3 players the Broncos can trade in 2023 if the season gets out of hand

3 players the Broncos can trade in 2023 if the season gets out of hand

2. Justin Simmons, S

If the Denver Broncos begin the 2023 season on the wrong foot, they owe it to Justin Simmons to send him to a contender. The All-Pro safety turns 30 years old in 2023 and is likely entering the final few efficient years of his career. You never know, maybe he does have plans on retiring soon. Simmons has been with the Broncos in every season during the post-Manning era.

He's seen the revolving doors at head coach and quarterback up close, and I think he is on his last straw here. If that is the case, I do not blame him one bit. Simmons also plays safety, which is not a very valuable position in today's NFL. He's on a large safety contract and would bring some cap relief if the Denver Broncos were to trade him.

A trade in 2023 saves the Broncos $14.4 million in 2023 and $14.5 million in 2024. For a safety, those cap savings are insanely high. With the Broncos having a few young safeties on the roster in Caden Sterns, JL Skinner, and Delarrin Turner-Yell, they may be in very good hands for the future, so as good as Simmons is, losing him may not have as big of an impact as some may think.

I think the Broncos could net a couple of third-round picks for Justin Simmons in a hypothetical trade. I don't think they'd be able to get a first or second, but a couple of mid-rounders make sense to me. Again, the Broncos would owe it to Justin Simmons to trade him if the 2023 season goes south. There would be no reason to continue to keep him on the roster in that case.