5 trades the Denver Broncos should make before 2021 training camp
5. Jordan Hicks, LB, Cardinals
Many Denver Broncos fans would have been elated to see Jordan Hicks sign in the Mile High City when he was a free agent in the 2019 offseason.
The biggest question at that point was about Hicks’ ability to stay healthy, which he has proven in two years with the Arizona Cardinals.
He has played all 32 games possible for the Cardinals over the last two years, but with Arizona investing their last two first-round draft picks in Isaiah Simmons and Zaven Collins, Hicks appears to be the odd man out.
There is no doubt about the fact that the Denver Broncos have tried upgrading at linebacker in the past couple of seasons, looking for guys in the NFL Draft who can cover. Hicks certainly has the athletic profile to be able to do that and be a three-down guy, but his arrival would likely come at the expense of someone like Josey Jewell or Alexander Johnson.
Considering the recent arrival of Baron Browning and the team being high on second-year player Justin Strnad, there’s no guarantee that the Broncos would pursue a trade for a linebacker as opposed to just going with what they have.
Still, Hicks has base salaries of $2 million this year and just $4.25 million next year. With neither Jewell nor Johnson under contract beyond this year, Hicks would give the Denver Broncos some valuable veteran experience, insurance beyond 2021, and perhaps even an upgrade at a crucial position.