It's safe to say that the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks both came out at least a little disappointed from the return on the Russell Wilson trade. The Seahawks ended up getting a couple of core players out of the deal while the Broncos gained some clarity on what not to do at the quarterback position, but the deal was undoubtedly more costly on Denver's side.
Literally.
An underrated element of the trade with Seattle was the departure of 2019 first-round pick Noah Fant, one of the featured players in the package Denver sent over to the Seahawks. Fant never looked like a game-altering tight end in his time with Denver but he was undoubtedly more effective early on as a Bronco than we've seen in his past few years with Seattle.
With the Seahawks using a second-round pick on Elijah Arroyo in this year's draft, could Fant be on the move? Could the Broncos pursue an unexpected reunion there?
Broncos should look into unexpected Noah Fant reunion in 2025
Fant has apparently been a disappointing addition for the Seahawks over the last three years. He has just one touchdown over the last two seasons and according to our friends over there at SI.com, it might be time for a change of scenery for Fant:
"Unfortunately, he hasn't lived up to expectations with the Seahawks. In three seasons playing in the Pacific Northwest, Fant has 130 receptions for 1,400 yards with five touchdowns — four of which were recorded in 2022. While he's been far from a bust, it's safe to say Fant has been a disappointment."
- Seahawks on SI
The only caveat here is that the Seahawks don't have much incentive to trade Fant right now. He would provide necessary insurance and a decent floor with Arroyo still an unproven rookie. He's also a free agent after this year, so Seattle has every reason to hold out for a compensatory pick instead of dumping him for next-to-nothing.
The Broncos would have to offer at least a 6th-round pick or something like that, but acquiring Fant in a reunion trade could make a lot of sense.
The Broncos added Evan Engram this offseason but could be toying with the idea (again) of having Nate Adkins be the full-time fullback as well as a hybrid player in the offense. Fant could come in as a secondary pass-catching option with seventh-round sleeper Caleb Lohner developing behind the scenes.
It's not a move the Broncos would have to make but they are desperate for production at the right end position. Adam Trautman led the unit with 188 receiving yards last season while Lucas Krull led the group with 19 catches. Those numbers are historically bad and the team needs to over-correct if they have to.