Denver Broncos: Players that could be traded by week one

Shane Ray

Shane Ray is probably the most likely veteran player on the Broncos to leave for free agency after the 2018 season. The Broncos declined his fifth-year option, making him a free agent in 2019.

There is always a chance that they re-sign him to a short contract when he hits free agency. But that doesn’t seem likely.

In 38 career games, Ray has 84 tackles, 13 sacks, and one pass deflection.

He missed eight games in 2017 due to a nagging wrist injury. The injury continues to haunt the linebacker, as he had yet another surgery on the wrist that will knock him out for three months.

The Broncos’ linebacker position is one of the strongest on the entire team. Denver feels confident enough in their other players to decline Ray’s option.

Ray should generate a decent amount of interest from teams. Finding a trade partner for Ray, who is just 25, should not be an issue for the Broncos.

Von Miller, one of the best linebackers in the game, first-round pick Bradley Chubb, and Shaquil Barrett are the other prominent returning players currently on the roster at the outside linebacker position.

Another linebacker who could see his time as a Denver Bronco come to an end is linebacker Zaire Anderson. In two seasons, he has just 27 tackles to go on his NFL resume. He has no sacks in his career, which is not a good thing for an NFL linebacker, even one who plays off-ball.