What OT Laremy Tunsil would feasibly cost Broncos via trade with Dolphins

On Saturday, news broke that the Miami Dolphins have made offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil available for trade, and there is no reason that the Denver Broncos should not be in on him.

Tunsil is young, and one of the best tackles in the NFL already, plus Denver has people familiar with him on the coaching staff already. The Broncos have a chance to upgrade a key position and they need to do it.

Denver has former Miami right RT Ja'Wuan James and former Miami assistant O-line coach Chris Kuper. These two players are familiar with Tunsil on and off the field.

Kuper and James would know if there are concerns to be worried about off the field with Tunsil. You can clear things up through them. Through my contacts in the NFL, I have been told there are no concerns with Tunsil.

This is a guy who should have been a top-5 pick in the NFL draft that fell down to No. 13, due to a video of him in a gas mask taking bong hits surfacing right before draft night. That is a bad image, and could be a concern with him in Colorado where marijuanna is legal.

However, I go back to the fact that Denver has people familiar with him who could help keep him out of trouble. Also, in his three previous years in the NFL, there have been no issues that have come up with weed. As for why is Tunsil available, I was told that Miami is a rebuilding team moving assets for draft capital.

Already a top-10 OT

Tunsil is a top-10 tackle in the NFL at the very least. He has given up 8.5 sacks and has been called for 26 penalties with seven of them holding in three years. That is actually pretty good over a three-year time span, and is one aspect that shows how much of an upgrade Tunsil would be over current Broncos LT Garett Bolles.

In two years, Bolles has been called for 22 penalties, 14 of them holding and has given up 11.5 sacks, 8.5 of them his rookie year.

Exploring the prospective cost

Now, the question is, what does Miami want for Tunsil? Duane Brown was traded from the Texans to Seattle for a second- and third-round pick while getting a fifth-round pick in exchange.

Duane Brown was older and had injury concerns that Tunsil doesn’t, so that would point to Miami wanting more than that. It is a safe bet that the Dolphins are asking for a first- and a third-rounder, at least. That is a tough pill to swallow, but one the Broncos absolutely should.

Denver is already looking at offensive tackle in the first round next year. Drafting an OT next year would be cheaper, younger and cost-controlled for more years, but that player could end up failing like Bolles is trending towards.

In Tunsil, the Broncos would get a young 25-year-old tackle who is one of the best in the NFL already and they'd have him for 10-plus years. Denver would still be using its first-round pick next year on a tackle, so to speak (Tunsil instead of a 2020 rookie), and investing a third-rounder to pay for already being proven. Being able to cement the left tackle position for 10+ years is worth a first and a third.

Also, on the draft pick cost, if it is a 2020 third-rounder, Denver has an extra third from their trade-down with Pittsburgh. If it is a 2021 third-rounder, Denver is looking at, at least, a couple of extra third-round picks in the form of compensatory picks with players like Emmanuel Sanders, Chris Harris, Jr., Shelby Harris, Derek Wolfe, Justin Simmons and many others set to hit the open market.

Assuming the Broncos re-sign one and cancel another out, that's still at least two third-round compensatory picks, so the team would have a way to lessen the blow of giving up the extra third.

Tunsil's contract

The last point is the cost of Tunsil, who has two years left on his deal. For 2019, he costs a hair under $4 million against the cap and in 2020, he would cost $10.3 million against the cap.

Denver has a little over $2.3 million left available, so they would have to send a player in return to open up the extra space. They could send Garett Bolles, or a few other players, to Miami along with the draft picks. Who that player would be, who knows? But the Broncos have plenty of options. Bolles would make the most sense, however.

If Denver acquired Tunsil via trade, they'd have him on the books for two years and $10.3M hit next year, which is actually pretty cheap for a young left tackle, and would fall in as 15th left tackle in terms of highest cap hit. That's a price worth paying for being a top-5 left tackle in the NFL, in my opinion.

From there, the Broncos could work on an extension, especially with Drew Lock (at that point) having two years left on a cheap deal and ostensibly starting him as him the young franchise quarterback.

Bottom line

The Broncos have to solve their left tackle position. Garett Bolles is not it.

In Laremy Tunisil, the Broncos have a chance to go get a franchise left tackle that is cost-efficient for two years, along with being relatively cheap and they need to take it. They're probably going to use that 2020 first-rounder on a tackle, most likely, anyway, so just bite the bullet and go get your long-term LT now in exchange for a first-, third-rounder and a player.

Doing so would allow Denver to take a massive step forward on the O-line.

UPDATE: Despite the Tunsil trade rumors, the Miami Herald reports that Miami has turned down all calls expressing interest in their 25-year-old tackle.

Follow Erick on Twitter @ErickTrickel.