Denver Broncos: Why John Elway’s trades were the best offseason moves

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - OCTOBER 01: (NEW YORK DAILIES OUT) A.J. Bouye #21 of the Jacksonville Jaguars in action against the New York Jets on October 1, 2017 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Jets defeated the Jaguars 23-20 in overtime. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - OCTOBER 01: (NEW YORK DAILIES OUT) A.J. Bouye #21 of the Jacksonville Jaguars in action against the New York Jets on October 1, 2017 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Jets defeated the Jaguars 23-20 in overtime. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
1 of 4
NASHVILLE, TN – JANUARY 1: Jurrell Casey #99 of the Tennessee Titans celebrates after sacking Brock Osweiler #17 of the Houston Texans at Nissan Stadium on January 1, 2017, in Nashville, Tennessee. The Titans defeated the Texans 24-17. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TN – JANUARY 1: Jurrell Casey #99 of the Tennessee Titans celebrates after sacking Brock Osweiler #17 of the Houston Texans at Nissan Stadium on January 1, 2017, in Nashville, Tennessee. The Titans defeated the Texans 24-17. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)

Despite multiple high-profile signings by the Denver Broncos during free agency, John Elway’s trades were what won the offseason.

After finishing strong in the last five games of the 2019 season with Drew Lock as the starting quarterback, most feel like the right move is to build around the second-year signal-caller. Armed with cap room and draft picks, John Elway had quite the allotment of ammo to strengthen this  Broncos team this offseason, and that’s exactly what he did.

But while the free agency signings of Pro-Bowl level players Graham Glasgow, Shelby Harris, and Melvin Gordon were huge moves, Elway’s three trades were undoubtedly the best moves of the offseason.

In trading away do-it-all effort guy Andy Jonovich to the Browns, acquiring starting cornerback AJ Bouye from the Jacksonville Jaguars for a fourth-round pick and stealing Pro-Bowl defensive lineman Jurrell Casey from the Titans for a measly seventh-round pick, Elway showed that he is looking at this offseason from both a short-term and long-term perspective. For that reason, these trades were the Broncos’ best offseason moves.

Let me explain.

Schedule