into Indianapolis.
Bishop Fitzgerald, S, USC
With the Broncos expected to hire Doug Belk as a defensive-backs coach after a couple of years at USC, Denver could take a long look at one of Belk’s pupils from Southern California this past season. Fitzgerald was one of the highest-impact transfers in the country in 2025, named an All-American after transferring from North Carolina State before the season. The ball production (five interceptions) will draw plenty of eyes, but Fitzgerald needs to dispel any concerns about his frame (5-foot-11, 205 pounds) at the combine.
Cole Payton (9), of North Dakota State, drops back to pass during the first half of the Senior Bowl on Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026, in Mobile, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)Cole Payton, QB, North Dakota State
Is this a shameless inclusion because of his last name? Absolutely. Is Payton also a highly intriguing prospect? Absolutely. He totaled 29 touchdowns in 2025 for FCS powerhouse North Dakota State, sports elite size at 6-foot-3 and 233 pounds, and has legitimate dual-threat potential. Plus — he’s a lefty. Watch out for his name to take off in Indianapolis.
Bryce Boettcher, ILB, Oregon
Another former Nix teammate here. Boettcher has already had his shot at another major professional league, taken by the Houston Astros in the 13th round of the 2024 MLB Draft. He’ll likely have his sights set on football, though, after becoming the heartbeat of Oregon’s defense in a 136-tackle senior season. He’s a gamer and a hard hitter in the mold of Alex Singleton, who could easily depart Denver in free agency.
J’Mari Taylor, RB, Virginia
Yes, this is not the best running-back class. But Taylor showcased some impressive vision in limited reps at the Senior Bowl, and ran for 1,062 yards and 14 touchdowns this past season at Virginia after transferring from North Carolina Central. Taylor also caught 43 passes in 2025, and could offer a nice complement to Harvey if Denver looks to the draft to bolster their RB room.
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