Which offensive players might follow Nathaniel Hackett to the Denver Broncos? We take a look at four potential options to consider.
The Denver Broncos have themselves a new head coach in former Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett. Hackett has been with the Packers for the last three seasons where he has undoubtedly developed lasting relationships with a lot of players, a few of which we in Broncos Country should have on the radar.
The Packers don’t have a ton of free agents on the offensive side of the ball at positions of need for the Denver Broncos, but we’re going to look at four players, in particular, that Hackett may want to bring with him to the Mile High City.
Some will be more obvious than others…
Which offensive players might Nathaniel Hackett bring from the Packers to the Broncos?
1. Robert Tonyan, TE
One Green Bay Packers free agent that everyone should be keeping some tabs on is free agent tight end Robert Tonyan who is coming off of an unfortunate injury that cut his 2021 season to just eight total games.
Wait a minute, why would the Denver Broncos target Robert Tonyan now that Nathaniel Hackett is the head coach? Shouldn’t we all just be excited about Noah Fant and Albert Okwuegbunam?
Absolutely we should be.
However…
Let’s just say the Denver Broncos try to strike a trade for a certain quarterback in Green Bay. The fact that Tonyan is a free agent in addition to the fact that this player could really sweeten the deal leads me to believe that Noah Fant might be a coveted piece for the Green Bay Packers in a hypothetical trade scenario.
Fant has multiple years left of team control and he’s an ascending player at the position the Packers might want.
If the Broncos try to trade for Aaron Rodgers, Fant could be part of the deal. If he is, Tonyan is a guy who obviously has ties to both Hackett and Rodgers. He has 13 touchdowns in his last 24 games, including 11 in his breakout 2020 season.
Additionally, Tonyan is on-brand in terms of his athleticism and what the Broncos have been looking for there.
Even though he’s coming off of injury, if the Broncos have to trade either Noah Fant or Albert Okweugbunam to acquire a star QB, Tonyan could make some sense to bring in.
Denver Broncos could target Davante Adams to follow Nathaniel Hackett
Following similar logic to the idea that the Broncos might have to trade a player like Noah Fant if they want to acquire Aaron Rodgers, what if the Packers require a player like Jerry Jeudy coming back in a trade instead?
That doesn’t exactly necessitate the team acquiring Davante Adams, but if they trade for Aaron Rodgers, he might want Davante Adams to come with him.
And how could you say no to that?
Rodgers to Adams has been one of the best QB-WR duos in the entire NFL over the last handful of years. Adams has become arguably the best wide receiver in the league and he’s currently slated for free agency.
Although it’s rumored that Adams will cost quite a bit in free agency, the Denver Broncos have the type of cap space to facilitate that if they really are motivated to make it happen.
There is some reason to be hesitant about paying an ungodly amount of money for a wide receiver that is about to turn 30 next season, but Adams also has 29 touchdown catches over the last two years.
That kind of productivity and rapport with Rodgers would be welcomed, even after the Broncos already re-signed Courtland Sutton and Tim Patrick.
Marquez Valdes-Scantling could follow Nathaniel Hackett to the Broncos
If the Denver Broncos wind up having to trade a receiver this offseason to acquire a quarterback, they might look into the idea of signing free agent wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling.
Over the last four years, he’s caught 123 passes and has averaged a whopping 17.5 yards per reception.
This guy has been a big-play threat ever since he came into the NFL, and in the 2020 season averaged 20.9 yards per reception with six touchdowns.
A 6-foot-4 receiver with 4.37 speed, Valdes-Scantling has a unique blend of size and speed that harkens back to the Denver Broncos days of old when players like Ashley Lelie were running deep downfield under Jake Plummer passes.
Although Valdes-Scantling hasn’t been a top priority in the Packers’ offense, he brings a dynamic element of speed and big-play potential that is deserving of an expanded role elsewhere in 2022 and beyond.
If the Packers lose Davante Adams, they might prioritize Valdes-Scantling, but if he hits the open market and the Broncos lose a receiver, they might consider bringing him in as WR3 to catch passes from Aaron Rodgers.
Aaron Rodgers could follow Nathaniel Hackett to the Broncos
I’m not sure if you’ve heard of this player, but Aaron Rodgers is one guy I could see potentially following Nathaniel Hackett to the Denver Broncos.
Hackett signed a four-year deal in Denver. This is not a rebuilding situation.
The Broncos’ roster is not set up to be rebuilt anytime soon. They need a quarterback. Hackett may not be able to speak with Rodgers directly at this point about switching teams, but there is no doubt that these two get along well and that Rodgers to Denver makes a ton of sense.
The MVP of the NFL could be coming to the Denver Broncos, and even if it would take a lot in a trade, it’s a move the Broncos should make.
A lot of people are cold on Rodgers right now because of his stance on the vaccine or perceived drama off the field, but over the course of the entire 2021 season, nothing off the field prevented the Packers from having a ton of success.
Pointing at one playoff loss to a good 49ers team is not a strong argument against Rodgers and the potential of him coming to Denver.
Free agents for Denver Broncos to stay away from in 2022
With free agency a month and a half away, who are some players that the Denver Broncos should stay away from at all costs?
The Broncos may have options at the QB position in the 2022 offseason, but Rodgers should be atop the priority list considering his rapport and recent history with Hackett. Those two get along well, and with Hackett calling the plays in Denver, you can bet that Rodgers would have a ton of say in that area as well.