The Denver Broncos may be active at the 2021 NFL trade deadline. Could we see the team move on from free agent CB Kyle Fuller?
When the Denver Broncos signed Kyle Fuller in the 2021 free agency period, it was a move that gave the Broncos one of the best groups of cornerbacks in the entire NFL. At least, on paper.
Fuller was one of a number of ballhawks in the Denver Broncos’ secondary, which also brought back safeties Justin Simmons and Kareem Jackson, as well as fellow free agent signing Ronald Darby and 2021 first-round pick Pat Surtain II.
Unfortunately, Fuller has not been a ballhawk for the Denver Broncos. He’s been anything but, as a matter of fact.
The Broncos have benched Fuller in favor of rookie Pat Surtain II and Ronald Darby on the outside and Bryce Callahan is still playing in the nickel spot.
Denver Broncos: 4 potential Kyle Fuller trades to watch for at deadline
There are simply far too many teams in the NFL that need cornerback help for the Denver Broncos to justify Fuller and his $9.5 million salary riding the bench. The fact that he hasn’t been playing lately certainly doesn’t seem to help his overall trade value, but it does preserve his health while the Broncos explore options and allow teams to make calls.
Although there are a number of Denver Broncos players that could wind up being traded, it feels like Fuller is the most likely of them all to be moved.
We’ve been exploring this possibility for a few weeks here at Predominantly Orange, but with the trade deadline just over a week away, it’s worth exploring a little further.
Denver Broncos: 4 potential Kyle Fuller trades to watch for at deadline
1. Fuller to the Tennessee Titans for a 4th-round pick
The Tennessee Titans are legit.
As a matter of fact, the Titans should be sending the Denver Broncos annual “thank you” gift baskets or something. Since the Broncos shut the Titans out early in the 2019 season, the Titans have been a consistent AFC contender.
The Titans have been pretty aggressive in pursuing upgrades for their roster in the last few years. Obviously, they bought low on Ryan Tannehill initially in a trade and that really worked out for them. They traded for Julio Jones this past offseason.
Although their war chest of draft selections has taken a pretty substantial hit from the deals they have made, the Titans have a couple of fourth-round picks to work with and given the fact that they will be picking fairly low in that round, that could present some fair value for Fuller as cornerbacks are in high demand league-wide.
The Titans are going for a Super Bowl. The Denver Broncos simply don’t need Fuller right now.
With the recent injury to first-round pick Caleb Farley, the Titans could be making a shrewd move here if they’re able to get the best out of Fuller going forward.
Denver Broncos: 4 potential Kyle Fuller trades to watch for at deadline
2. Fuller and a 5th to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for a 3rd
This trade would get the Buccaneers a former All-Pro cornerback to join their ailing secondary for a Super Bowl run in the 2021 season.
The value there alone cannot be overstated.
In order for the Denver Broncos to get the Bucs — who will be picking very low in each round — to give back something of prime value, they might need to pay a little as well.
Could the Broncos work something out to send the Buccaneers an extra selection in order to get a top-100 pick?
Would the Broncos be able to get a higher draft pick from the Bucs if they were willing to pay the remainder of Fuller’s salary?
Nothing should be off the table in that regard and the Bucs make sense as a suitor. They haven’t been super aggressive on the trade market but have pounced on a wide variety of available veterans in free agency.
At this point in the season, the Bucs have to be a little aggressive.
Denver Broncos: 4 potential Kyle Fuller trades to watch for at deadline
3. Fuller to the Dallas Cowboys for Leighton Vander Esch
As of right now, most of the thinking regarding any potential trades the Denver Broncos could make has revolved around building the arsenal of 2022 NFL Draft capital.
Understandable.
However, there could be some intriguing player-for-player deals out there and one that might work well for both sides is a Fuller-for-Leighton Vander Esch deal.
The Denver Broncos are bleeding at the linebacker position. Both of their day one starters — Josey Jewell and Alexander Johnson — are out for the season with pectoral injuries.
Vander Esch has been reduced in Dallas to a part-time player in Dan Quinn’s defense, where guys like Micah Parsons, Keanu Neal, and even Jabril Cox could take on bigger roles.
Vander Esch was, at one point, a Pro Bowl player who could come in and help the Denver Broncos’ defense right away.
Of course, it would take him some time to learn the terminology, but for a linebacker unit that is absolutely in need, trading Fuller for a player like Vander Esch would be interesting.
Vander Esch would get a chance to show the Denver Broncos (and other NFL teams, for that matter) that he is worthy of a decent free agent contract after the season. He could also become a fixture for the Broncos, who have two free agents at the linebacker position currently on injured reserve.
Denver Broncos: 4 potential Kyle Fuller trades to watch for at deadline
4. Fuller to the Los Angeles Rams for a 4th-round pick
When are the Los Angeles Rams not making trades?
There might be no other team in the NFL that wheels and deals like the Rams under general manager Les Snead.
The Rams haven’t had a first-round pick since they took Jared Goff first overall back in 2016, and they won’t for at least a few more years.
This trade won’t involve a first-round pick, but it could get up to as high as a third-rounder. The Rams don’t just throw picks away, but they are also willing to invest draft capital in the name of getting veteran value in return.
A player like Kyle Fuller to play opposite Jalen Ramsey could be a great midseason pickup for an NFC contender like the Rams, and Los Angeles has obviously kept many concepts from what they ran last year with Brandon Staley under Raheem Morris in 2021.
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With that being the case, Fuller should be able to fit in with the Rams pretty immediately, and the Broncos should be able to get prime value from teams that are in contention. Obviously, teams will want to buy low if they possibly can, but there should be enough demand for the Broncos to get something pretty nice in return for Fuller in the coming days.