The Denver Broncos Need To Add a High End Wide Receiver This Offseason

The Denver Broncos had an incredible 2025 season, but will now enter the most crucial offseason in franchise history. Bo Nix made a ton of throws when the lights were brightest, but Jarrett Stidham was unable to avenge his teammate in the AFC Championship Game against the New England Patriots.

With Nix on a rookie contract, it’s time for the Broncos to go all in and acquire a big-time playmaker on offense, which is something they haven’t had in years. In the Championship game, Denver had Lil’Jordan Humphrey and Elijah Moore starting on offense, which is completely unacceptable. For them to get back to where they were this year, they need to add a legitimate high-end wide receiver this offseason.

Broncos Need Another Playmaker

Outside of Courtland Sutton, Denver doesn’t have another high-end playmaker on offense. They have a ton of solid younger players, with the hope that they can develop into something bigger. Marvin Mims has shown flashes of how good he can be, but he’s just too inconsistent and not good enough to be their slot receiver. If they could move him to WR3 and acquire a true guy who can go in the slot, Mims would be even better.

Pat Bryant was also impressive in his rookie year, but injuries really set him back. Once again, he’s another young player with a high ceiling, but it will take some time for him to fully grow. The same goes for Troy Franklin, who got off to a blazing hot start this past season but slowed down tremendously as time went on. 

If they want to win a Super Bowl, they need to give their franchise quarterback a receiver with a higher floor who can be a red zone threat and provide the ability to put up over 1,000 yards per season. They checked in on wide receivers before the trade deadline, but nothing materialized. Building a better core around Nix must be the top priority this offseason.

What Are Potential Options?

The free agency class isn’t strong, so if the Broncos were to add a wideout, it would likely come via trade. The top name they should try to pursue is Dolphins star receiver Jaylen Waddle. The Broncos were reportedly in on Waddle at the trade deadline, but were unwilling to meet Miami’s high asking price. With a new regime and a bunch of question marks at quarterback, the Dolphins could decide to sell high and accumulate draft picks.

The Broncos can easily move their first-round pick this year (30th overall) and future assets to get a deal done. Waddle fits their offensive needs perfectly and would dominate in the slot alongside Sutton. He would bring above-average speed and would be a much-needed threat. Last season, with terrible quarterback play, he still managed to put up 910 yards and 6 touchdowns. 

If he were to be paired with Nix, his numbers would skyrocket. Not to mention, Waddle being in Denver would put him in a winning environment, which he hasn’t had much of throughout his NFL career.

Denver Will Be Aggressive

General Manager George Paton said in his end-of-season press conference that the team would be aggressive in free agency. They have money to spend with dead cap coming off the books from Russell Wilson, and will likely create even more when they cut/restructure contracts. They also have ample draft capital this year to get a big trade done, and the timing couldn’t be better with Nix on a rookie contract.

They saw what he was able to do with an nonexistent running game and average players around him, and now it’s time to give him what he needs to make another run at a Super Bowl. As we get closer to the offseason, all eyes will be on Paton to deliver and get the Broncos over the edge.