Good morning, Broncos Country.
Another day has passed in free agency and the Denver Broncos have stood pat on outside additions. Over the course of the offseason, the Broncos’ brass hinted at being aggressive. Much to the chagrin of fans across Broncos Country, that hasn’t happened yet.
To date, the Broncos’ biggest moves have been retaining their own. After falling short in the AFC Championship game to the New England Patriots, the Broncos had a lot of self-reflection to engage in over the past few months. Whether you agree with it or not, it appears to be clear that continuity and keeping their roster intact has become a priority over making big outside splashes.
Nevertheless, that doesn’t mean Denver wasn’t interested in making upgrades. They were in on several high profile free agents, most notably running back Travis Etienne. Even though the Broncos are clearly the better franchise with tremendous ownership, sometimes that isn’t enough to sway players.
I think we often forget the player’s agency when it comes to free agency. They have a right to sign wherever they feel is best for them. So no matter how much we or the front office may be enamored with the idea of a potential player coming to our favorite team, that doesn’t mean they are going to feel the same way.
Do I wish that the Broncos would have been more active early on? Sure. Do I feel they missed out on some upgrades and top talent? Absolutely. However, nothing that has transpired to date precludes them from getting better. There are plenty of quality players in free agency, and the franchise has a slate of nine picks in the 2026 NFL Draft. And whose to say they don’t take a swing on a big trade prior to or during April’s draft festivities?
It floated this idea a few days ago, but it’s important to keep in mind that over the past few years that Denver’s new ownership and front office have been extremely diligent in extending and rewarding their best players. The teams you see spending big right now had a lot more cap space. And a lot of them don’t have star plays like Patrick Surtain II, Nik Bonitto, Zach Allen, Quinn Meinerz, etc.
There’s no doubt it’s been all quiet on the Western front for Denver thus far. Though it’s important to be reminded there is a lot of time before now and training camp. I’m confident those leading the franchise will find a way to impress and have the Broncos poised to compete at a high level again next season. Perhaps you disagree, but I feel they’ve earned the benefit of the doubt.
As always, thank you for reading. Here’s today’s slate of articles for Horse Tracks.