In building the current roster for the Denver Broncos — 1 most believe is a Super Bowl contender — head coach Sean Payton and general manager George Paton had to make some tough decisions.
That’s led to several players who the Broncos discarded going on to star for other teams, including Dallas Cowboys running back Javonte Williams and Miami Dolphins tight end Greg Dulcich.
The best of the bunch might be set up for the biggest season of them in all in 6-foot-5, 210-pound New Orleans Saints wide receiver DeVaughn Vele, who the Broncos traded before the 2025 season.
Bleacher Report’s Moe Moton put Vele at the top of his list of the NFL’s “Biggest Sleepers” headed into 2026.
“(Saints) quarterback Tyler Shough built a strong rapport with him at the end of last season, and they could pick up where they left off,” Moton wrote on September 10. “Between Weeks 13 and 15 of the 2025 campaign, Vele hauled in 16 of his 19 targets for 202 yards and a touchdown. The Saints placed the wideout on injured reserve with a shoulder injury, which sidelined him for the final three games of the season. With rookie first-round wide receiver Jordyn Tyson on injured reserve with a hamstring injury, Vele should be the No. 2 receiver behind Chris Olave in the Saints’ passing game. Keep in mind that New Orleans traded a 2026 fourth-round pick and a 2027 seventh-round pick to the Denver Broncos for him in head coach Kellen Moore’s first year with the team. As the Saints’ offensive play-caller, Moore may try to get some return on the team’s investment in Vele while Tyson recovers from injury.”
Broncos’ Draft Picks Yielded High-Profile RB
One of the draft picks the Broncos got back in return for Vele yielded a high-profile draft pick that Denver fans are high on headed into 2026 — running back and 4th-round pick Jonah Coleman.
ESPN’s Matt Bowen singled out Coleman as the NFL’s top “Under the Radar” rookie in 2026.
“The Broncos landed Coleman in the fourth round, and the rookie has flashed this preseason,” Bowen wrote on September 5. “He has the foot quickness and vision to thrive in Denver’s rushing attack, but he also adds to the pass game with his receiving skills and blocking ability. Coleman is the third option for Denver in a committee with J.K. Dobbins and RJ Harvey.”
Vele Seemed on Track to Become Star for Broncos
Vele, a 2024 7th-round pick (No. 243 overall) in the 2024 NFL draft — he had 41 receptions for 475 yards and 3 touchdowns as a rookie.
He’s drawn constant comparisons to one of Payton’s former proteges on the Saints in 2019 NFL Offensive Player of the Year Michael Thomas. Vele also seemed like he was in the running to become Denver’s WR2 option behind Courtland Sutton in 2025.
“Mims, Vele and Troy Franklin, who scored Denver’s lone touchdown in the wild-card loss to the Buffalo Bills, could rightly envision themselves having ‘ascensions,’ as Payton put it, in the Broncos’ offense this season,” The Athletic’s Nick Kosmider wrote in June 2025. “But the math suggests the Broncos can’t ramp up production for all three targets while building more of the passing game around (tight end) Evan Engram, incorporating Bryant and continuing to feed Sutton at a high level. So how will the distribution shake out?”
Talented Ex-Broncos WR Called NFL’s ‘Biggest Sleeper’