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Broncos projected to receive 2 comp picks in 2027 (here's why they're important)
TL;DR
The Denver Broncos are projected to receive two compensatory draft picks in the 2027 NFL Draft, specifically a fourth-round and a seventh-round pick, following the loss of players in free agency. This trend continues from their previous year's picks after losing key players.
The Denver Broncos received two compensatory draft picks in 2026, and that trend could continue in 2027.
After losing defensive lineman John Franklin-Myers and safety P.J. Locke during NFL free agency last month, Denver's projected to receive fourth- and seventh-round comp picks for the 2027 NFL draft next spring.
This year, the Broncos received a pair of seventh-round comp picks after losing running back Javonte Williams and punter Riley Dixon in 2025. Those picks are Nos. 256 and 257, the final two selections in this year's draft.
"We have two compensatory picks this year," general manager George Paton said at the NFL's annual league meeting in Arizona last month. "Mr. Irrelevant, and we have Mr. Irrelevant runner-up. So it’s going to be cool… Then next year, we should get the [fourth-round pick] and then maybe a seven. That’s what you want to get to. It took us a while to get here, where we can get compensatory picks. You see other teams do it, and I like that we’re doing it.”
Those picks at the end of the draft may not seem very valuable, but Paton's seventh-round selections have included wide receiver Devaughn Vele, outside linebacker Jonathon Cooper and center Alex Forsyth. Holding picks at the end of the draft also gives the Broncos an edge over teams looking to sign potential undrafted free agents.
“It’s great," Paton said. "You may not be able to get a guy [as an UDFA]. The price gets higher sometimes than the picks in the free agent world. It’s crazy, the chaos. If we’re not going to get a guy… That happened with Jonathon Cooper, believe it or not. He was going to go to Jacksonville with Urban Meyer. Let’s just take him. Let him walk out, and we took him. Those sevens, we got Vele in the seventh, ‘Coop’ in the seventh. There are probably more, but all of those picks are important.”
The 2026 NFL draft will be held in Pittsburgh from April 23-25.
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This article originally appeared on Broncos Wire: NFL draft: Broncos projected to receive 2 comp picks in 2027
Q&A
What compensatory draft picks are the Denver Broncos expected to receive in 2027?
The Denver Broncos are projected to receive a fourth-round pick and a seventh-round pick in the 2027 NFL Draft.
Which players did the Broncos lose that contributed to their compensatory picks for 2027?
The Broncos lost defensive lineman John Franklin-Myers and safety P.J. Locke during NFL free agency, which contributed to their compensatory picks.
How did the Broncos perform in obtaining compensatory picks in previous years?
In 2026, the Broncos received two seventh-round compensatory picks after losing running back Javonte Williams and punter Riley Dixon.
