Broncos GM George Paton 'More Inclined' to Trade Down in 2023 Draft
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Denver Broncos general manager George Paton claims he's "not interested" in trading either of his starting wide receivers.
Trading draft picks? That's a different story.
With just five selections for April's NFL draft — and no first- or second-round choices — Paton is "inclined" to acquire additional capital, teasing a potential move down the board in Kansas City.
“It’s hard to move up when you only have five picks,” Paton said Monday, via DenverSports.com. “We won’t rule anything out, but it’s hard. I would say we’d be more inclined to move back, to get some more picks. So, we’ll see how it goes.”
Thanks to consecutive offseason maneuvers for quarterback Russell Wilson and head coach Sean Payton, the Broncos aren't scheduled to go on the clock until pick No. 67 in the third round. They also own another third-rounder (No. 68), as well as fourth- (No. 108), fifth- (No. 139), and sixth-rounders (No. 195).
The limited ammunition isn't sufficient enough to plug Denver's remaining roster holes, including pressing needs in the defensive front-seven. Meaning Trader George could resort to doing Trader George things.
“We’ve just focused on the draft — and specifically, those [third-round picks]," Paton said. "So, we’re really going to have to make hay.”
Draft-day trades are commonplace with Paton, who's orchestrated six such deals during his two years as Broncos GM. Considering the circumstances, number seven appears to be a matter of when — and for whom — not if.
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