NFL Football 8-Hour Briefing

Last updated: March 17, 2026, 12:30 PM ET

NFL Free Agency & Draft Implications

The Denver Broncos embraced their homegrown philosophy during the initial free agency period, remaining the lone team yet to sign an external player, a continuity approach maintained over the last two years. This strategy shifted immediately, however, as Denver acquired wide receiver Jaylen Waddle from the Dolphins for a package including a first, third, and fourth-round pick this year, according to sources familiar with the trade. That significant acquisition, detailed in reports on the best signings and questionable decisions across the league, immediately alters draft calculus, prompting experts like Mel Kiper Jr. to recalibrate first-round projections for top prospects whose team needs were suddenly addressed via trade rather than the draft board.