Bucky Brooks gives his take on Broncos’ free agency approach

At the start of 2026 NFL free agency, there were a lot of teams that spent a lot of money to address various needs inside franchise walls. However, there were two teams that had diametrically opposing views on how to approach this year's "frenzy," a term that Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton doesn't like associated with free agency.

NFL.com analyst Bucky Brooks recently compared the offseason moves of the Broncos and the New York Jets, because each approach was radically different. Brooks described the Jets' offseason as a "total makeover." The Jets went out and signed veteran locker room builders (Geno Smith, Minkah Fitzpatrick) to hopefully turn around a franchise that has not seen mid-January in 15 years, the longest such drought in any major sport. By bringing in players who have seen prolonged success, both personally and as a team, the Jets are looking to build a core of winners.

From the Broncos' 5,280-foot view, Brooks proclaimed the strategy "quality over quantity." After a quiet start to free agency, where general manager George Paton re-signed several in-house role players, the first big splash came when Denver executed a blockbuster trade for wide receiver Jaylen Waddle.

"Denver had to surrender valuable draft currency (the 30th overall pick this year, plus a third- and fourth-rounder)  and a 2026 fourth-round pick," . "But the team clearly preferred an established veteran over an unknown rookie. With three 1,000-yard seasons and 26 career touchdowns under his belt, Waddle is exactly the kind of player who can take the ' offense to the next level. 'We could safely say that pick (No. 30 overall) would've been one of these seven or eight players,' said Sean Payton of the trade. 'We didn't feel like that would help us as much as Jaylen Waddle.'"