Denver Broncos: Royce Freeman, to trade or not to trade?

After being an afterthought in George Paton’s vision for the future of the Denver Broncos, Royce Freeman has done exactly what he needed to do, make himself valuable. Just a few weeks ago, it seemed that Freeman’s career in Denver would be coming to a close after the team added Mike Boone and Javonte Williams to the roster.

However, things quickly changed after a quad injury suffered during the team’s joint practice with the Vikings up in Minnesota left Boone off his feet for the next four to six weeks.

Injuries are no stranger to the sport. Just weeks prior, Los Angeles Rams’ running back, Cam Akers, suffered a torn Achilles. His injury left the Rams’ backfield a bit underwhelming with all but one running back, Darrell Henderson, being either seventh-round draft picks or undrafted free agents. The Rams seemed an ideal trade destination for Royce Freeman at the time, but the trade never came to fruition.

Today, Freeman seems to be having himself an impressive preseason showing. Through two games, he’s picked up 60 yards on 14 carries, averaging 4.3 yards per carry. Not to mention his involvement in the passing game with seven catches going for 58 yards. However, Freeman’s performance throughout the first two preseason games is more than just the stuff on the stat sheets.

Against the Seahawks, Freeman had a great blitz pick-up that allowed the Broncos to score a touchdown on their opening drive.

One thing to note when it comes to making the final roster in the NFL is that as a player descends deeper into the depth chart, they have to showcase that they are as complete of a football player as they can possibly be. Freeman has displayed his ability to do so thus far in the preseason.

What does Freeman’s sudden resurgence mean for the Denver Broncos?

For starters, his spot on the roster is solidified, Boone’s injury alone has promised that much. His competent play will call for a hasty decision by George Paton. By now, the Broncos must’ve realized that Royce Freeman’s production through his first two games has risen his trade value.

For some position-needy teams looking to add a veteran to their roster, Freeman can be that guy. Not to mention a cheap one on his contract year, ultimately allowing teams to see if he could be a long-term fit for their team.

With Boone set to return at some point early in the season, it’s hard to see Freeman having a future in Denver. If they do decide to trade Freeman, the Denver Broncos could get a late-round draft pick in return for someone who was recently on the verge of being cut. It would be wise for the Broncos to shop him away while he’s hot, rather than lose out on some value later.

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On the other hand, keeping Freeman around as insurance for a post-injury Mike Boone, wouldn’t be the worst idea considering the lack of depth at the position outside of Melvin Gordon and Javonte Williams.