The Denver Broncos just defeated the Joe Burrow-less Cincinnati Bengals in primetime by a 28-3 score. On paper, it looks great, but it could have been way better, knowing that Jake Browning was starting for them. But it does not matter. A win is a win. Denver moves to 2-2 and will travel to Philadelphia to take on the defending Super Bowl champions, the undefeated Eagles, on Sunday. Things can improve for this team as the season goes by, and opportunities to fix holes can be presented by making trades.
The 2025 NFL trade deadline is set for November 4 at 4:00 PM ET, which means that teams can make any trade until that date. This can give Denver a chance to improve its roster and have better chances at contending for the Super Bowl in Santa Clara, California. The last big Broncos trade ahead of the deadline was sending edge rusher Bradley Chubb to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for a first-round pick and other assets, a pick that was then used in the Sean Payton trade.
General Manager George Paton should start to make some phone calls to see the availability of different players that can eventually help to improve this Broncos roster moving forward.
2 players the Broncos should be trying to trade for ahead of the trade deadline following their Week 4 win over the Bengals:
Earlier on Monday, the Houston Texans traded offensive lineman Cam Robinson to the Cleveland Browns. Moves like this around the league will start happening sooner rather than later, and Denver could be in line to make some moves.
Usually, teams with bad win-loss records are the ones that are open to making deals to accumulate draft capital for their future. Teams including the Saints, Titans, Jets, Browns, Giants, and Dolphins, among others, could be trade partners for Denver.
Erik McCoy, Center - Saints:
Luke Wattenberg has been below average this season at best. Only in Week 4, Monday Night Football against the Bengals, did he rack up over three penalties and make multiple high snaps. He has been an inconsistent part of the offensive line, and the center's role is very important since he starts every offensive play. Denver has Alex Forsyth, but he hasn't seen much action lately.
New Orleans is winless, and Sean Payton must take advantage of that by recruiting his former center, Erik McCoy, to join the Broncos. McCoy is a two-time Pro Bowler with 85 career games. Another option at center could be former Bronco Lloyd Cushenberry.
Quncy Williams, Inside Linebacker - Jets:
Denver has had multiple trades with the New York Jets in recent years, and now, if they want to make deals with them, it could be easier, as the new Jets General Manager, Darren Mougey, was part of George Paton's front office.
One of the Broncos' worst units through four games in the season has been the inside linebacker. The Broncos signed Dre Greenlaw in free agency, but he has not been able to make his debut. Alex Singleton has been awful, and adding an inside linebacker would help a lot. Quincy Williams is a good option; he is young and is set to become a free agent in 2026. Williams has over 350 tackles since joining the league and could be a good upgrade over Singleton. Another option at inside linebacker could be former Bronco Cody Barton, who is now in Tennessee.