Denver Broncos' insider name-drops potential trade deadline target
The Denver Broncos could look to add a playmaker at the NFL trade deadline, and this potential weapon would be a much-needed boost to the offense. Broncos' insider Mike Klis rolled out a recent article with a ton of information, and noted that teams could have interest in one of the two backup QBs, Zach Wilson and Jarrett Stidham.
It has been long assumed that at some point, Denver would choose between Wilson or Stidham, and in my opinion, the trade for Wilson was done in hopes that he could settle into the backup QB job for an extended period of time, as he's got a much higher ceiling than Stidham and is also a good bit younger.
Denver could potentially trade one of them before the deadline this year, but as Klis also notes below, they could also look to pursue some additional help on offense:
"*If the Broncos want to acquire a tight end, or running back, or whatever for their second-half push, they may have to clear some cap space. At present, the Broncos only have $5.2 million in cap space, according to Spotrac.com. A tight end like Hunter Henry, for instance, has a pro-rated $5.3 million cap hit this year. Stidham entered this season with a $7 million cap hit while Wilson’s was $2.73 million."
- Mike Klis
Hunter Henry, you say?
Would Hunter Henry be a good target for the Denver Broncos?
Absol-freakin'-lutely! Hunter Henry has played the last few seasons with the New England Patriots and finally figured out how to stay on the field after dealing with injuries earlier in his career. With the Pats clearly in a rebuild, it would make sense if they turned into sellers at the deadline. Yes, Henry is a very reliable target, but he's not young and could net the Pats a draft pick or two as they seek to build for the long-term.
Hunter turns 30 years old in December and has caught 27 passes for 313 yards and one touchdown in 2024. He's currently on pace for 66 receptions and 760 yards. Both figures would be career-highs. I mean, it's not even a discussion at this point; Hunter Henry would easily become the best TE Denver has had in quite some time and would be a huge boost to the offense.
I also find it encouraging that he's missed just three games since the start of the 2021 NFL Season. To me, while Henry wouldn't be a long-term option, he could help the Broncos fill one of the worst position groups in sports, which is their TE room, and could also hang around for another couple of years to aid in the development of Bo Nix.
It's a win-win. The Broncos are currently trotting out Adam Trautman and Lucas Krull, which is just nasty if we're being honest. Denver needs to not overpay for any player available on the trade deadline market, but they should have serious interest in boosting their TE room for the right price. This team is absolutely in a position to spend a modest amount to add a playmaker on offense, period.