What the Devaughn Vele Trade Means for Broncos' Roster Cutdowns

The Denver Broncos traded wide receiver Devaughn Vele to the New Orleans Saints on Wednesday.

Aug 9, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; Denver Broncos wide receiver Devaughn Vele (17) make a reception in the second quarter against San Francisco 49ers linebacker Nick Martin (45) at Levi's Stadium. | David Gonzales-Imagn Images

If we learned anything over this summer, it's that the Denver Broncos are deep at wide receiver. Considering that it's a position of strength, it comes as no surprise to learn that the Broncos have traded second-year wideout Devaughn Vele to the New Orleans Saints in exchange for a 2024 fourth-round and 2027 seventh-round draft pick.

The Broncos announced the trade on Wednesday evening. Ironically, the deal comes within the same week that the Broncos will face the Saints in the preseason finale, conjuring up memories of the same thing happening with the late Demaryius Thomas and the Houston Texans back in 2018, though that was during the regular season.

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A Deep WR Room

Vele had a strong offseason, but once Broncos training camp rolled around, we quickly saw other receivers eclipsing him in practice and in the preseason games. The Broncos played Vele in preseason Game 1 vs. the San Francisco 49ers, where he caught one pass for six yards, but sat him with the bulk of the first-teamers in Game 2 vs. the Arizona Cardinals.

While fans and media alike have expended energy trying to ascertain whether Vele had a starting role sewn up, despite the likes of Troy Franklin and Pat Bryant shining in the preseason games, it turns out that the Broncos may have been keeping him on ice in hopes of trading him away.

Thank you for all you gave #BroncosCountry, Devaughn. 🧡 pic.twitter.com/TLTNgG3Gky

— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) August 20, 2025

Vele's Background & Injury History

A 2024 seventh-round pick out of Utah (No. 235 overall), Vele had a very productive rookie season. He eclipsed Franklin on the depth chart to start seven games, hauling in 41 receptions for 475 yards and three touchdowns.

However, Vele has struggled to stay healthy. Injuries cost him four games last season, and a lower-leg injury saw him miss the Broncos' mandatory minicamp to close out the 2025 offseason training program.

The 6-foot-5, 210-pound wideout entered the league on the older side (26) after serving a two-year LDS mission. That maturity helped him stand out to the coaches, and he ended the season as a starter opposite Courtland Sutton.

The Takeaway

Only one year removed from being a seventh-round draft pick, the Broncos were able to extract some shocking value in the Vele trade with the Saints. They'll get back the seventh-rounder they invested in him in the 2027 NFL draft, as well as a fourth-round selection next spring.

Kudos to GM George Paton, who no doubt got a little help from Sean Payton, who had a fruitful 16-year working relationship and friendship with Saints GM Mickey Loomis. The Vele trade gives space for Franklin to step into a starting role and also creates more room for Bryant to get some reps with the first-team offense.

It also creates one more potential roster spot, which could go to one of the Broncos' undrafted rookie wideouts who've stood out this summer in Joaquin Davis and Courtney Jackson. The NFL deadline to have rosters trimmed down to the final 53 players is next Tuesday, August 26, at 2 pm MDT.