3 moves the Denver Broncos could regret not making at 2022 trade deadline

Moves the Broncos should have made at the deadline

Packaged KJ Hamler in a deal for Brandin Cooks

This one is going to get me roasted in the comments, but I do not care, and this is my opinion.  Brandin Cooks, to me, is one of the most underrated players the NFL has been over the last decade.  He’s been traded about 63 times and produces wherever he goes.

Cooks and Hamler are similar.  They’re both smaller receivers with exceptional speed.  The main difference is that Cooks, even early in his career, was way, way more consistent than KJ Hamler has been, and is not as injury prone.

Brandin Cooks just turned 29 but has been in the league since 2014.  He has six 1,000-yard receiving seasons with four different teams.  He has 605 career receptions in the regular season and over 8,000 yards.

The Texans, his current team, are clearly rebuilding, and Cooks has a large contract.  Tell me, why wouldn’t the Texans have been willing to swap Hamler and Cooks?  The total compensation can be debated, but Hamler is six years younger, still on his rookie deal, is likely faster, and could have been a building block for them.

The Broncos did not draft KJ Hamler for him to catch one or two passes a game like he’s done this year.  He has not lived up to his draft status, and his career receiving totals are numbers that other receivers put up in six or seven games, let alone over three years.

Denver Broncos updated 2023 NFL Draft picks after Bradley Chubb trade

The Denver Broncos made a blockbuster trade involving pass rusher Bradley Chubb. What does their 2023 NFL Draft war chest look like now?

This would have given Denver another reliable pass catcher and would have added another wrinkle to the offense that showed a bit of life against the Jaguars.