Which Denver Broncos players could be traded before the 2020 season?
The Denver Broncos have not exactly had the most attractive depth around the league over the past few seasons.
After three offseasons of good drafting, however, the Broncos’ depth is looking much stronger than it has in recent years, which could lead to some preseason trades ahead of the 2020 regular season.
What usually motivates teams to trade? There are a few major factors.
Injuries
Every year, injuries arise around the league that force teams to make trades. If teams are low on the waiver priority order, their best bet is to trade late-round draft assets for guys who could actually help them rather than just pick off the scrap heap.
Strong pre-draft evaluations
When teams get new coaching regimes, prospects whose potential is yet unrealized can be acquired via trade for pennies on the dollar.
If a team had a strong pre-draft evaluation on a player who is entering their 2nd-4th season in the league, it’s possible to see those players traded and acquired for a decent price, especially if they are coming from a team that has made front office/coaching changes.
Scheme/coaching fit
If a team is looking to make a trade, one of the factors that is often very important is the player’s connection to a coach on the staff of the team acquiring them.
Sometimes when coaches move on to new teams, one of the ways they can have early success is to bring along players who know their scheme already, and that is often also favorable to the player.
Contract
One of the main motivators in trading and acquiring players through trade? Their contract. If a player is on a rookie deal, they are a very attractive trade piece. If they are on an expiring deal, the trading team is probably more likely to make a move.
Because teams eat dead money in trades in the NFL, you rarely see deals made for players with a ton of guaranteed cash left on their deal or large dead cap hits.
Of course, the main reason to make a trade is always to bring in players who can help you, typically right away.
The Broncos have quite a few players who could be attractive trade pieces around the NFL as we approach roster competitions and, eventually, cuts.
Let’s take a look at which players could be traded and the reasons that might happen.
(Not) Phillip Lindsay, running back
Since the Broncos signed Melvin Gordon this offseason, I have seen a variety of rumors and opinions from people who definitely don’t know what they’re talking about that the Broncos should attempt to trade running back Phillip Lindsay.
This is one of the dumber ideas you will read all offseason.
The Broncos still have Lindsay on two years of team control with a very cheap contract. People want to see Lindsay get paid, and we all do, but from the business side of things, getting two straight 1,000-yard seasons out of an undrafted free agent making just over $1 million in that timeframe is outstanding for Denver.
The Broncos said they would look at Lindsay’s contract after the 2020 NFL Draft, and so far, he hasn’t gotten a pay raise.
Although it would be nice to see Lindsay get his due, the Broncos are under no obligation to re-sign him now or even next offseason.
Lindsay has a year left on his rookie deal before he’s a restricted free agent when the Broncos can slap him with a second-round tender.
There’s zero reason to trade a dynamic player with a cheap contract like Lindsay. It has been truly one of the dumbest ideas I’ve seen thrown about this offseason.
Wide Receivers
DaeSean Hamilton
The Broncos have a couple of wide receivers who could be on the trading block this offseason. I don’t think they will necessarily be looking to sell so much as other teams will be trying to buy.
One player teams could covet is DaeSean Hamilton, a fourth-round pick out of Penn State in the 2018 NFL Draft who was supposed to be Denver’s slot receiver of the future.
With Jerry Jeudy and KJ Hamler expected to take the lion’s share of reps along with Courtland Sutton, Hamilton’s role could be diminished. The Minnesota Vikings might want some depth at receiver and Gary Kubiak is their offensive coordinator. Kubiak was in the Broncos’ front office when they selected Hamilton.
Tim Patrick
Patrick is sort of in the same boat as Hamilton, though when he’s healthy he has also proven to be an asset on special teams.
Teams looking for a guy who can be a solid vertical threat and special teams player could be interested in Patrick, whose job could be threatened by the likes of 2019 sixth-round pick Juwann Winfree or 2020 seventh-round pick Tyrie Cleveland.
At one point last season, Patrick was the Broncos’ WR2. He could be coveted by receiver-needy teams as a solid option for spot starting or potentially even just WR3/WR4 duties throughout the 2020 season.
Tight Ends
If there’s one position I’m just about certain the Broncos will make a trade before the 2020 season, it’s at tight end.
The Broncos have several players with team-friendly contract situations who could be desirable to teams short on tight end depth.
Jeff Heuerman
Heuerman is the elder of the Broncos’ tight end group. He has been healthier the past couple of seasons than he was early on in his career, and he does a solid job both as a blocker and receiver when he’s called upon.
There are plenty of teams around the league who would benefit from having a veteran like Heuerman in their tight end group. The Broncos signed Nick Vannett this offseason and also drafted Albert Okwuegbunam. Heuerman could be on the outside looking in.
Troy Fumagalli
Entering his third NFL season out of Wisconsin, Troy Fumagalli was once an All-Big Ten tight end who wound up missing his rookie season completely.
He made some plays last season for the Broncos, but ultimately was beaten out for snaps as a TE/FB hybrid by rookie Andrew Beck.
Fumagalli should be on the field somewhere. If he’s healthy, he’s got a well-rounded skill set.
DeMarcus Walker, defensive line
As their roster currently stands, the Broncos are probably going to have to let go of at least one defensive lineman who should be on an opening day NFL roster.
One of the players the Broncos might consider dealing who could have some value elsewhere in the league is former second-round pick DeMarcus Walker.
I’ve been a big fan of Walker’s since he was at Florida State, and I think the Broncos’ attempt to put him at outside linebacker to start his career stunted his growth and otherwise hindered his ability to be an impact player much sooner for this team.
He very quietly had four sacks for the Broncos last season as a backup and rotational player, and if given the chance at more snaps, I think he could thrive.
The Broncos brought in Jurrell Casey and McTelvin Agim this offseason as well as re-signing Shelby Harris. They also added Christian Covington to the mix on the defensive line.
Unless they decide to keep seven guys on the defensive line, Walker could potentially land the Broncos something decent in a trade.
Todd Davis, linebacker
Todd Davis is valuable enough to the Broncos that it would be surprising to see him traded ahead of the 2020 season, but the Broncos have some young players who could make a deal worthwhile.
If you’re not starting in Vic Fangio’s defense, you’re probably not going to be getting many snaps as a linebacker.
Fangio likes to keep his ‘backers on the field, so Davis and Alexander Johnson will take the lion’s share of snaps at inside linebacker in 2020.
But what if a player like rookie Justin Strnad shows starter qualities? What about possible breakout candidate Josh Watson?
The Broncos have some young players waiting in the wings, and with Davis in a contract year, he could be one of the most valuable potential trade pieces looking from an outside team’s perspective.
Even with just the one year remaining on his contract, Davis would be a tough player for the Broncos to let go of with an offseason like we have had in 2020.
Isaac Yiadom, cornerback
As mentioned by Travis Wakeman, Isaac Yiadom is a player the Broncos could consider trading before the 2020 season.
Yiadom is still a young player with upside as a potential starter in the NFL. He was a third-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft out of Boston College, and part of the reason the Broncos coveted him that year was the opportunity they had to work with him at the 2018 Senior Bowl.
That coaching staff has since been dismantled with Vance Joseph now the defensive coordinator of the Arizona Cardinals and Joe Woods the defensive coordinator of the Cleveland Browns.
Either of those teams would be intriguing trade fits for Yiadom, whose spot on the Broncos’ roster is in jeopardy for a variety of reasons, inconsistent play among them.
If Yiadom is a better fit for a primarily press-man defense, the Broncos could look to perhaps upgrade elsewhere on the roster and utilize Yiadom to do it.