The Broncos have the NFL’s best 1-2 punches in Courtland Sutton and Jaylen Waddle, but one recent draft pick is really starting to make some noise in training camp.
The Denver Broncos wide receiver room is starting to look pretty scary if the early reports about second-year receiver Pat Bryant are true.
The former Illinois product has been the talk of Broncos training camp, taking advantage of practice time with Jaylen Waddle and Courtland Sutton missing some reps. Bryant is turning major heads, and his rise could reshape Denver’s receiving corps for 2026 and beyond.
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Bryant’s rookie foundation
Bryant got some good experience last year after the Broncos selected him with the 74th pick out of Illinois in the 2025 NFL Draft. He finished as the fourth-highest player in receiving yardage on the team and third among receivers, behind Sutton and Troy Franklin. Tight end Evan Engram ranked third overall. Bryant got to showcase what he can do, and now he’s building on that foundation in a big way.
The Broncos bringing in Waddle as a free agent this offseason may not have helped Bryant’s cause initially. With Waddle and Sutton locked in as WR1 and WR2 on the depth chart and Franklin already ahead of him, snaps looked hard to come by. But the way Bryant has been making plays at camp changes the equation.
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I think Pat Bryant could overtake Franklin and claim the WR3 spot on the 2026 Broncos, or at the very least earn a lot more snaps than he saw as a rookie. Think about what coach Sean Payton and quarterback Bo Nix‘s supporting cast can do with expanded personnel packages. Four receivers and a tight end in empty sets, or four receivers and a back in traditional formations. Having Bryant out there more gives Denver another weapon, and that’s a big deal for this offense.
The long-term picture in Denver
Here’s what makes this even more exciting. Both Franklin and Bryant are young, with Franklin drafted in 2024 and Bryant a year later. Sutton is 30 years old. He’s had 1,000 yards in back-to-back seasons and is expected to have a good year again, but he’s only getting older. His time with the Broncos may be more limited than we think. The future of the position looks solidified even beyond 2026.
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Look, whether Bryant ends up as the WR3 or WR4 this season, you can never predict injury. There will likely be moments where Denver needs him to step up and take an expanded role. That’s just how the NFL works.
But overall, this is exciting. We knew Bryant had solid potential after his rookie season, and for him to already be making these kinds of strides in camp going into Year 2, taking advantage of every opportunity with Sutton and Waddle sidelined, it can only mean good things. Good things for the Broncos, good things for their offense, and good things for quarterback Bo Nix. Denver’s receiver room is shaping up to be one of the most feared in the NFL.
This article was originally published on A to Z Sports. Read the full story here: Something big is brewing in Denver Broncos training camp and it could completely change the outlook of one key position group
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