DENVER — The Denver Broncos wrapped up the legal tampering and free agency signing period with a series of moves that franchise leadership is framing as a structural reset of the offensive line and a bet on draft-day depth — a combination that has cautiously optimistic fans at Empower Field at Mile High wondering whether this is finally the offseason that addresses the foundational problems that have kept the team in the middle of the AFC standings for two consecutive seasons.
The marquee free agency addition is [Name], a veteran offensive guard who spent the past four seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs, where he was a core piece of three Super Bowl offensive lines. The Broncos signed him to a three-year deal worth $42 million, with $28 million guaranteed — a commitment that signals how seriously the front office views the protection issues that plagued the quarterback position last season, when Denver allowed the third-most sacks in the AFC.
The addition at guard is paired with a trade that sent the team’s third-round pick and a depth receiver to the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for a veteran left tackle with three Pro Bowl appearances in his career. The package puts an entirely new interior on the line heading into training camp.
“We identified the offensive line as the single most important thing we could address,” said Broncos General Manager [Name] at a press conference at the team’s Dove Valley facility in Englewood. “Everything else — the run game, the pass protection, the quarterback’s ability to operate — flows from that.”
On the defensive side, the Broncos declined to re-sign a veteran edge rusher whose production declined significantly in the second half of the 2025 season, absorbing the dead cap hit in exchange for flexibility. They did bring back their starting safety on a two-year extension and added a slot cornerback from the free agent market on a prove-it deal.
The draft haul is where fans are generating the most conversation. Denver enters the 2026 NFL Draft with the 14th overall pick, a second-round pick (42nd overall), two third-round picks acquired through trades, and a late third they held originally — five picks in the first three rounds for a team that had only two in that range a year ago.
The front office has been publicly noncommittal about the 14th pick but has met extensively with three quarterbacks in the draft class, fueling speculation that the team is evaluating whether to develop a long-term starter behind the current depth chart.
“We’re doing our homework the way we always do,” the GM said when asked about the quarterback meetings. “We’re not going to tip our hand.”
Denver’s first preseason game at Empower Field at Mile High is scheduled for August 8. Season tickets for 2026 are available through the Broncos’ website.