Although many (present company included) held out hope that the Denver Broncos could quickly turn things around under new head coach Sean Payton, it's apparent that things actually could get worse before they got better. The Broncos suffered a 70-20 loss in Miami against Tua Tagovailoa and the Dolphins, the worst loss I have ever witnessed in basically any professional sport.
The Denver Broncos were already the laughingstock of the NFL before, and now, it will be open season, especially after such strong words this offseason from head coach Sean Payton. Payton was (regrettably) critical of Nathaniel Hackett's coaching job last season, and publicly apologized for his comments after they went viral in the sports media world. But like toothpaste can't be put back in its tube, words can't exactly be taken back once they've been spoken and Payton made some bold comments.
Not only are the Denver Broncos 0-3 to start off this season, but it's also clear that this team lacks true building blocks moving forward. They might have to trade what little they have to teams in contending mode who might get desperate enough to trade the Broncos good draft picks for some of the players currently on this roster. And as of right now, nobody is off limits on this Denver roster.
Let's look at five players that could be traded in a potential fire sale for the Broncos after the disastrous loss to the Dolphins.
5 players the Denver Broncos could trade in a fire sale after Dolphins blowout
1. Pat Surtain II, CB
I'm not saying this for shock factor, but truly no one on the Denver Broncos is going to be untouchable if the team goes into fire sale mode. Although I will qualify this by saying -- the Denver Broncos can't just give away Pat Surtain nor do I think they should trade him in-season unless they are absolutely blown away with an offer.
The reason for that is simple -- you can't trade Surtain in-season and not know what pick(s) you would be getting in return. Too much can happen between the trade deadline and the end of the season. Trading Surtain for, say, the 28th pick in the 1st round would end up looking like a foolish decision based on his value.
But after the season, I think it's fair game, depending on what happens. Surtain is one of the Broncos' best players, but he could also help them recoup a lot of NFL Draft assets. I wouldn't be surprised if his name starts popping up.
2. Courtland Sutton, WR
There were a lot of rumors over the course of the offseason that Courtland Sutton could be traded, but the Denver Broncos ultimately passed on any offers they may have had (if they had any to begin with). I think Sutton could end up being one of the most "available" receivers at this year's trade deadline, and certainly one of the biggest names.
Sutton is going to be 28 on October 10, and I think it makes a lot of sense for the Broncos to get as much value for him as they possibly can. He has not been able to rediscover his 2019 form after tearing his ACL in 2020. Not to say he isn't back physically, because he appears to be, but Sutton has not developed into a true WR1 as he appeared to be in that 2019 season.
I think out of the current roster, Sutton with his contract going forward might be the likeliest trade candidate on the team.
3. Jerry Jeudy, WR
Jeudy was also the subject of trade rumors throughout the offseason, but the Broncos picked up his 5th-year option instead of trading him. I personally think the Broncos could still find ways to build around Jeudy, but if they are able to showcase his value in the coming weeks and still aren't winning games, he could be the most valuable piece moved at the deadline.
If nothing else, the Broncos have set themselves up with leverage to say they have Jeudy in their future plans, having picked up that 5th-year option, but that additional year could also be valuable to an aquiring team who would know that Jeudy isn't just a one-year rental.
Any teams looking for receiver help, especially those with an established WR1, could view Jeudy as a critical piece to a potential championship run.
4. Justin Simmons, safety
Pretty soon, the Denver Broncos might have to do right by Justin Simmons just like they did for Von Miller at the end of his time in Denver, trading him to a contender.
Simmons has been a turnover machine since coming to the Broncos out of Boston College in 2016, and was outstanding last year despite missing a handful of games due to injury. This year, Simmons is hurt again and his timetable for return is unclear, but there's no doubt about the impact he's capable of making and I wouldn't be shocked to see teams call about him if he can prove he's healthy before the deadline.
5. Josey Jewell, linebacker
Josey Jewell is dealing with a groin injury that knocked him out of the Broncos' loss against Miami, but if he's healthy, he's an intriguing trade-deadline option for teams needing linebacker help. The Broncos' justification for potentially moving on from Jewell is simple -- they added Drew Sanders in the 2023 NFL Draft at the off-ball linebacker position, and re-signed Alex Singleton to a three-year deal.
Jewell could be the odd-man out after this season anyway, so getting some mid-late round value for him in draft compensation could be an attractive option for the Broncos if any teams come calling.
Overall, the Broncos could end up looking to trade even more players than this, perhaps even some surprise names like Javonte Williams. But at their current pace, there's no way they can just sit there and do nothing. This team needs to add more talent, and they need the draft picks to do it.