On Tuesday, the NFL announced how it would be doling out this year’s compensatory picks, which are draft picks given to teams who lost more in the previous year’s free agency than they gained.
The Broncos were awarded three compensatory picks, one in the fifth round which will be the 178th selection overall, and two in the seventh round which will be the 252nd and 254th picks of the draft.
Now that compensatory picks have been awarded, Denver finds themselves with 11 picks in total for this year’s draft. If they hold on to all those picks, it would be the most players selected by the Broncos in a single draft since 1999, when they made 12 selections.
Broncos updated draft picks look like this:
Round 1: Own
Round 2: Own
Round 3: Own
Round 3: via Pittsburgh
Round 3: via San Francisco
Round 4: Own
Round 5: Compensatory
Round 6: via Washington
Round 7: via New England
Round 7: Compensatory
Round 7: Compensatory
@CBSDenver— Michael Spencer (@MichaelCBS4) March 10, 2020
That makes it all the more likely the Broncos will package their picks together to trade up at some point in this draft, especially considering that compensatory picks are now tradeable. They could look to trade up in the first, but it seems they’d be more likely to make a move later on, that being said, compensatory picks can be incredibly valuable when held on to. Look no further than stalwart Broncos safety Justin Simmons, who was a third-round compensatory selection in the 2016 NFL draft.
Whether the Broncos hold on to the pick or use it to trade up for a player they love, gaining these three picks should serve as a big boost for Elway and Company. First up, free agency kicks off in one week. Then, Denver will know exactly what they need in the draft.