Broncos advised to beef up the defensive trenches in 2026 NFL Draft

The Denver Broncos have a chance to have one of the best defenses in the league this coming season. But in the NFL, an eye on the future is necessary for any good front office. 

The Broncos will have Zach Allen, John Franklin-Myers and Malcolm Roach all scheduled to hit free agency following this season. While it would be surprising to see Allen do anything but sign a contract extension, the Broncos may not have the funds to retain the others. 

That could leave them looking for other options, which is why Trevor Sikkema of Pro Football Focus, while discussing one area of focus for each team in the 2026 NFL Draft, picked the defensive line for the Broncos. 

"Zach Allen, John Franklin-Myers and Malcolm Roach are all scheduled to be free agents this upcoming offseason, and while Allen — who earned a 64.9 PFF overall grade and led all interior defenders with 75 pressures in 2024 — will likely be back, the other two are unknowns.

Denver did draft LSU's Sai’vion Jones in the third round, but the team could need new starters and depth players a year from now". wrote Sikkema. 

Sai'vion Jones will have a chance to become a big contributor for this team and the Broncos trading back into the third round of this year's draft to select him was done with that aforementioned eye toward the future. But if the Broncos were to lose both Franklin-Myers and Roach, some more depth would be needed, at the least. 

Looking at next year's draft class, here are five of the top-ranked defensive linemen. They may be names to keep tabs on this coming season. 

- T.J. Parker, Clemson
- Keldric Faulk, Auburn
- Peter Woods, Clemson
- Rueben Bain, Jr., Miami
- LT Overton, Alabama

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