3 way too early trade deadline targets for the Broncos in the 2024 season

Ideally, the 2024 Denver Broncos are in a position to trade for a player or two at the deadline. Could these three players make sense for the team?

It's not impossible for the Denver Broncos to be right in the Wild Card hunt in the 2024 NFL Season when the trade deadline rolls around. This team was 7-6 at one point in 2023 and right in the mix. And if their defense doesn't again start historically bad, the Broncos are going to have a winning record this upcoming year.

Well, they might feel bold enough to add a player or two at the deadline. It sounds crazy, but you never know. Who could they consider adding, though?

3 way too early trade deadline targets for the Broncos in the 2024 season
Matthew Judon, EDGE, New England Patriots

Matthew Judon currently seems unhappy with his current contract situation with the New England Patriots, and with Judon coming off of a season-ending injury and also getting a bit older, it just does not make sense for the Patriots to hold onto him. He's a free agent following the 2024 NFL Season, and with the Patriots being in full rebuild mode, a trade makes sense.

His value is much more realized getting a draft pick back than him being on the field. The Patriots aren't going to be any good, and will need to continue getting younger. The Denver Broncos do not currently have a true alpha off the edge, but someone like Matthew Judon in the short-term could help fill that role.

It would also shore up the Broncos defensive front, which is clearly missing one more viable player.

Marshon Lattimore, CB, New Orleans Saints

The New Orleans Saints and Sean Payton had wanted to take Patrick Mahomes in the 2017 NFL Draft, but the Kansas City Chiefs jumped them to take Mahomes, so with the very next pick, Payton and the Saints took CB Marshon Lattimore, who has had a very good career thus far, but his days with the Saints seem to be winding down.

The Saints have a few young and encouraging CBs, and did take CB Kool-Aid McKinstry in the 2024 NFL Draft, so the writing is on the wall for Marshon Lattimore to be playing for a new team perhaps as early as this year. Being that he has a ton of experience playing for Sean Payton, the fit could make sense. The Broncos also are not guaranteed to find a viable CB2 for the 2024 NFL Season. Guys like Riley Moss, Damarri Mathis, Levi Wallace, and Kris Abrams-Draine are all competing for the spot, but having a lot of bodies does not guarantee success.

Noah Fant, TE, Seattle Seahawks

How about an old friend? Noah Fant was one of the three players the Denver Broncos traded to the Seattle Seahawks for Russell WIlson two years ago. Fant has turned into a modestly viable receiving TE and has been quite consistent his entire career. He's not elite by any means but is a good player and is trustworthy. He re-upped with the Seahawks this offseason on a two-year deal, so you figure that the franchise wants to keep him around, but the Seahawks might not be very good in 2024.

In fact, with a bad QB in Geno Smith and a first-year head coach, Seattle may struggle to win five games. They also could be in a position to tell at the deadline if it becomes clear that they are not a real contender. Building for the future is how to sustain success in the NFL, and while Fant will be just 27 years old in 2024,

The Denver Broncos also might be in a position where the TE room is just not giving them the production they need. While Greg Dulcich has looked quite good in camp thus far, he's played in just 12 games in two seasons due to injuries, so he's got an extreme uphill battle to prove to all of us that he can stay on the field. Well, Fant does a good job of staying on the field, so why not make this move if the opportunity presents itself?