Broncos To Acquire LB Daiyan Henley From Chargers

The fourth-year linebacker is being dealt to the Broncos, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. Los Angeles will receive a fourth-round pick in 2027 and a fifth-rounder in 2028 in return, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Henley was recently named among Chargers players viewed as a long-term piece, but he will instead change teams.

Henley was a core special teams presence during his rookie season. Since then, he has operated as a full-time defensive starter for the Bolts. The pending free agent will now move within the AFC West from the league’s only remaining winless team to a contender eyeing another playoff run in 2026.

Henley has filled the statsheet since becoming a defensive regular, racking up 317 tackles, five sacks and four interceptions. The 27-year-old (as of next week) could be tasked with taking on a first-team role upon arrival in Denver. 2026 has seen Justin Strnad struggle, while concerns about Alex Singleton’s wear and tear have been raised even though the former CFL star currently leads the NFL in tackles.

Denver was not seen as a candidate to make a splashy addition at the deadline. This move will supply depth at the second level of the Broncos’ defense, but it will not carry a significant cost in terms of draft capital or finances. The team could very well land a compensatory pick for losing John Franklin-Myers in the range of the 2027 selection paid out in this trade. Denver, meanwhile, will only be responsible for the $1.84MM salary remaining on Henley’s deal.

Denver currently sports a top-10 scoring defense, but the team has struggled by comparison against the run in 2026. The Broncos are averaging 124 yards allowed per game on the ground. Improving in that regard could be helped by their schedule down the stretch, but also the arrival of a productive option at the LB spot. Depending on how things play out with Henley over the coming weeks, it will be interesting to see if a new Denver pact becomes a consideration. Both Singleton and Strnad are under contract beyond this season.

Questions about the Chargers’ trade stance have increasingly been raised with each passing week. Los Angeles has been among the league’s most underwhelming teams, although head coach Jim Harbaugh has not elected to make any in-season changes to his staff. With the Bolts sitting at 0-8, a number of expiring contracts could be on the move if general manager Joe Hortiz accepts any more offers prior to the deadline.

With a 7-2 record, Denver sits atop the AFC West. The Chiefs (6-2) are of course strongly in contention for top spot in the division, and as expected they have added at the receiver spot via trade. The Broncos will hope to counter with defensive reinforcements over the closing stretch.