The Denver Broncos mostly held firm at the trade deadline. They did trade Bradley Chubb, but it was expected. What other moves should they have made? Some thought that the team should have had a firesale perhaps, but George Paton seems to think that some of the players who came up for the Broncos in trade rumors should have stuck around.
I don’t entirely disagree, but I do think the team should have made a couple more moves. The Bradley Chubb trade was the right decision. The moves the team made in the offseason, specifically adding Randy Gregory, Baron Browning, and Nik Bonitto, indicated that Chubb was not in Denver’s plans for the long term.
He’s a good edge rusher with injury concerns, and the large contracts the Broncos have didn’t really allow them to extend Chubb. So, what other moves should they have made at the deadline?
Moves the Broncos should have made at the deadline
Trading Dalton Risner and getting whatever you could get
Dalton Risner is a free agent at the end of the season and I’d just about guarantee that the Broncos do not re-sign him. Ever since his rookie year, he has regressed. He’s a backup caliber guard at this point and has slow, concrete feet, can’t sustain blocks, and gets beat quite a bit.
However, his name did come up in trade talks, and obviously, we may never know if there was a formal offer for Risner, but George Paton should have sent him to whatever team offered anything.
It’s better to get a draft pick, even if it’s a lower pick, than simply letting him walk in free agency. I’m not sure guys like Netane Muti and Luke Wattenberg, two backup interior players for the Broncos, are worse than Risner.
This should have been a move the team should have made.