The Broncos have spent the past few years reshaping their wide receiver room, and the latest move - the offseason trade for Jaylen Waddle - looks like the one that finally pushes the group into real strength. Pair Waddle with Courtland Sutton, and Denver suddenly has a duo with six combined 1,000-yard seasons. Add the depth behind them, and this is no longer just a top-heavy room.
Pat Bryant’s rise as a second-year pass-catcher only adds to the picture. Troy Franklin and Marvin Mims Jr. give the Broncos more competent options, and the overall group could end up featuring four or five legitimate contributors.
That’s where the contrast with Kansas City gets ugly.
The Chiefs, an AFC West rival, are once again staring at a receiver situation that looks shaky heading into the 2026 season. They were never really in the mix for Stefon Diggs, who appeared headed to the Washington Commanders, and the current state of the room is laid out bluntly by Chiefs expert Matt Conner:
"Rashee Rice is still working his way back from offseason knee debridement surgery, and his continued off-the-field struggles make him too great a wild card to lock in as a dependable volume target.
Xavier Worthy played through multiple injuries a year ago and is already sitting out training camp with a shoulder injury.
Jalen Royals is completely untested after a redshirt rookie campaign in '25.
Tyquan Thornon was excellent in spurts last season and is hungry for more, but he's only a year removed from competing for a roster spot.
Cyrus Allen has impressed in camp, but no team should depend on a day three rookie in his first season at any position."
That is a rough setup for Patrick Mahomes, especially after a major knee injury of his own. The Chiefs are asking a lot from a quarterback who should not have to keep dragging the offense along at this stage.
What makes it even stranger is that Kansas City did not make a significant move to fix the problem. Waddle and Sutton would both look like clear WR1 options there right now, and Bryant and Franklin would probably be at worst the second option on that roster.
For Denver, it’s a welcome advantage. The Broncos’ secondary should be able to handle this Chiefs group without too much trouble.
For Kansas City, though, the whole thing is baffling. The roster flaws were exposed in the Super Bowl back in 2024 and again during the 2025 season, and even when Mahomes was healthy last year, the Chiefs still didn’t look like a truly dangerous team.
They did sign Kenneth Walker III in free agency, and Travis Kelce is another year older, but the receiver room remains a problem. The Broncos can enjoy the laugh. The Chiefs, meanwhile, have to explain why they left this position looking this way.
In Other News...
Broncos Just Sparked A Uniform Debate Fans Will Have Opinions On
The Broncos have already given fans something to talk about before the first snap of 2026, laying out a uniform schedule that mixes Sunset Orange, Summit White and Midnight Navy across the regular season. The slate includes two games in the clubs 77 Throwbacks, a nod that will please the traditionalists, while the rest of the lineup leans into the franchises modern look as Denver gets ready for another season with plenty of attention attached to every detail.
It is not just the wardrobe drawing scrutiny, either. Denver opens against a demanding early stretch that includes opponents from the AFC West, AFC East and NFC West, so the uniform reveal arrives at a time when the Broncos are trying to build momentum in camp and keep the focus on the run game. The colors will get the headlines now, but the real test starts once the schedule turns and the look on the field has to match the one on the hanger. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos Face One Training Camp Decision That Could Shape The Roster
Two weeks into training camp, the Broncos have given plenty of reason for optimism, but one familiar roster issue still hangs over the team: tight end. It has been a soft spot for several years, and even with competition ramping up across the roster, the position remains a place where Denver could use more help before the regular season arrives.
The question now is how the Broncos choose to solve it without creating another problem elsewhere. Wide receiver and cornerback each carry their own depth concerns, and the current camp competition has made those rooms worth protecting, not raiding. For a team trying to build on a promising start, the next move at tight end could end up shaping more than just one position group. [Read more 🡒]
Evan Engram Could Unlock A Different Broncos Offense In 2026
The Broncos have spent the early part of 2026 camp shaping what could be a noticeably different offense, and Evan Engram looks like one of the more interesting pieces in that puzzle. With new additions and coaching changes around him, the tight ends role is still being sorted out, but the early signs point to Denver trying to tap into more of what he can do beyond simply lining up as a receiver.
Bo Nix has noted that Engram has been asked to handle more blocking work in camp, a wrinkle that could reshape how defenses have to treat him. If that keeps going, it may open the door for Engram to become more involved in the play-action game and give the Broncos another layer in an offense that is still defining itself. [Read more 🡒]