As the 2020 NFL Season comes to a close, the Denver Broncos begin their offseason work. With a new General Manager in town, this offseason will be one of the most important for the Broncos in recent memory.
The Broncos have plenty of questions on their roster, including several key free agents to resign. What the Broncos do in Free Agency will play a massive role in the 2021 NFL Draft.
In this Mock Draft scenario, I assume the Denver Broncos re-sign safety Justin Simmons to a long term deal, taking safety off of the high priority list.
Denver Broncos Mock Draft – Round 1: Trade
Newly appointed General Manager George Paton has made it clear that drafting players, and then developing them, will be a huge part of the long-term success for the Denver Broncos. With his first swing at the NFL Draft as a General Manager, however, he takes a creative approach.
In the first round of the Broncos’ mock draft, I have the Broncos trading back with the Chicago Bears in exchange for the 20th and 52nd overall picks in 2021, as well as a 2nd-round pick in 2022. While the 52nd overall pick was used in this mock draft, the Broncos use their new draft ammunition to acquire a veteran defender entering his prime.
Using the 2022 1st and 2nd round picks, the Denver Broncos trade for Marshon Lattimore of the New Orleans Saints. Instead of adding a young cornerback through the draft, the Broncos swing for the fences and grab an established cornerback who has proven to be a top-10 caliber player.
Even with the Saints’ desperate cap situation for the 2021 season, prying Lattimore away will not be an easy task. Lattimore is one of the elite young cornerbacks, and at only 24 years old, he is a player the New Orleans Saints will certainly want to lock up.
With the salary cap expected to drop to around $180 million per team, the Saints will have to make cuts across the roster to major names. Even after Drew Brees‘ expected retirement, the Saints will be around $90 million over the salary cap, per Overthecap.
Trading Lattimore will net the Saints valuable draft picks, and a way to rebuild cheaply. By trading Marshon Lattimore, the Saints will free up around $10.25 Million, and acquire high draft picks to help rebuild their team.
For the Broncos, adding Lattimore will not only cost draft capital, but also cap space. The Broncos will likely have to move on from several veterans on the defense to make room for Lattimore, who should be expecting a contract among the top-end cornerbacks in the NFL.
Lattimore’s young age and exceptional play will net him a contract with an average anywhere from $18-20 Million per year, putting him as one of the highest-paid cornerbacks in the NFL, per Overthecap.
If the Broncos can pull off the move for Lattimore, moving on from veteran A.J. Bouye seems like a likely move. Veteran safety Kareem Jackson could also be a cap casualty. Combined, the two would cover the cost of Lattimore and would give the Denver Broncos cap flexibility to afford him following the 2021 Season.
The Denver Broncos could very well stay home with the 9th pick and take the best player available. However, if George Paton is ready to put his stamp on this Broncos team, swinging for the fences for a player of Lattimore’s caliber would help solidify the defense, and help Denver compete for a playoff berth.