The Denver Broncos only played one rookie in their 23-17 win over the Los Angeles Chargers. In fact, practice-squad cornerback Brent Austin was the only Broncos rookie to dress in Week 5, and he wasn't even drafted.
With the stage set thusly, it should come as no surprise that NFL Draft On SI's Justin Melo ranked the Broncos' 2026 draft class at No. 30 overall coming out of Week 5 and gave the overall group a D grade.
"The Denver Broncos didn't make a pick until 66th overall and Tyler Onyedim has been a weekly inactive. Jonah Coleman is unfortunately on IR. The rookie running back looked impactful when healthy and could still capture a big role this season. Fifth-round TE Justin Joly was outright released," Melo wrote.
Rookie Class Progress Report
Of the seven draft picks the Broncos made this past spring, only four made the team. It was always going to be a tough roster to crack, but the Broncos made some curious decisions at the end of August.
Two of the three draft picks the Broncos waived at the final roster cutdowns re-signed to the practice squad, with Joly being claimed off waivers by the Miami Dolphins. The Broncos did plan on bringing Joly back to the practice squad, but they lost him to Miami; that was the risk they ran by waiving him.
The four who made the 53-man roster out of camp were Coleman, Onyedim, fourth-round offensive lineman Kage Casey, and seventh-round tight end Dallen Bentley. All but Coleman have been a healthy scratch in every single game this season.
However, Coleman looked great in the Broncos' Week 2 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, but he suffered an ankle injury that landed him on IR. He's eligible to return in Week 7, assuming he's healthy.
What to Expect From Here
Coleman will be back, and the Broncos will use him in their rushing attack as they work to insulate Bo Nix amid his ongoing slump. Barring injury, we're not going to see Casey or Bentley in 2026.
However, Onyedim should be on the field. He was Denver's highest draft pick this year, and was one the best run-defending defensive tackles in the 2026 draft class.
Onyedim had a strong training camp, but Sean Payton, as a rule, with few exceptions, strongly prefers to play veterans. There are certain positions that Payton and his staff are even more reluctant to play as rookies: the offensive and defensive trenches.
Sai'vion Jones went through the same thing that Onyedim is last year, hardly seeing the field as a regular healthy scratch. But after a year of development in the system, the Broncos feel more confident in playing him, although he's the fifth guy in the team's five-man D-line rotation on game day.
One big difference between Jones and Onyedim, though, was that the former showed next to nothing in camp as a rookie while the latter made his presence felt on the regular. The Broncos continue to dress Jones and veteran Jordan Jackson on game days, with Onyedim walking the sideline in street clothes.
It's curious, but the Broncos have a deep defensive line, and they can afford to give Onyedim a year to assimilate. Barring an injury ahead of him on the depth chart, he's unlikely to see the field this year.
The Takeaway
That means Coleman will literally carry the Broncos' 2026 draft class. It's hard to grade or rank a draft class when the team in question doesn't dress any rookies unless it absolutely has to.
Coleman, like RJ Harvey last year and Nix the season prior, was viewed as NFL-ready by Payton and the team. The early returns on Coleman back that up.
It's unfortunate he got hurt so early in the season, but Coleman will be back. And unless the Broncos are decimated by injuries at offensive line, defensive line, or tight end, Coleman will have to suffice when it comes to Melo and others ranking this team's draft class.
Coleman's shoulders are broad enough to carry that load, though.
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