NFL Communications released the 2016 compensatory picks for the 2016 NFL Draft, and as happily projected, the Broncos will receive an additional 3rd, 4th, and 6th round selections. It is my belief that these pick are compensation, respectively, for losing Julius Thomas, Orlando Franklin, and Terrance Knighton in free agency in 2015. The Broncos now have 10 selections in the 2016 NFL Draft.
I will have a longer evaluation on my projection at Over The Cap later today, but one unique observation I want to make with respect to the Broncos is that this may be the first year since compensatory picks were founded that there were no 7th round comp picks awarded. That means that the famous Mr. Irrelevant pick, unless it’s traded, will go to your Super Bowl 50 champion Denver Broncos. The Broncos have never held the Mr. Irrelevant pick in their entire history.
The overall positions of the Broncos’ 2016 draft picks are as follows:
| Round | Overall | Notes |
| 1 | #31 | |
| 2 | #63 | |
| 3 | #94 | |
| 3 | #98 | Compensatory (Julius Thomas) |
| 4 | #136 | Compensatory (Orlando Franklin) |
| 5 | #144 | from Baltimore |
| 6 | #219 | Compensatory (Terrance Knighton) |
| 7 | #228 | from San Francisco |
| 7 | #235 | from Los Angeles via Houston |
| 7 | #253 | Mr. Irrelevant |