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A lot has happened to the Denver Broncos franchise since they last won a Super Bowl in February 2016. The team has also had numerous NFL draft accomplishments and disappointments during that period.
Teams anticipate that the premium selections made in the first three rounds of the draft will have a significant impact on the squad. That isn't always the case, though.
Here's a look at the five biggest busts picked by the Broncos on draft day in the last 10 years.
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Listing Broncos' worst draft picks in the last decade
5) OLB Shane Ray - First-round pick (2015)
Shane Ray appeared to be a top-10 draft choice before he was arrested for possession of marijuana. That didn't really matter to the Denver Broncos as they used their 23rd overall pick to select the linebacker in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft.
Given that DeMarcus Ware appeared to be nearing the end of his career at the time, it was believed that Ray was the team's idea for Ware's successor. Unfortunately, after Ray's rookie season knee sprain, questions about his fitness began to arise. But he came back in time to play in Super Bowl 50 and other postseason games for Denver.
Ray started eight games and finished with eight sacks in 2016 while maintaining his fitness.
He was afflicted with an injury to his wrist that kept him out of action for the whole preseason and eight games in the regular season during the 2017 training camp. When he eventually made a comeback, his performance had significantly declined and he appeared to be a shadow of his former self.
The Broncos decided not to pick Ray's fifth-year option because of his history of injuries.
4) CB Michael Ojemudia - Third round pick (2020)
Former third-round pick Michael Ojemudia was cut by the Denver Broncos in December 2022.
In 2020, Ojemudia participated in all 16 games and made 11 starts as a rookie. He recorded 62 tackles, six pass breakups, and four forced fumbles that season; however, things didn't go well for him after that.
Ojemudia was hampered by injuries in 2021 and 2022, playing mostly on special teams and making just five appearances in those two seasons.
3) WR Cody Latimer - Second-round pick (2014)
The Denver Broncos looked to add a wide receiver to their squad in 2014 in order to give quarterback Peyton Manning more options in the passing game. The team chose to select Cody Latimer at selection No. 56 overall that year. That move didn't go well for the player and the team.
Latimer never seemed to settle in Denver, and rumors circulated that Peyton Manning never really trusted him.
Despite his difficulties, Latimer played with the Broncos for four seasons, totaling 35 catches. The organization decided to keep him on the roster primarily because of his time spent playing with the special teams, but that wasn't a big enough return for a second-round pick.
2) OT Ty Sambrailo - Second round pick (2015)
Ty Sambrailo underperformed and missed the remainder of his rookie season in 2015 due to an injury sustained after three games. He only made four starts and performed poorly again when he returned from injury in 2016.
After his second season in Denver, Sambrailo was dealt to the Atlanta Falcons, where he played for three seasons. Even so, the Broncos' gain on their second-round selection was a net failure in this deal.
1) QB Paxton Lynch - First round pick (2016)
Not only is the Paxton Lynch selection the worst in the last 10 years, but it's possibly among the worst in the franchise's history.
Denver traded up to choose Lynch, who was picked to replace Peyton Manning as the team's starting quarterback.
Lynch made only four starts for the Broncos until the 2017 season, throwing four touchdowns to four interceptions. He didn't seem to take adjustment seriously enough, and it felt like the professional level of play went too quickly for him.
Although Lynch was given opportunities to play for two different teams—the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Seattle Seahawks—he was only their third or even fourth-string quarterback.
