Yet again, this key Denver Broncos defensive player has been brought up as a potential trade target, but this time, it's with the most unlikely team.
If this trade were to go down, it would make no sense and would only make a key rival stronger, which is the total opposite if what the Broncos should be looking to do. We have talked about the team's defensive line many times - it's among the best in football but has a ton of players who are due for new deals.
And no NFL team can pay everyone, so one of Nik Bonitto, Zach Allen, and John Franklin-Myers might not get paid. If one of them doesn't get another contract, it's probably JFM, so could the Broncos be better off just trading him?
This just doesn't make any sense...
Brandon Austin of Pro Football & Sports Network is proposing that the Los Angeles Chargers, of all teams, trade for John Franklin-Myers:
"This would be a rare trade between divisional foes, so it’s highly unlikely to happen, but John Franklin-Myers fills a major need for Los Angeles. The Broncos could also afford to lose him.
Denver has major decisions looming on the defensive line, with Nik Bonitto and Zach Allen both set to hit free agency next offseason. With limited cap space and a top-ranked defense to maintain, Denver won’t be able to keep everyone.
Franklin-Myers is entering the final year of his contract, making him a potential cap casualty. He posted a career-high 7.0 sacks in his first season with Denver in 2024. Since 2020, his 14.4% pressure rate ranks 13th among 159 defenders with at least 1,000 pass rush snaps, and he’s topped 14% in each of the last three seasons."
I don't know how else to say this, but - this is a marvelously silly and ridiculous idea, and the Broncos would be better off keeping their stud defensive end for 2025 and not re-signing him next offseason than just trading him to a division rival.
John Franklin-Myers has popped up many times in this trade target articles all offseason, which does make me think that the Broncos would not hang up the phone if someone came calling. With both Zach Allen and Nik Bonitto more important long-term pieces for the defensive line, JFM might not get a deal.
And while all of this seems repetitive, well, it is. The hope here is that Denver is able to get another strong year from Franklin-Myers and perhaps at least leave the door cracked open a bit for the possibility of him returning to the team.
Denver took DE Sai'vion Jones in the 2025 NFL Draft, and he's actually got a similar overall profile to JFM - the Broncos are likely turning to Jones in the 2026 NFL Season, but crazier things have happened.
One thing I feel like I can say for certain is that the Broncos are absolutely not going to be trading John Franklin-Myers to a division rival.