The Denver Broncos haven't exactly been world beaters on offense through the first month of the 2024 season so far. Rookie quarterback Bo Nix is out there running the offense and taking his lumps along the way, but one thing that has become abundantly clear through the first month of the season?
The Denver Broncos need help at the offensive skill positions.
You could point to the wide receiver position, the tight end position, or the running back position, and you'd probably be able to come up with a variety of examples and reasons why the Broncos need to go out and make a move if there's one available out there.
The production simply hasn't been good enough. Is it possible we could see the Denver Broncos rekindle some trade talks with the Cleveland Browns, the same team who traded for wide receiver Jerry Jeudy in the 2024 offseason?
Broncos could be great landing spot if WR Amari Cooper is traded
With four games in the books this season, the NFL trade deadline is obviously looming closer by the day. Teams have until the beginning of the month of November (after Week 8) to decide whether or not they're going to be buyers, sellers, or stay put at the trade deadline (November 5). But given the way things have been going early this season for a handful of teams, trade rumors could heat up significantly in the next couple of weeks.
The Browns, who are 1-3 already this season, are a team that has been circled by a number of folks in the NFL as a potential seller at the trade deadline. As poorly as Deshaun Watson has played in his first three years with the organization, the team could be ready to move on from some assets and just get what they can for a few players who aren't in their plans beyond this season.
As wild as it seems, Cooper could be one of those guys.
Cooper is struggling a bit this season, dropping a lot of passes (including one that was tipped and picked off by the Raiders this past week) and not producing at the level we've grown accustomed to. Both Adam Schefter and Peter Schrager have recently talked about Amari Cooper as a potential trade target for Denver's division rivals in Kansas City after their recent loss of second-year sensation Rashee Rice.
If Cooper is on the block, however, the Broncos shouldn't hesitate to give the Browns a call about having him around as a rental.
Cooper does a number of things well that the current group of Denver receivers doesn't do overly well, including get open quickly. You would obviously have to hope that his problems with drops so far this season don't continue, but there's no doubt that Cooper can separate and get open. He's been one of the best at that since he came into the league.
And having a receiver like Cooper on one side could benefit Courtland Sutton greatly on the other side.
Fans may wonder why the Broncos would trade for a 30-year-old receiver with their commitment to youth this season, and the answer is simple: The Broncos need to do literally anything they possibly can to help Bo Nix.
Right now, Lil'Jordan Humphrey is taking significant snaps at receiver for the Broncos. Josh Reynolds has been one of the leaders on the team in receiving yards. To think that the Broncos' receiver group couldn't benefit from having someone like Cooper around is wild. This is not just a move that could be made by a team in "win now" mode because Cooper's contract does not dictate that he should only be acquired by teams with their chips all-in on 2024.
The #Browns converted all but $1.21M of WR Amari Cooper's 2024 salary into signing bonus, making him an extremely affordable trade candidate.
— Spotrac (@spotrac) September 30, 2024
Now: $941,111
Deadline: $605,000
Even acquiring him right now would cost less than $1 million. You're telling me that getting 10-13 games of Amari Cooper wouldn't help a rookie quarterback like Bo Nix in his development? What's the worst thing that happens, he comes in and drops passes like the rest of Denver's receiver group?
At least then you will know that you took the chance.
It isn't without merit to just stick with your young guys and fully commit to the youth movement, but the Broncos are not giving Marvin Mims a ton of targets right now. They are still very much a work in progress and having a veteran like Cooper who can help you extend drives, make plays after the catch, and potentially just take attention off of other receivers could do wonders for the overall makeup of this offense.
Who do the Broncos have right now in the passing game that poses a legitimate threat to opposing defenses? If there's a trade to be made here, there's no reason GM George Paton shouldn't be back on the phone with Browns GM Andrew Berry to see if a deal can get done.