The Broncos first participated in the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting, more commonly known as theNFL draft,[4] in 1967. In the NFL Draft, each NFL franchise annually seeks to add new players to its roster. Teams are ranked in reverse order based on the previous season's record; the worst record picks first, the second-worst picking second and so on. The two exceptions to this order are made for teams that appeared in the previousSuper Bowl; the Super Bowl champion always picks 32nd, and the Super Bowl loser always picks 31st. Teams have the option of trading away their picks to other teams for different picks, players, cash, or a combination thereof. Thus, it is not uncommon for a team's actual draft pick to differ from their assigned draft pick, or for a team to have extra or no draft picks in any round due to these trades.[5]
b 12 On August 15, 1967, the Broncos traded their No. 4 overall pick in the 1968 Draft and No. 9 overall pick in the 1969 Draft to theSan Diego Chargers for quarterbackSteve Tensi.[11]
c On January 28, 1971, the Broncos traded their No. 9 overall pick in the 1971 Draft and defensive endAlden Roche to theGreen Bay Packers for the No. 12 overall pick in the 1971 Draft and quarterbackDon Horn.[12]
d On February 1, 1980, the Broncos traded their No. 20 overall pick and a second-round pick in the 1980 Draft along with quarterbackCraig Penrose to theNew York Jets for quarterbackMatt Robinson.[13]
e The Broncos traded their No. 19 overall pick in the 1982 Draft to theBuffalo Bills for the No. 21 overall pick and a fourth-round pick in the 1982 Draft.[14]
g On October 9, 1984, the Broncos traded their No. 21 overall pick and third-round pick in 1986 Draft and fifth-round pick in 1987 Draft to theCincinnati Bengals for the draft rights ofRicky Hunley.[16]
h On April 23, 1989, the Broncos traded their No. 13 overall pick in the 1989 Draft to theCleveland Browns for the No. 20 overall, second, fifth, and ninth-round picks in the 1989 Draft.[17]
i On July 7, 1989, the Broncos selectedBobby Humphrey in the 1989Supplemental Draft;[18] as a result, they forfeited their rights to a first-round pick in 1990 Draft.[19]
j The Broncos traded their No. 14 overall pick and a third-round pick in the 1993 Draft to theCleveland Browns for the No. 11 overall pick.[20]
k On August 23, 1993, the Broncos traded their No. 18 overall pick and sixth-round pick in the 1994 draft and a second-round pick in the 1995 draft to theMinnesota Vikings for offensive tackleGary Zimmerman.[21]
l On April 24, 1994, the Broncos traded a third-round selection in the 1994 Draft and a first-round pick in the 1995 Draft to theAtlanta Falcons for wide receiverMike Pritchard and a seventh-round pick in the 1995 Draft.[22]
m On April 12, 2000, the Broncos traded their No. 10 overall pick in the 2000 Draft to theBaltimore Ravens for the No. 15 overall pick and a second-round pick in the 2000 Draft.[23]
n On April 9, 2004, the Broncos traded No. 24 overall pick in the 2004 Draft along with cornerbackDeltha O'Neal and a fourth-round pick to theCincinnati Bengals for the No. 17 overall pick.[24]
o On April 19, 2005, the Broncos traded their No. 25 overall pick in the 2005 Draft to theWashington Redskins for a third-round pick in the 2005 Draft, No. 22 overall and fourth-round picks in the 2006 Draft.[25]
p On March 21, 2006, the Broncos traded their No. 29 overall pick along with a third-round pick in the 2006 Draft and fourth-round pick in the 2007 Draft to the Atlanta Falcons for the No. 15 overall pick.[26] On April 19, 2006, the Broncos traded their No. 22 overall pick to the San Francisco 49ers for second and third-round picks.[27] On April 29, 2006, the Broncos traded their No. 15 overall pick to the St. Louis Rams for the No. 11 overall pick and a third-round pick in the 2006 Draft.[28]
q On April 28, 2007, the Broncos traded their No. 21 overall pick along with a third and sixth-round picks to theJacksonville Jaguars for the No. 17 overall pick.[29]
r On April 2, 2009, the Broncos traded quarterbackJay Cutler and a fifth-round pick in the 2009 Draft to theChicago Bears for the No. 18 overall pick in the 2009 Draft along with a third-round pick in the 2009 Draft and a first-round pick in the2010 Draft.[30]
s On April 22, 2010, the Patriots traded this selection to the Broncos for a first-round selection (24th overall; traded to Dallas, who selectedDez Bryant) and a fourth-round selection it acquired from San Francisco (113th overall; New England selectedAaron Hernandez).[31]
t On April 22, 2010, the Ravens traded this selection to the Broncos for a second-round selection it acquired from Miami (43rd overall; Baltimore selectedSergio Kindle), a third-round selection it acquired from Philadelphia (70th overall; Baltimore selectedEd Dickson), and a fourth-round selection (114th overall; Baltimore selectedDennis Pitta).[32]
