The Denver Broncos are getting set for training camp just like the rest of the teams in the NFL, and general manager George Paton has plenty of work yet to be done. Although the primary moves yet to be made will be final roster cuts and perhaps a veteran addition or two, there’s always a chance that the Broncos could strike a trade with another team.
We’ll have to wait and see to find out just how much George Paton likes to wheel and deal as camp and preseason games progress.
Trades are much rarer in the NFL than they are in pro baseball or basketball or really any other sport because an NFL playbook is not something so easily digested. Of course, football is football, but at the end of the day, chemistry and cohesiveness matter in the league, and understanding a massive playbook — essentially memorizing a new language in a matter of weeks — makes trades at this point in the year fewer and further in between.
With that being said, the NFL is all about relationships and who you know, and when you have strong connections between two front offices or coaching staffs, deals are easier to consummate. Players become less of a fit with their current organization, they have contractual disputes, or young players come up through the ranks ready to take on bigger roles.
With all of that in mind, the Denver Broncos have some strong ties to the Miami Dolphins.
GM George Paton has great ties to Dolphins GM Chris Grier from their time working with the Dolphins together in the early 2000s where Paton was the Director of Pro Personnel.
Since Paton and Grier have gone separate ways — Grier staying in Miami and Paton moving on to be Rick Spielman’s no. 2 in Minnesota — the two have made or been part of some pretty massive trades. Some of the most notable include the Dolphins’ trade of Laremy Tunsil to the Houston Texans and the Vikings‘ trade of Stefon Diggs to the Buffalo Bills.
Could these two strike up something really big before the start of the 2021 season?
Again, nothing is guaranteed or even likely to happen, but the options to consider are fun.
How might the relationship between Grier and Paton come together in the form of a training camp or preseason trade? Here are some options.