Denver Broncos: Players team may consider trading before season starts
The Broncos have a surplus of tight ends
This would be a tougher sell than the other names on this list. The Broncos have a bunch of tight ends, but none of them (at least those not named Noah Fant) would bring much value.
Fant, Nick Vannett and Andrew Beck are likely going to make the team. Fourth-round selection Albert Okwuegbunam is also a good bet to be on the team.
That leaves Jeff Heuerman, Jake Butt, Troy Fumagalli and Austin Fort to dangle as potential trade bait. Fort is a guy that could surprise but he offers no trade value so unless he pushes for a spot on the roster, he will just be released or placed on the practice squad. There would be almost no interest in Fumagalli either.
Though reports indicate that Butt has a full bill of health, would a team be willing to give up much for the promising, yet seemingly always injured tight end? That’s unlikely and if there was, it wouldn’t be much.
Heuerman is the guy the Broncos should try to move. Vannett can give the team everything that he has and for a fraction of the cost. Heuerman is due $4.3 million in 2020 while Vannett will get just $2.1 million.
If a team would be willing to make a move to acquire Butt, that would be ideal, but moving Heuerman makes a lot of sense if a trade partner could be found.
How many of these moves will happen?
It’s quite likely that none of these moves happen. But the Broncos have to get the roster down just like every other team and getting future compensation for these players that were once promising but by and large, just have not panned out, is definitely worth considering.