After the Denver Broncos loss to the New York Jets on Sunday, it felt like the team making some trades was more of an inevitability rather than just a possibility. Prior to the loss, there were multiple reports surfacing that the Broncos had received calls from other teams on players like Jerry Jeudy, KJ Hamler, and pass rusher Bradley Chubb. In terms of planning for life after any of those players, the Broncos may be in the best position to trade Chubb before the 2022 NFL trade deadline and be okay for both the present and future, even though Chubb is leading the team in sacks this season and has played very well.
Chubb is in the final year of his rookie contract in 2022. The former fifth overall pick out of NC State has struggled since 2019 to stay healthy, which he is finally doing so far in 2022. The Broncos signed Randy Gregory in 2022 NFL free agency, moved Baron Browning to the edge, and used their top draft choice on Oklahoma’s Nik Bonitto in the 2022 NFL Draft.
As far as planning for a future without Chubb, the Broncos’ actions spoke louder than any words could with their offseason acquisitions, meaning if the right offer came along and Chubb was having a good season, they are in a position to take the best offer.
Denver Broncos could get Von Miller-like return for Bradley Chubb?
As of right now, it almost feels like there are offers on the table for Bradley Chubb as the Broncos prepare for their Week 8 matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
“If Brian Burns is worth two 1s, you’re telling me Bradley Chubb is not worth a 2 and a 3?” — @AdamSchefter, to @DMacRadio and @Derek_Wolfe95 on @1043TheFan
— Andrew Mason (@MaseDenver) October 24, 2022
Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports has also made comments about a Von Miller-like trade package regarding Bradley Chubb. You can’t help but think, as tight as George Paton keeps things in the Broncos’ front office, other teams might be leaking this information out there for one reason or another.
There is a lot of smoke right now around a potential Bradley Chubb trade and now, specific picks have been thrown out there by multiple major NFL reporters as the potential compensation. The question is, would the Broncos be willing to part with one of their best defensive players, weaken that unit for the short term, just to gain some draft compensation in 2023?
As of right now, the Broncos don’t have a first or second-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. If things were working out great with Russell Wilson, that wouldn’t be a big deal. Unfortunately, those picks being sent to Seattle are currently projected to be in the top 10, trending toward the top five overall.
There’s a lot of season left for the Broncos to turn things around and not let those picks be so great for Seattle, but as of right now, does it really feel like Denver is going to turn things around? The team is not in a position to “tank” because they don’t have a first-round pick. But there is a chance with all of the injuries they have suffered that George Paton is going to have to make the difficult decision to make the most of a tough situation.
The decision to trade a star player is not an easy one, especially when you’re talking about a team captain in Bradley Chubb. The Broncos would have to endure a week or two without one or both of Baron Browning and Randy Gregory, who are sidelined with injuries at the moment. That would put a lot of pressure on Nik Bonitto and Jonathon Cooper to stay healthy and produce, and the Broncos would undoubtedly have to supplement their edge depth in any Bradley Chubb trade.
With that being said, even if the team beats the Jaguars in London, they are in a tough position. At 3-5, the Broncos would be heading into their bye week already with major questions about their standing not only in the AFC but just in the AFC West, first and foremost. One win against the Jaguars is probably not going to deter Denver from making reasonable deals at the trade deadline, especially if they can get borderline first-round value for a player that may or may not be in their future plans.
Without Chubb, the Broncos’ top four — when healthy — the rest of the season would be Randy Gregory, Baron Browning, Jonathon Cooper, and Nik Bonitto. That’s still a really good group and like I mentioned before, George Paton would have to supplement that group by adding another player from the outside, likely via free agency or poaching off another team’s practice squad.
Denver Broncos may have to trade a star player after Jets loss
The Denver Broncos dropped to 2-5 with a loss to the New York Jets, which may ultimately prompt the trade of a star player on defense.
The Broncos defense has been the lone bright spot of this team in 2022. Bradley Chubb has been a big reason for their success. With that being said, if the Broncos are able to replenish their 2023 NFL Draft capital and add a 2nd and 3rd-round pick — or more — for Chubb’s services, it may be the type of offer George Paton can’t turn down given the depth he has at the position when that unit is healthy.