The Denver Broncos have made a very surprising trade, sending training camp and preseason standout Trinity Benson to the Detroit Lions.
The Denver Broncos are working their way toward the league-mandated 53-man roster by making cuts and also some trades. As a matter of fact, many in Broncos Country woke up to some very surprising news that training camp and preseason standout Trinity Benson has made the roster…of the Detroit Lions.
The Detroit Lions and Dan Campbell believe Trinity Benson is a kneecap-biting fit for their culture (for those confused by that reference, just Google it) and frankly, Benson will be one of the best receivers on the roster in Detroit which is starved for talent at that position.
The Lions were so starved that they gave the Denver Broncos 5th and 7th-round draft picks in exchange for Benson and a future 6th-round pick.
The trade was initially reported by Mike Klis:
Broncos have traded WR Trinity Benson to Lions in exchange for 5th and 7th-round draft picks in 2022 per source. Lions also get 6th-rd pick in 2023. Paton gets value by dealing from one of deepest positions. Benson gets chance he wouldn’t have in Denver crowded WR room. #9sports
— Mike Klis (@mikeklis) August 31, 2021
The Denver Broncos trading a wide receiver to another team is hardly surprising. The fact that this news came after the team already waived both rookie Seth Williams and second-year player Tyrie Cleveland?
It’s a little surprising, given all of that.
The Denver Broncos are clearly moving forward with a solidified top four at the position of Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy, KJ Hamler, and Tim Patrick. Trading away Trinity Benson — not to mention also waiving Kendall Hinton — is a clear signal that the team is keeping Diontae Spencer as the primary return specialist and for now, one of only five or six receivers on the team.
All offseason, we were talking about the possibility of them keeping up to eight guys with how deep they are.
We’ll see how many of these guys can sneak through to the practice squad. The Broncos are probably banking on at least two of them doing so.
Benson was absolutely outstanding in training camp and preseason play, and with the Detroit Lions releasing veteran Breshad Perriman, there is a rather clear path to playing time in Detroit. His top competition for snaps will be former Bronco Kalif Raymond, former Chargers and Raiders receiver Tyrell Williams (coming off of injury), 2020 fifth-round pick Quintez Cephus, and 2021 fourth-round pick Amon-Ra St. Brown.
Like I said, it shouldn’t be tough for Benson to crack the rotation, and maybe he will even contribute on special teams for the Lions.
There is definitely a hole on the Denver Broncos active roster at the receiver position at this point. There will be players added to the practice squad, without question, but the team went from being deep and exciting at this position to being very top-heavy and with two primary contributors in contract years.
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We will wait and see what the next few hours bring, but for now, it’s so-long to Trinity Benson and welcome to a couple of solid draft selections courtesy of the Detroit Lions in 2022.