Broncos Poised to Field More Trade Calls Ahead of Final Roster Cuts
The Denver Broncos have some tough decisions ahead of them when they trim their 90-man offseason roster, 91 if you count the international player exemption for punter Jeremy Crawshaw, down to their 53-man roster. As of 2:01 pm on Tuesday, August 26, Crawshaw will count against the 53-man roster.
With tough decisions ahead and 16 spots to fill on the practice squad, the Broncos may consider showcasing a few players for another trade before the cutdowns. This is something Sean Payton alluded to on Tuesday, and wide receiver Devaughn Vele was traded to the New Orleans Saints on Wednesday.
“I think the easy part is the fielding calls because if they come, then you sit and discuss what call came. What happens a lot is the call that comes that’s very open-ended," Payton said. "‘What are you guys looking for? What are we looking for?’ You know that there’s a target in their mind. I like the decisions we have to make, be it they’re tough ones. The process is still ongoing.”
One way teams boost their players' trade value is by showcasing them in the final preseason game, making sure they get plenty of touches or reps to show off what they can do. Even if the Broncos end up cutting someone with no trade calls coming, the player is still able to put tape out to hopefully get claimed on waivers.
Which players or positions could the Broncos be looking to showcase in the preseason finale? Wide receiver, running back, and outside linebacker are the three positions that stand out where the Broncos could have a surplus, but the emphasis here is on could.
Wide Receiver
Given Trent Sherfield's performance and his role as a core special teams player, the Broncos may consider trading an additional wide receiver, but the question is who. Courtland Sutton and Pat Bryant are safe, thanks to the former's recent extension and the latter's draft status.
Marvin Mims Jr. is also safe, as an All-Pro returner, which, after Vele was dealt, leaves one option of value: Troy Franklin. However, the Broncos likely traded Vele, in part, to make room for a bigger role for Franklin in the offense, so he's highly unlikely to be dealt, especially with how good he's looked.
Running Back
As for running back, this is the one position where the Broncos would love to have a team call for a trade. The Broncos have six backs and are content with keeping four of them. J.K. Dobbins and RJ Harvey are the only two locked in, though Jaleel McLaughlin also seems solid after being limited to only five snaps on offense vs. the Arizona Cardinals.
Tyler Badie and Blake Watson have done well in the preseason action, and both of them have been showcased over the two games. If any of the backs draw trade interest that would pique Denver's interest, it’ll be those two, with Audric Estime struggling to stand out and make a case for other teams to target him.
Outside Linebacker
That brings us to the edge room, where it seems highly unlikely that the Broncos move anyone at the position. After all, this is a heavily-rotated position on defense, where depth is crucial, special teams play is essential, and injuries are common, so the team won't want to weaken the position.
The Broncos are five-deep at the position, which is something many NFL teams dream of. Nik Bonitto and Jonathon Cooper are the starters, and Jonah Elliss is looking vastly improved as the third rusher. Que Robinson is a key special teams player and is showing flashes on defense as a speed rusher.
These four seem safe, unless the Broncos balk at an extension for Bonitto and decide to trade him, which seems like a zero-percent possibility. That leaves Dondrea Tillman, who had a rough start in the preseason but bounced back in the second game.
Anything for Tillman would be a positive return on investment, but that doesn’t mean the Broncos should just trade him at the first opportunity. Depth is essential at the position, and he looks more like the fourth rusher with Robinson being the fifth and a key special teams player. The Broncos have depth and a clear pecking order.
Other Possibilities
There are other positions and players the Broncos could look at trading, like cornerback Damarri Mathis, safety P.J. Locke, and a few others. The three positions above stood out because the depth has shown up in the preseason, leading to some tough decisions.
