Broncos Acquire Linebacker Daiyan Henley From Chargers

The Denver Broncos secured linebacker Daiyan Henley from the Los Angeles Chargers in a trade completed during the final hour of the NFL trade deadline on Tuesday. The in-division deal sent a 2027 fourth-round draft pick and a 2028 fifth-round selection to Los Angeles.

Henley, 26, is in the final year of his rookie contract. His cap hit for the remainder of the 2026 season is $1.84 million. This figure fits within the Broncos' salary cap space, which stood at slightly less than $5 million before the transaction. The team retains a fourth-round pick for next spring’s draft, though it will be a compensatory selection rather than their own choice.

The move addresses depth at inside linebacker, a position where the Broncos have relied heavily on their starters. Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad have formed the core of the defense. Singleton has played more defensive snaps than any player in the NFL during the first half of the season. Strnad has appeared on 82% of defensive snaps, a pace that exceeds his previous career high of 59% recorded in 2024.

The current backup group consists primarily of young players who have seen limited action in the passing game. Jordan Turner and Karene Reid serve as special teams regulars. Turner has logged 74% of snaps in the third phase, while Reid has played 57.4%. Together, they have combined for just three defensive snaps this season. This lack of experience creates uncertainty if either starter misses time during the second half of the year.

In 2025, the Broncos benefited from having three experienced inside linebackers on the roster. Dre Greenlaw joined Singleton and Strnad that season. Strnad played extensively when Greenlaw was injured, and Singleton missed a game following a testicular cancer diagnosis in the middle of the year. The team has not faced such depth challenges at other defensive positions as acutely as it has at linebacker this season, though injuries have tested other areas of the unit.

Henley was selected by the Chargers with the 85th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. He converted from safety and wide receiver to linebacker in college. Over the past three seasons, he has started 41 of 42 possible games. In 2024, he recorded 147 tackles, seven for loss, and one sack. Last season, his totals were 103 tackles, five for loss, and 3.5 sacks. This season with Los Angeles, he has posted 51 tackles, one interception, and two tackles for loss.

Head coach Sean Payton expressed confidence in the roster’s potential. “I like this team. There’s room for us to get better, but I like this team a lot,” Payton said on Sunday after the Broncos won their fifth straight game. The team enters its bye week with a 7-2 record and holds the top spot in the AFC West. “We’ve just got to take advantage of the position that we’re sitting in right now.”

The trade was one of several options the Broncos evaluated in the days leading up to the deadline. Team officials considered moves at tight end, safety, and running back. However, the only transaction they finalized involved bolstering the middle of the defense. Henley turns 27 next week and is expected to be a free agent in the spring if he does not sign an extension with Denver.