Broncos Rumor Mill: What We're Hearing as NFL Trade Deadline Approaches

Will the Denver Broncos be buyers, sellers, or stand pat at the NFL trade deadline?

Sep 29, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton looks on before the game against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium. / Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

The Denver Broncos have five more games before the NFL trade deadline on November 5, but the conversation has already started about what they should do. While it's still early to settle on a plan, there's an excellent reason to start the discussion.

The Broncos have pieces they could trade that other teams, who are always looking to improve rosters, could use. The Broncos have areas of their own they could look to improve.

That creates the question of whether the Broncos should be buyers or sellers. Sitting with a 2-2 record, Denver could fall into either category.

Should the Broncos lean more into buying or selling? Let's examine.

Buying

The Broncos need a dynamic playmaker on offense, especially at tight end. There could be some options around the league, and KOA Radio's Benjamin Allbright suggested Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts, which was an intriguing thought. 

Pitts has had a couple of rough seasons and isn’t off to a hot start this year. However, he can be a dynamic playmaker at the position and a piece that Sean Payton likes to have in his offense. Pitts is a dynamic athlete who can create all kinds of mismatches and fill the role that the Broncos wanted Greg Dulcich to develop into but has failed to do so.

While he isn’t a blocker, and Pitts can be as a traditional Y tight end, you can move him around the formation. The Broncos need that dynamic playmaker on offense to help out a passing game that has been rough to start the season. 

Pitts, who is turning 24 years old on October 6, is still young and in his fourth year in the NFL. He is the 16th highest-paid tight end in the final year of his deal, as the Falcons declined the fifth-year option on his rookie contract.

The cost to acquire Pitts shouldn’t be high, and he could be a low-risk, high-reward option for the Broncos offense. Payton needs that kind of tight end in his offense. 

Pitts isn’t the only option, and Over The Cap's Jason Fitzgerald put together a list of 189 players. They're all in the final year of their deals on a team currently 1-3 or worse, and while there aren’t many intriguing options, there are a few. 

I put together a list of players on expiring contracts for teams 1-3 or worse and the cost to acquire those players via trade. 189 players in total. https://t.co/ZOzJw6jukU pic.twitter.com/jypuqILOSd

— Jason_OTC (@Jason_OTC) October 1, 2024

Many of the names on Fitzgerald's list are depth pieces. The Broncos could acquire a linebacker with Alex Singleton out or a defensive lineman/pass rusher if they decide to move Jones or Browning.

There are also a couple of tight ends on the list who are intriguing options to bring more receiving power to the Broncos' offense. Overall, a handful of players are intriguing for the Broncos at this point of the season. To wit:

• Bobby Brown III | DL | Rams
• David Long Jr | LB | Miami
• Josiah Deguara | TE | Jags
• Mike Gesicki | TE | Cincy
• Austin Hooper | TE | Pats
• Diontae Johnson | WR | Panthers
• Calias Campbell | DL | Miami
• Josh Uche | LB | Patriots

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Selling

There are a few players the Broncos should be open to moving. Based on how the season has gone, there are five players that the Broncos should be open to trading — three on offense and two on defense.

To be clear, being open to trading them doesn’t mean the Broncos should move them for just anything. But if a team offers good value, you make the trade and adjust, but don’t take less than what you want for these players. 

Baron Browning and D.J. Jones are the two on defense, with Garett Bolles and Javonte Williams as two of the three on offense. I'll get to the third later. All four are on expiring deals, can be capable contributors on a contending team, and are damaging to the Broncos in dead money.

Now, figuring out the financials is a bit rough due to games being played, so game checks will count against the Broncos, but they can also take on more money or get the other team to take on some. So, for that reason, we will only look at the financials before the season. 

Bolles and Jones are the two highest cap hits this year for the Broncos, at $20 million and almost $13 million, respectively. Before the season, Bolles could have been traded for $4 million in dead cap and $16 million saved, while Jones would have been, rounded up, $3 million dead and $10 million saved.

If the Broncos are comfortable with Mike McGlinchey taking over at left tackle, then moving Bolles should be considered, especially with the play of Alex Paclzewski at right tackle over the past two weeks. Meanwhile, Jones has struggled with the Broncos for the majority of the last 21 games and has been outplayed by Malcolm Roach, who should be getting more reps over him anyway. 

Browning costs $3.3 million against the cap, rounded down, and Williams (also rounded down) costs $2.8 million. Neither of them is as expensive as Bolles and Jones.

Denver would save about $3.1 million (before the season) against the cap for Browning and $1.8 for Williams. With Browning on injured reserve, it would be hard to trade him, but the rest of the pass rush room has stepped up in a big way, making him expendable.

Williams had an excellent game against the New York Jets, but his inconsistencies are concerning. If he builds up some momentum, he would no longer be an option to trade, especially if the Broncos can be at 5-4 or better when the trade deadline approaches.

If the Broncos are 4-5 or worse, even if Williams is doing well, they should look to trade him. That, for me, is the cutoff after nine games. 

The fifth and final player the Broncos could trade is a quarterback — either Jarett Stidham or Zach Wilson, whichever teams want. There have been some injuries to starting quarterbacks around the NFL, which could get a team to push for one of them. The Broncos should consider moving one of them, especially if Bo Nix is still relatively healthy by the deadline. 

The Takeaway

There are five games between now and the November 5 trade deadline. A lot can and will change.

Injuries, wins, losses, and frustrations between coaches and players will likely occur. This will alter the landscape of which players teams may be looking to move on from and Denver's willingness to trade or acquire players. 

It's fun to have a conversation and think about different possibilities, but there's a lot of time between now and then. 

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