While the Denver Broncos appear to be in a great place for the future, there are a few trades they can make to help that cause even more. The acquisition of Russell Wilson has given the franchise hope that they haven’t seen in almost a decade. The elite play and legacy that Wilson is likely to leave on the team will continuously keep the Broncos at or near the top of the league every year.
The team is indeed in a good spot for the future. They have young players on both sides of the ball that are likely to contribute heavily beyond 2022. However, I think the team would be wise to consider a few trades that will not only help them in 2022 but for years beyond that.
While it may not be easy to part with even more draft capital or players that could contribute this year, betting on the future would be a great thing for the Broncos to focus on. So, which three trades could the team make to set themselves up for the future?
Three trades Denver Broncos can make to set themselves up for the future
Create a package for Dolphins’ Mike Gesicki
Mike Gesicki could be falling out of favor a bit in Miami. There are rumors that he could be traded, but nothing is set in stone. While the Denver Broncos have two young tight ends of their own on the roster in Albert Okwuegbunam and Greg Dulcich, neither is guaranteed to become even a league-average player.
Creating a trade package that includes either Albert O or Dulcich, perhaps an offensive lineman that the team would end up cutting anyway, and a draft pick might be enough to bring Mike Gesicki to Denver.
He’ll be 27 this year, so it isn’t necessarily young anymore, but he fits the mold of what tight ends have become in today’s NFL. While he isn’t a great blocker, he’s an exceptional receiver who has topped 700 receiving yards over the last two seasons. He’s turned into a very good receiver and would be in line for a contract extension.
Giving Russell Wilson yet another target who has proven himself would be a smart investment and would also allow the team to try and cover up for Tim Patrick’s injury.
Three trades Denver Broncos can make to set themselves up for the future
Trade Tim Patrick next season when healthy for a draft pick
Perhaps an unpopular opinion is that the Broncos should consider trading Tim Patrick next offseason when he’s healthy. He’ll be 29 when next season begins and is on a rather inexpensive contract.
I think Patrick is incredibly valuable to the Broncos, but he was clearly going to be a third option in Denver, and I think his similarities to Courtland Sutton could have made him expendable anyway. KJ Hamler appears to be back, and Montrell Washington looks like he could be something.
So, the Broncos’ top four wide receivers going into 2023 could be Sutton, Jerry Jeudy, Hamler, and Montrell Washington. To me, I think that group is perfectly fine and quite good. The Broncos could try and score a fourth-round pick for Tim Patrick, which would help replenish the team’s draft picks after giving a ton to the Seattle Seahawks.
A similar situation was Robert Woods this year, who, coming off an ACL injury, fell out of favor with the Rams and was traded to the Titans. While the Rams were only given a sixth-round pick back, I stink the Broncos could get a fourth or fifth. For being 29 next year, Patrick won’t have a ton of tread on his tires, so he likely has more good football in him than Woods does.
Again, I understand it’s unpopular, but I think it’s a move that the team might have to make.
Three trades Denver Broncos can make to set themselves up for the future
Trade an offensive lineman or two for 2023 draft capital
The Broncos could afford to part with an offensive lineman or two before the 2022 season begins. I think there are a few options that other teams could perhaps use. Graham Glasgow, who is a solid guard, has struggled in Denver and is coming off an injury.
He might be better suited in Denver as a backup IOL since he can play along the inside, but if a team is willing to give up a fifth or sixth-round pick, why not make the deal? Cam Fleming could be another player on the trade block, who has solid starting experience and would clearly be a backup in Denver.
The last player along the offensive line that I think could be on the move is Netane Muti, who recently had a knee procedure, but should be healthy soon. He’s another one who is clearly a backup in Denver, but a team desperately needing help on the inside (Chicago, Houston, Pittsburgh) could throw a late-rounder at Denver’s way.
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I do think it’s also smart to keep these players in Denver because they’d all serve as very good backups and would allow Denver to keep their depth, but again, the team has limited draft capital in 2023 and 2024, so they’ll have to trade some players if they want to build their capital back up.