Could Denver look at trading a defensive lineman?

The Denver Broncos have a strength on their defensive line. There's a good group of starters, and depth that is starting to emerge.

There are seven players that have a realistic shot at making the Broncos' roster, but odds are, there will only be room for six of them. There is a clear log-jam at the position, and with their three starters set to be free agents after this season, could Denver look at trading one of them?

Let's examine.

Derek Wolfe: is the aging veteran who has had some major medical concerns during his career. His last deal gave Denver a small hometown discount, but the comments of his make it seem like he won’t be willing to do that this time around.

Would Denver be willing to give him a deal like he got last time again? That's probably the floor of what he is looking for based on him being one of the better run-defending 3-4 linemen in the NFL.

That value also depends a lot on what happens this year. If Wolfe is able to replicate his 2015/2016 seasons in the pass rush department, he could push for even more, which is a concern with any of these players on expiring contracts.

Shelby Harris: Harris has been great in limited playing time. He should get a major uptick to his playing time, which is going to drive his price up. Will Denver be willing to spend big to retain him? Could the Broncos afford to do so?

These are two questions the team brass has to be considering. In the last two years with the Broncos, Harris has put up seven sacks, with 5.5 of them coming in 2017. He had that great 2017 season, playing just over 50% of the defensive snaps, then got his playing time cut to 36% in 2018. This coaching staff could put him in a position to put up eight-plus sacks in 2019.

Adam Gotsis: Last of the big three there is Gotsis. The former second-round pick got a lot of hate from Broncos fans when he was selected because he was perceived as a “reach”, but DL Coach Bill Kollar saw something in him. His rookie year, Gotsis flashed potential, but it was clear he wasn’t ready for a full-time job.

Since then, he has grown drastically and has become a great run defender in the NFL. The last two years have seen him notch five sacks, playing 56% and 48% of the snaps, respectively. Can Gotsis take his pass rush ability to the next level? That will be huge in determining his value after this year.

Depth abounds

With those three, Denver has a strong set of starters, so why look at trading them? Well, because the Broncos have Zach Kerr, DeMarcus Walker, Dre’Mont Jones and DeShawn Williams behind them. Walker finally seems to be putting everything together and looks like he belongs in the NFL.

You have a solid depth piece in Kerr, who can play 20-30% of snaps at a high level. The rookie Jones has shown flashes and can step in and play a good percentage of snaps per game, especially in passing situations. Then you have Williams, who may not be as flashy as Walker, but he has been more consistent this camp and in the Hall of Fame Game.

Bottom line

Denver has a good group of defensive linemen, and depth that looks capable of starting. Trading one of those three starters could net them a draft pick, or a key piece at a different position (*cough offensive tackle cough*).

Letting them walk would give the Broncos a chance at a draft pick in the way of a compensatory pick, but that would be in 2021 not 2020. Denver has needs elsewhere, and the abundance of talent on the defensive line provides some wiggle room to work the roster at other positions.

Do I think the Broncos end up trading one of them? No, but they should be open to calls just to see what is out there. Of the three, Shelby Harris would be the only one that should be safe. The Broncos can see what he does this year, then try to bring him back.

Follow Erick on Twitter @ErickTrickel.

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