Kyle Pitts, 4 other trades Denver Broncos must make before deadline

The Denver Broncos are 1-3 heading into Week 5 of the 2023 NFL season. That record and the current state of the team don't exactly scream that this team should be buying at the 2023 NFL trade deadline, but I subscribe to the idea that well-run teams should always be looking to buy and sell -- if the price is right -- at the NFL trade deadline. There should never be a time when you scoff at a chance to add talent to your roster for the right price, and the Broncos are certainly in no position do scoff.

They're also not in any position to potentially scoff at offers coming in on certain players. Depending on the team's record, the writing might be on the wall for some guys given their contract situations after this year, and the Broncos might want to listen to offers.

There's also the fact that this team finally has an offensive guru in the head coach's chair. We are seeing true player development and progression on that side of the ball, so adding guys who can help offensively should not be out of the question despite what some people are saying about only wanting to look into adding to the struggling defense.

With all of that being said, let's take a look at a handful of trades the Denver Broncos should be considering as we enter Week 5 of the season. The NFL trade deadline is on October 31, which is two days after Week 8. By that point, the Broncos could be in a much different position (and so could many other teams).

5 trade deadline ideas for the Denver Broncos to consider in 2023

1. Broncos should listen to offers on WR Courtland Sutton

A lot of this situation will be dependent on other variables. Will tight end Greg Dulcich be able to stay healthy? Will the Broncos sign former Saints WR Tre'Quan Smith? Will there be any other injuries between now and the NFL trade deadline?

I don't know where the Broncos will be in a handful of weeks at the receiver/tight end position, but a lot of factors will go into whether or not this team is willing to listen to offers on Courtland Sutton. But I think there is a chance they could recoup some decent value for Sutton if he continues putting up numbers. So far this season, he's already got three touchdown catches, and the Broncos have a number of other receivers who look ready for expanded roles.

Brandon Johnson has. taken a step forward. Jerry Jeudy and Marvin Mims need to be more involved. Greg Dulcich will command targets when he's back and healthy. At some point, the Broncos may have to consider what kind of future Courtland Sutton has with the team. If they can get a third-round pick for Sutton, that might be too good to pass up on.

2. Denver Broncos should trade for Falcons TE/WR Kyle Pitts

I know some of this is going to seem super contradictory for what was just stated, but again, there are variables at play here that could impact whether or not you would make a move like this. Now, I know a ton of people are going to come at me and say that this trade doesn't help the defense. Kyle Pitts doesn't help us stop the run. Can Kyle Pitts play corner?

I can already hear many of you shooting this idea down because it doesn't help the defense, but I want to propose that the NFL trade deadline is not simply about attacking remaining roster weaknesses. For a tema like the Denver Broncos, it could be a lot about taking calculated risks as well. I don't think you have to be a contending team to be aggressive or picks spots to be aggressive when it comes to roster building.

Adding a playmaker like Kyle Pitts could not only set you up for more success in 2023, but beyond. The former first-round pick out of Florida is seemingly highlighted every single week by NFL analysts and fans alike for getting completely ignored in this Atlanta Falcons offense.

The rumors have been heating up lately that the Falcons could trade Pitts, and I wouldn't hate seeing the Denver Broncos do this at all. Pitts is exactly the type of player that has thrived in Sean Payton's offenses of the past, and while I love Greg Dulcich as much as the next person, I'm currently extremely concerned over his ability to stay healthy.

And without a healthy Dulcich, the Broncos severely lack an athletic presence at the tight end position. Kyle Pitts sort of kills that need with fire.

I wouldn't even be opposed to a Dulcich plus a pick swap for Pitts, if the Falcons were into that.

3. Check in with the Colts on a Jonathan Taylor trade

Once again, another non-defense trade idea. I know, I get it.

I think the Denver Broncos should seriously consider making a trade for Jonathan Taylor if the Colts are still willing to do it, and I might even go so far as to offer Javonte Williams in the trade. Would the Colts do something like Jonathan Taylor for Javonte Williams and a later pick? Or are they hellbent on getting a second-round pick in exchange for Taylor?

If they are open to the idea of a player like Williams and a pick for Taylor, I think the Broncos could be in. But Denver doesn't have a second-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft right now and they aren't trading their first-round pick for Jonathan Taylor.

But the Colts might be interested in a deal like this because it gives them a running back on a rookie deal for this year and next year. Jonathan Taylor's issue right now is that he wants a new contract, and I think with Sean Payton and George Paton's philosophies no the position, you might see the Broncos as one of the teams willing to meet those contractual demands.

Would everyone like it? No, but not every move is going to be unanimously liked. I think Jonathan Taylor would be a major upgrade at this point over Javonte Williams, and would give the Broncos a true RB1 going forward.

4. Broncos should consider offers for CB Pat Surtain II

I'm not going to make many fans with this one, but I do think that the Denver Broncos should at least pick up the phone if teams call about cornerback Pat Surtain II. Now, this one is certainly not going to be unanimously agreed upon, and I see both sides of this coin.

On the one hand, why would you trade your best defensive player when your defense is already terrible? Pat Surtain II is the best cornerback in the NFL, arguably, and this is a defense that desperately needs more players like him, not less.

On the other hand, the Broncos' defense has been gashed all year long, and Surtain's effectiveness has been rather diminished by the fact that the Broncos can't cover on the other side of the field well enough. The pass rush has also been too inconsistent for Surtain's mastery to be fully on display. As a matter of fact, we've seen Surtain struggle just a little bit, haven't we?

I don't blame Surtain for being frustrated, if that's the case, and we certainly saw his father go on Twitter and express frustration on behalf of his son. It kind of makes it feel like Surtain has one foot out the door and is just out there doing his job. Of course, winning cures all, but Surtain would be the Denver Broncos' most valuable trade piece and could net them at least two first-round picks in any trade.

The baseline would undoubtedly be the Jalen Ramsey trade from a few years back, when the Jaguars got two first-round picks and a fourth-round pick from the Rams. If the Broncos have one or multiple offers from teams looking into acquiring Surtain for multiple first-round picks, I think you seriously have to consider that. The Broncos definitely need that kind of draft capital and although it's unknown draft picks versus a known commodity in Surtain, the Broncos may need to think seriously about this due to the current state of the roster and the need to get cost-controlled players with higher draft selections.

5. Broncos should do a pick swap for WR Chase Claypool

I'm a little hesitant to include this one, but I would be interested to see how the Denver Broncos could utilize Chase Claypool. Remember back in the offseason when the Broncos were supposedly interested in signing free agent Allen Lazard? I know part of that evaluation is off the field, but you might be able to get some similar things out of Chase Claypool that you were hoping for from Allen Lazard.

Think of him as sort of a WR/TE hybrid kind of player. I think the Broncos could use another threat in the passing game like this, especially with Greg Dulcich really not someone you can rely upon right now.

Claypool has obviously been a bit of a problem when it comes to causing drama off the field, but this could be a low-risk type of move, maybe a 2026 late-round pick swap or something like that, and you could get some major early returns from a player like Claypool. Sean Payton isn't putting up with any of the off-field stuff, and this is a guy who had nine touchdowns back in his rookie year in 2020.

Not only that, but the Steelers showed some really creative ways to incorporate him in the running game that the Broncos could try as well.

I quite like this idea when it comes to the football side of things, but the Broncos would obviously have to put conditions on any sort of trade here regarding Claypool the person.