Denver Broncos: 4 trades the team should make at roster cuts
The Denver Broncos have to get their roster down to 53 players, but they should still be focusing on ways to improve the team and trades could help.
The Denver Broncos and general manager George Paton are working their way down to the league-mandated 53 players, and it will be fascinating to see how he shapes the rest of the roster in the next handful of hours.
For the time being, the Broncos have already made a couple of trades.
They made a very surprising decision to trade training camp and preseason standout Trinity Benson to the Detroit Lions for a couple of day three draft picks in 2022. They also acquired linebacker Jonas Griffith from the San Francisco 49ers to address their issues covering kicks and punts on special teams.
What other trades could (or should) the Denver Broncos and George Paton consider making?
Let’s put on our general manager hats and take a look at some moves that could make sense.
Trades the Denver Broncos should still consider making
1. LB Leighton Vander Esch from the Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys have a plethora of linebackers at the moment.
Not only do they have new first-round pick Micah Parsons, but Dan Quinn brought Keanu Neal with him from the Atlanta Falcons and had him transition to the linebacker position full-time.
They also have Jaylon Smith and another 2021 draft pick Jabril Cox, a player many Denver Broncos fans were high on.
They could decide to just stick with the depth they have at the position but at some point, they’re not going to get any value for these guys when they have to make tough decisions. They already made sort of a tough decision regarding Vander Esch by declining his fifth-year option.
The former Pro Bowl linebacker is now in a contract year and the Cowboys have already clearly made arrangements to move on with their other recent acquisitions.
With a base salary that is very palatable and the Denver Broncos in a position to take on this kind of reclamation project, this is a deal I would love to see George Paton make if the price is right.