Broncos trading Baron Browning not (exactly) a sign they're selling

The Denver Broncos traded former third-round pick Baron Browning to the Arizona Cardinals a little more than 24 hours before the 2024 NFL Trade Deadline (Tuesday, November 5). One of the most common responses to the move was, "Wow, the Denver Broncos are sellers at 5-4?" or "The Broncos traded Baron Browning to the Cardinals, so they are obviously 'sellers' at the 2024 NFL trade deadline."

I'm here to tell you that the Denver Broncos are not sellers at the 2024 NFL trade deadline. Not exactly.

The Broncos are open for business, as any NFL team probably should be. The Broncos, just like every NFL team, have a roster full of players who can both help this team now and into the future. Browning's situation had reached the proverbial fork in the road, and the Broncos took the only logical path.

Broncos have plans at EDGE beyond Baron Browning for the present and future

Browning has missed significant time during his NFL career due to injury, and it's possible those injuries have taken their toll for a very talented, highly athletic defensive player. Browning had 0 sacks and 0 QB hits this season but the Arizona Cardinals needed pass rush help and they like the upside of Browning and his 9.5 career sacks enough to give him a shot.

The Broncos, on the other hand, have two guys going sack for sack seemingly every week in Jonathon Cooper and Nik Bonitto, who look like they are going to be the team's starting EDGE players of the present and future. Cooper was re-signed to a massive $60 million extension over four years with $33 million in guaranteed money. He and Bonitto have combined for 11.5 sacks and 22 QB hits this season, with countless pressures besides.

READ MORE: Broncos players who could be traded by 2024 Trade Deadline

The Broncos have promising rookie third-round pick Jonah Elliss already seeing action as a rotational player (and impressing). Rookie free agent Dondrea Tillman has made some significant contributions already this season. 2023 third-round pick Drew Sanders is slated to potentially come off the PUP soon and contribute off the edge as well.

In other words, Denver has a plethora of options. The decision to trade Browning to the Cardinals has everything to do with his future and the Broncos not seeing a future that includes him. You've got to get value when you can, and the Broncos are not "sellers" just because they traded a player away.

A team that is an NFL trade deadline "seller" is a team that trades away starters because they are throwing in the towel on this season. Browning's snaps were only going to decrease this year.

There's also a chance the Broncos -- who now have three 6th-round picks in 2025 -- are adding capital to be able to acquire someone else. You just never know.

While trading away a player typically indicates a team is "selling", that's not what the Broncos are doing here at all. They are not punting on this season. They are simply open for business, and we'll see how many more moves they might make before the deadline on Tuesday afternoon.