Broncos must be ready to make trades if the team stinks in October

The Denver Broncos arguably should have dealt certain players before now, but that's neither here nor there. After missing the playoffs for eight consecutive seasons, if they're in a similar position come late October this year, they need to look into being sellers to replenish some of that draft capital lost in recent transactions. For example, Jerry Jeudy was traded this off-season for 5th and 6th-round picks. It was widely reported that he could have brought much more than that a year ago.

The Broncos are no closer to a Super Bowl from hanging on to Jeudy who is now catching passes in Cleveland for much less than what he cost the team back in 2020.

For the record, I don't believe Denver will be in the mode of selling come October, but we also have to prepare for the reality that they will be. History hasn't been kind lately for the Broncos that run in Mile High. Adding to that, they are starting a rookie quarterback and that can be a tough task. Regardless, they have some key players that would fetch some much-needed draft capital that they should entertain. 

I've always said if you're going to trade for maximum value, the deadline is the time to strike. You have teams overachieving thinking "This is the year", so when you dangle a player out there, there's a chance you receive more in return than you would in the middle of the off-season when nothing is pressing at hand. For the lack of a better term, you're striking while the iron is hot. Justin Simmons fits this mold like Jeudy earlier. He was let go for nothing this off-season but easily could have fetched draft picks at the deadline last year if he were available. Simmons has always been a class act though so maybe Paton letting him walk free and clear was a sign of respect to let Simmons choose his next team on his terms. 

With that said, the Broncos have a couple of players who just so happen to play at key positions and could be dealt to teams needing replacements yesterday. If a contending team has a starting receiver or tackle go down, someone like Garrett Bolles or Courtland Sutton becomes more valuable than they are at this point.

Injuries and team makeup at the time of need drive price. Sutton is still seeking a new deal and Bolles is due a new one after this year as well. Both deserve to either get new deals or have the chance to go compete for a Super Bowl. Once again, I'm not advocating for this, but if push comes to shove and the Broncos are out of the race in October, sending these two veterans to contending teams could make sense for all parties involved.