We are now just over one week away from the 2023 NFL Draft. Although the Denver Broncos won't likely be making any moves to get up into the first round (barring a surprise), we should see this team be plenty active over the course of the next 8-10 days. The Broncos certainly have upgraded the roster through free agency, but the overall roster depth needs some work yet and the team only has five overall selections.
As Aric DiLalla of DenverBroncos.com points out in his latest piece, it seems like there's a very good chance we're going to see the Denver Broncos' phone lines blowing up leading up to and during the 2023 NFL Draft. A lot of GMs like to wheel and deal but in their histories, both Paton and Payton have done a lot of moving up and down the board. Well, Paton has done a lot of moving down the board, and Payton has done a lot of moving up.
So what can we expect from the Broncos in terms of trades involving players and not just picks? I would be fascinated to see what kinds of deals they are considering behind closed doors, but most of that stuff we will never know. We did find out, though, that the team was interested in signing wide receivers Allen Lazard and Adam Thielen when that didn't come to fruition, so perhaps rumors will start leaking here soon. It was almost an annual tradition for rumors to leak about the Saints moving up when Payton was on staff there.
Let's take a look at some under-the-radar trade ideas the Broncos might be willing to consider as the 2023 NFL Draft approaches and even gets underway...
1. Denver Broncos should consider trading for OT Mekhi Becton
The New York Jets selected offensive tackle Mekhi Becton with a first-round pick in the vaunted 2020 NFL Draft class. Although Becton hasn't worked out up to this point, his talent is as immense as his frame. Watching Becton work out at the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine was nothing short of miraculous. To see this 6-foot-8 behemoth run a 5.1-second 40-yard dash with a 1.77 split?
You rarely see guys who can do that kind of stuff, but this particular draft class was loaded with tackles who have elite athleticism. Up to this point, however, the Jets haven't been able to rely on Becton to stay on the field. He's missed all but one game over the last two seasons and dealt with injuries in his rookie season as well.
He recently changed agencies as the Jets are now looking to tackles in the 2023 NFL Draft class, and there have been reports that he's working hard in the offseason to get his weight down to a much more manageable number going forward.
Seems like #Jets OT Mekhi Becton has been putting in some serious work. Injuries have limited him to just one game over the last two years and his weight has been a topic of conversation.
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) March 9, 2023
This is great to see.
(📸 @BigTicket73) pic.twitter.com/ngfHCUXXEM
The Broncos could see what the Jets want for Becton, especially if they move on from him in the form of a 2023 1st-round pick. The Jets might be willing to take a Day 3 pick for Becton at this stage and that's an investment the Broncos might need to make in an important position. This guy has the talent to be worth the risk.