Trade Up
For the sake of this scenario, let’s watch everything play out in the top eight picks of the draft…
1. Browns: Sam Darnold
2. Giants: Saquon Barkley
3. Jets: Baker Mayfield
4. Browns: Bradley Chubb
5. Bills (from Broncos): Josh Allen
6. Colts: Denzel Ward
7. Buccaneers: Tremaine Edmunds
8. Bears: Quenton Nelson
If any combination of those picks happens, the 9th pick would be the ideal spot for the Broncos to try and trade up, because the Raiders pick right after the 49ers, so they won’t be willing to help the Broncos get into position for a quarterback.
The Dolphins at pick 11 also probably won’t be willing to help the Broncos move up, but they also have so many needs and not enough picks this year to barter with to move up and make the same move as the Broncos here.
This is a fair offer for the 49ers who would probably love to pick up an extra high pick and the Broncos would just have to hope that none of the teams ahead of San Francisco are in agreement with other teams to trade down.
Why wouldn’t the Bills just make this move instead of giving up their extra first rounder?
That would be the result of them preferring Josh Allen significantly over Rosen. We don’t know if that’s the case, necessarily, but Buffalo has long been rumored to love Josh Allen for his ability to slice through cold weather conditions with his arm.
So here, the Broncos have moved down to pick number 12 for a great haul of picks, and then moved back up to 9th overall for a chance to swoop in and get Josh Rosen.