Broncos used to not having first-round picks in NFL draft

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- As the selections roll in during the first round of the 2026 NFL draft on April 23, the Denver Broncos' decision-makers will again serve as exceedingly interested observers.

It's a familiar feeling, as the Broncos do not have a first-round pick for the third time in the past five drafts. After missing out on Round 1 in 2022 and 2023 due to the Russell Wilson trade, the Broncos will do the same in two weeks after trading for wide receiver Jaylen Waddle in March.

"No one loves picks more than me, so that's hard," Broncos general manager George Paton said at the league meetings. "I've probably traded too many [first-round picks], darn it."