Broncos should make bold trade for Brandin Cooks after KJ Hamler injury

Broncos should make a bold trade for Brandin Cooks

3. KJ Hamler must be adequately replaced

The Denver Broncos’ offense needs the threat of a player like KJ Hamler with his long speed to take the top off of defenses at any point in time.

Without Hamler, they simply don’t have that.

It was telling that, when Hamler went down with the injury, it was Diontae Spencer taking the primary snaps in relief and not Kendall Hinton.

Although Hinton is a great story, he simply hasn’t replaced the production of Jerry Jeudy or KJ Hamler. Not that anyone expected him to come in and be Jerry Jeudy or KJ Hamler, for that matter, but Hinton has one catch in just nine offensive snaps played.

The fact that the Broncos aren’t using Hinton offensively or on special teams indicates this team is effectively rolling with two wide receivers — Courtland Sutton and Tim Patrick.

KJ Hamler was going to play a massive role in Jerry Jeudy’s absence, and now he’s gone.

The Broncos need someone to provide insurance in case:

• Jerry Jeudy doesn’t come back 100 percent (or struggles to stay healthy after returning)
• Courtland Sutton’s knee acts up
• Tim Patrick suffers any sort of injury

You can only promote from within so much. I get that the Broncos want to honor the players that have been there, but the two injuries to Jeudy and Hamler have decimated the team’s speed at the receiver position, and it needs to be appropriately addressed.