Broncos Trade Pitch Brings in Dynamic Former Top-5 Pick Before Deadline
The Denver Broncos touted two-time Pro Bowler and veteran tight end Evan Engram as a dynamic weapon in their offense. It has been slow going so far, and he has rarely made an impact of that magnitude. However, the Broncos could find what they seek in a trade.
The target?
Atlanta Falcons star Kyle Pitts, the No. 4 overall pick of the 2021 draft, who has yet to take off but could do just that under Broncos head coach Sean Payton.
Broncos Urged to Trade for Falcons TE Kyle Pitts
Pitts is in the midst of a breakout season, and the Falcons are very much still alive at 2-2. A lot can and will change by the trade deadline on November 4. The Broncos could still emerge as a potential trade suitor for Pitts, whose availability has been questioned.
Sports Illustrated’s Matt Verderame and Gilberto Manzano suggested a trade for Pitts as a move the Broncos “should make” before the deadline.
The price of the deal itself could be surprisingly affordable.
Broncos get:
- Kyle Pitts
Falcons get:
- 2026 fourth-round draft pick
“This would be the biggest move the Broncos could make. Early on, it’s been a struggle for Bo Nix in his second season, who has thrown seven touchdowns and four interceptions on 5.6 yards per attempt. Furthermore, adding Pitts would free up more space for Courtland Sutton, Troy Franklin and Marvin Mims Jr.,” Manzano and Verderame wrote on October 1.
“Although he has never reached the potential many thought he had coming out of Florida as the No. 4 pick in 2021, Pitts would still be a major upgrade for Denver.”
Broncos HC Sean Payton Has Experience With Dynamic TEs
Pitts, who turns 25 on October 6, has been linked to the Broncos before. He has 20 receptions for 205 yards and 1 touchdown through four games. That puts him on pace for an 85-872-4 line. It would set a new career high in receptions and tie his best mark in scoring grabs.
The 6-foot-6 Pitts has a 1,000-yard season as a rookie, too, further highlighting his ceiling that has gone unreached in Atlanta but could be unlocked in Denver with a trade to the Broncos.
Pitts is in the mold of former New Orleans Saints star Jimmy Graham.
Payton coached Graham, a third-round pick in 2010 and former basketball player, into a three-time Pro Bowler and one-time First Team All-Pro (2013). A trade for Pitts could further Payton’s vision of re-creating the dynamic he had during the height of his run with the Saints.
Kyle Pitts Could Be Missing Piece for Broncos’ Offense
Payton appears to have his running back situation figured out with J.K. Dobbins and second-round rookie RJ Harvey. The same goes for wide receiver. Sutton headlines a group that includes youngsters Franklin, Mims, and rookie third-round pick Pat Bryant.
Engram may still prove to be the solution he has been billed as. However, he is also 30 years old and has already missed time amid an extensive injury history.
The Broncos have leaned on their other tight ends, who are better blockers than Engram.
That could mean that Pitts, whom the Falcons have shown no interest in moving despite his being on an expiring four-year, $32.9 million rookie-scale contract, would not be as fitting a trade target for the Broncos as Manzano and Verderame suggest.
Browns Predicted to Trade $100.5 Million Star in Blockbuster Move
The Cleveland Browns are unlikely to make the playoffs, and because of that, could be sellers ahead of the trade deadline.
The Browns are off to a 1-3 start and have already made a quarterback change as the rebuild continues. With that, NFL insider Gilberto Manzano of Sports Illustrated predicts the Browns will deal star cornerback Denzel Ward to the Seattle Seahawks for a second-round pick.
The Seahawks have a talented defense, but they could use another reliable cornerback,” Manzano wrote. “Riq Woolen has struggled to play as well as he did in his rookie season in 2022 and has given up chunk plays at crucial times this year.
“Additionally, with Ward in Seattle, it would allow coach Mike Macdonald to move around Devon Witherspoon between inside and outside cornerback positions. The 28-year-old Ward is a four-time Pro Bowler with 18 career interceptions,” Manzano added.
Ward has been an elite cornerback since entering the NFL after the Browns selected him fourth overall in 2018.
Ward is in the midst of a five-year, $100.5 million deal with Cleveland. The lockdown corner has 10 tackles and one interception in 4 games this season with the Browns. In his career, he has recorded 332 tackles, 18 interceptions, 4 forced fumbles, 6 fumble recoveries, and 98 pass defenses.
Insider Gives Browns News on Ward’s Trade Value
Although Manzano only has Cleveland getting a second-round pick for Ward, which is a bit of a surprise, another insider believes that is his perceived value.
In the offseason, ESPN NFL insider Bill Barnwell wrote that Ward wouldn’t fetch a first-round pick in a trade.
“Denzel Ward, 28, is still one of the league’s top cornerbacks,” Barnwell wrote. “But teams just do not want to send significant draft capital for even great corners after they’ve signed veteran extensions, with Darius Slay and Jalen Ramsey both failing to land even a second-round pick for their teams when they were traded around this same age.”
If the Browns do opt to trade Ward at the deadline, Cleveland would start Jarrick Bernard-Converse, who’s currently Ward’s backup.
Cleveland claimed Bernard-Converse off waivers before the start of the season after the New York Jets waived him. In his NFL career, he’s recorded 7 tackles in 15 games.
Cleveland DC Praises Ward’s Coverage
The Browns defense is led by Myles Garrett and Ward, who’s a lockdown corner.
Against the Detroit Lions, Ward recorded his first interception of the season, which Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz was pleased with.
“Like the interception that Denzel (Ward) had was a direct result of what the guys did up front,” Schwartz said. “Shelby (Harris) cracked a stunt up front. Quarterback had a guy in his face, he had to elevate the ball high. Denzel did a really good job in the coverage.
“We did overlap and were rewarded with a turnover,” Schwartz added. “So, it all really goes down to pass rush. And, even if you’re not sacking the quarterback, if you’re affecting the quarterback, making him throw before he wants to, or make him make errant throws, then it’s part of it goes. (Carson) Wentz has fumbled a lot in his career. We gotta be aggressive at the ball when we’re in the pocket there because there’s gonna be opportunities there.”
The Browns are set to play the Minnesota Vikings in England in Week 5.
