Insider: Ashton Jeanty Wasn't the Broncos' Only Trade-Up Target

It’s no secret the Denver Broncos were in love with former Boise State, now Las Vegas Raiders, running back Ashton Jeanty. Broncos head coach Sean Payton discussed Jeanty in his press conference following the draft as an obvious talent and someone who became unrealistic for Denver to acquire given where he was drafted.

Looking to “fall in love” with a back other than Jeanty, the buzz leading up to draft day was that Denver was aggressively trying to move up and add the dynamic Boise State running back. Most reports coming after the draft suggest that as soon as Jeanty went at No. 6 overall to the Raiders, Denver's desire to move up evaporated.

However, NFL insider Ian Rapaport suggests that it wasn’t just Jeanty that the Broncos had interest in moving up for on Thursday. On an appearance on the Pat McAfee Show, Rapaport connected some dots and implied that the Broncos were also aggressively trying to move up and obtain former Michigan tight end Colston Loveland in the first round before the Chicago Bears selected him.

“It’s always really interesting. Before the draft, I’m starting to hear that a couple of teams are really, really active and trying to trade up. The teams that I heard were the Texans were and the Broncos were. And no one is ever going to tell you who they’re trying to trade up for because they don’t want anyone taking them. The only thing I can tell is that when the calls stopped," Rapoport said via McAfee. "If you’re trying to trade up for someone and then all of a sudden the calls stop, well then obviously you were trying to trade up for that guy. The Bears take Colston Loveland at 10, and a bunch of calls stop. And I was like, 'Wow. He was maybe the guy. ' And I don’t know specifically those teams are trying to trade up for him because there were some others that people liked.”

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Rapaport did not specifically state that the Broncos were attempting to move up for Loveland and lost interest after he was off the board (as well as Jeanty), but there was ample smoke prior to last week’s festivities that Denver might have some interest in the first tight end off the board.

9NEWS' Mike Klis had been linking Denver to the Wolverine leading up to last Thursday, and NFL insider Daniel Jeremiah actually mocked the Broncos trading up to pick 13 in a trade with the Miami Dolphins to take Loveland before the tight-end-starved and heavily linked Indianapolis Colts were on the clock at No. 14.

Did the Broncos actually attempt to move up for Loveland? Or in the chaos of Round 1, did Denver’s overtures to move up dry as soon as Jeanty’s name was called?

Only those in the building and the key decision-makers in Dove Valley can say for sure. Regardless, the Broncos ultimately held back, took one of their top-ranked players (who plays a premium position) who fell to them in Jahdae Barron at 20, and later executed a plan to manipulate the board and walk away with three additional players over Rounds 2 and 3.

Thanks to the signing of tight end Evan Engram in free agency, the Broncos were not desperate for a tight end and did not feel forced to trade up for one or reach beyond the value the team deemed worthwhile. Maybe next year, Sean Payton won’t be able to help himself with the Broncos making an aggressive move up, but in the 2025 draft, the price was not amenable, and whether it was Jeanty and/or Loveland Denver desired, the juice wasn’t worth the squeeze.

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