Denver Broncos: Jerry Jeudy a rumored target in trade up

The Denver Broncos could be looking to trade up in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft, and Alabama wide receiver Jerry Jeudy is a reported target.

It’s certainly not abnormal at this time of year for John Elway and the Denver Broncos to explore the cost of trading up in the NFL Draft.

Rumors about Elway’s interest in moving up have been ramping up over the course of the last week, but this is really business as usual for Elway.

Sometimes he will pull the trigger on deals, and other times he won’t.

In 2014, there were rumors leading up to the draft that Elway wanted to move up for Central Florida quarterback Blake Bortles. It never happeend. In 2016, there were rumors that Elway wanted to move up from the 31st pick to take a quarterback, and he did — for Paxton Lynch.

There were rumors in 2018 that Elway wanted to move up from the 5th overall pick for a quarterback like Baker Mayfield or Sam Darnold, and that never happened.

There are rumors like this every year, but it might make more sense for the Broncos to move up this year with their current draft position (15th overall) and the fact that they have three third-round picks to work with.

The Broncos desperately need help at the wide receiver position. Although some of the fan base really loves Tim Patrick and DaeSean Hamilton, those guys would be best served in reserve roles rather than full-time roles opposite Courtland Sutton. The Broncos need a true number two at receiver or ‘1A’ and they can get him in this draft.

The player the Broncos could trade up for? Well, it seems to change by the day, but longtime Denver sports journalist Woody Paige seems to have intel that the Broncos like Alabama’s Jerry Jeudy in a trade up scenario.

Paige is a source to be trusted with the Broncos, so if this is what he’s hearing will happen then it’s best if we brace ourselves for the legit possibility.

With that said, he did qualify his prediction by saying that it could go either way, meaning moving up or down. One way or another, the Broncos feel likely to come off the 15th overall pick and if they move up for a guy like Jeudy, it would be tremendous.

Jeudy was the consensus top receiver in this draft class when games were being played and shortly thereafter. He did nothing on the field to really diminish his NFL value, so for a guy who was once being predicted as a potential top five pick to get to the Broncos somewhere between picks 8-15 would be outstanding.

Jeudy can play outside or in the slot, and is generally considered the best route runner to come from the college ranks in quite some time.

That kind of route running prowess will help him translate quickly to the NFL game and the Broncos would be able to use him right away as a field stretcher and after-the-catch monster. Although Jeudy’s not as fast as his Alabama teammate Henry Ruggs, he is explosive in his own right and is capable of creating separation deep downfield and in the short-intermediate passing game.

The Broncos need another receiver to pair with Courtland Sutton. Even if it costs some mid-round picks, a player like Jeudy would make the team better immediately.