The Denver Broncos have not done much of anything well through four games, but the team is still 2-2 and did just get done playing four of the top-10 scoring defenses in football. All in all, I am not sure we should be surprised that the Broncos have looked like this.
The first-time play-caller in Davis Webb was dealt a tough hand to start the season, and with Sean Payton taking those duties back and the schedule softening up, things should begin to look a bit easier for the Broncos.
And as we progress through October, the 2026 NFL Trade Deadline will draw near. It's not going to be a shock if the Broncos hold firm at the deadline, but there could be some potential upgrades available, and searching for a legitimate linebacker upgrade could supercharge the defense at the perfect time.
Denver Broncos should acquire Cedric Gray in a trade to supercharge the linebacker room
In CBS Sports, Jordan Dajani outlined 10 possible candidates who could be on the move, and mentioned Tennessee Titans linebacker Cedric Gray as a player who could get dealt. He named the Broncos as the fit:
"Here's an interesting one. In his first full season as a starter last year, Cedric Gray racked up 164 tackles. That ranked fourth in the NFL and was the most tackles recorded by a Titan in a single season. It looked like Tennessee found a legitimate starter at linebacker, but after he missed the season opener due to a concussion, Gray has played less than 50% of defensive snaps in each of the last three games. He played 90.7% of defensive snaps in 2025. It would appear rookie Anthony Hill Jr. and Cody Barton are Robert Saleh's top linebackers, making Gray available should there be an interested team.
Potential landing spot: Denver Broncos"
This is quite interesting, as Gray had a breakout season in year two with the Titans, racking up 164 total tackles, four passes defended, two fumble recoveries, seven tackles for loss, and three quarterback hits, but he really has not played that much this year. In fact, here is what the snap share looks like between Gray, former Broncos linebacker Cody Barton, and their encouraging rookie, Anthony Hill Jr:
Hill Jr: 271 (100 percent)
Barton: 221 (82 percent)
Gray: 90 (44 percent, 3 games)
With only 90 snaps under his belt in three games, it is worth wondering if Gray is potentially available. Hill and Barton are clearly the primary linebackers, and with Gray actually being eligible for a contract extension following the season, the Broncos need to be all over this.
It is important to note that there isn't an official report out there that he is on the block, but we did just see the Philadelphia Eagles trade center Cam Jurgens to the Baltimore Ravens, and that was rather out of the blue.
Simply put, the Broncos have a bad linebacker room. Not only does the team need better players, they also need some youth. Alex Singleton turns 33 years old in December, and Justin Strnad is already 30 years old. Gray only turns 24 years old on October 30th.
If you're in to PFF grades, Gray currently has a 66.5, which is good for 31st among 74 qualified linebackers. In 2025, PFF graded him as the 7th-best linebacker out of 88 qualified players. There is no denying that Gray is a young, talented player, but with the way the snap share has worked out for the Titans linebackers this year, Gray might be falling out of favor.
This could lessen the cost it would take to bring him to Denver, but the upside is obvious, and the Broncos just do not have a young linebacker on the roster that has any sort of long-term, high ceiling upside. Acquiring Gray would give them that.
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