The Denver Broncos might not be able to realistically pull off a blockbuster trade into the top five picks themselves, but the threat of more teams being involved might prompt some teams to action. And as we know, with trade rumors the week of the NFL Draft, so much of it is about posturing and playing "chess" while others may still be playing checkers.
As exciting as it is to think about the idea of Ashton Jeanty or Travis Hunter becoming members of the Denver Broncos, it's equally dreadful to think of those guys becoming members of the Las Vegas Raiders, the last-place team in the AFC West last year picking 6th overall in this year's draft.
The Raiders are both in prime position to select Ashton Jeanty if they want him as well as prime position to be jumped by another team that wants him even more. And there are teams out there that legitimately have Jeanty as the #1 overall player on their board, regardless of position.
Could the Broncos be baiting one of them to go up ahead of the Raiders and get him to prevent Jeanty from getting into the AFC West altogether? That might be some big-brain thinking from Sean Payton and George Paton as rumors have been leaking like crazy this week.
Broncos might be baiting teams to trade ahead of Raiders for Ashton Jeanty
If the Broncos can't afford to trade up to get Ashton Jeanty themselves, then it makes a ton of sense for them to do everything in their power to make sure the Raiders don't get him.
They don't want to be seeing Jeanty in the division. The Raiders already added Brock Bowers last offseason. Getting Jeanty this year would make the Raiders a very difficult out in the AFC West going forward.
If the Broncos can perhaps spark some interest in teams moving up to the 5th overall pick to swap places with the Jaguars, that would be ideal. The Chicago Bears picking 10th overall and the Dallas Cowboys picking 12th overall are two teams that could make a ton of sense. The Saints at 9 overall have also been rumored to be interested in potentially taking Jeanty as well.
There would be plenty of other teams inside the top 15-20 picks that would be interested in having Jeanty but who is willing to pay the price? How far down are the Jaguars willing to move?
It only takes one team to move up and make a move, and Jeanty being on the Bears or Cowboys is a much more preferable outcome than him landing with the Raiders.