The Denver Broncos reportedly sniffed around wide receiver help before the NFL trade deadline, but ultimately decided not to take a swing. The decision not to take that big swing could haunt them in the 2025 season.
The need for another playmaker in the offense has been abundantly clear all season long. The Denver Broncos play so much 12 personnel with two tight ends on the field, and so many issues with playmakers dropping passes or not getting open have finally reached a boiling point.
Bo Nix threw an interception in the 4th quarter against the Raiders that went right off the hands of Troy Franklin, who was the team's leader in targets coming into the night. The lack of a playmaker who can create offense consistently for this Broncos team has become a glaring problem.
Broncos whiffed at the NFL trade deadline by passing on playmakers
The reports after the NFL trade deadline indicated that the Broncos called the Dolphins about wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, but apparently scoffed at the high price. With players getting moved for first-round picks elsewhere in the league, it makes some sense that George Paton would want to keep that top pick in his war chest.
But this was an opportunity the Broncos should have taken.
The offense has been rough to watch for the majority of the season, save for plenty of fourth-quarter heroics. The problem that has been consistent has been the wide receiver position.
The Broncos believe in their guys, but nobody has been able to step up on a consistent basis. And evne with the clutch moments he's had this year, that includes Courtland Sutton. When teams take away Sutton, none of the secondary options on the offense have been able to step up consistently.
And the Broncos have tried them all.
As we have stated many times throughout the year and back to the offseason, there is nothing wrong with believing in your young guys, but the way Sean Payton calls an offense is not conducive to anyone getting in rhythm whatsoever. With two or three tight ends and an extra offensive lineman consistently reporting as eligible, defenses often only have to. find a way to cover one or two guys.
And you wouldn't think this would be the case, but Payton does throw the ball rather frequently from those formations. So you would also think that a player like Jaylen Waddle, who can consistently beat man coverage, would be an ideal use of a 1st-round pick.
Maybe in a few months when we see how the Broncos invest that top pick, we'll all be shocked at how thankful we are they still had it. But even without first-rounders in 2022 and 2023, the roster was already stocked to the point that the team used a 1st-round pick on the cornerback position in 2025.
And Jahdae Barron was an excellent prospect coming out of Texas. He has helped the team this season. But that was a "luxury" selection that ultimately changed the entire scope of Denver's draft plan.
If the team can use a 1st-round pick on another corner, why can they not use a 1st-round pick to get a top-tier playmaker for their young quarterback? At this stage, the need has made itself abundantly clear. The team had a chance to do something about it. And they didn't.