The NFL trade deadline is less than two weeks away and the Denver Broncos should be one of the key storylines in relation to that date of October 31. That is because many figure the Broncos to be big sellers ahead of the deadline, looking to get out from under players that could help springboard a new rebuilding process.
There is a chance that the team could move multiple players as it appears the season is all but over for all intents and purposes following a 1-5 start. There are many players on the roster that are rumored to being shopped around right now and this article will focus on those players and the likelihood that they are dealt.
Teams around the league, particularly those looking to make a big push this season, could come to pick the bones of the Broncos. In order of least likely to most likely, here are six players the Broncos could send to another team before Halloween.
6. Pat Surtain, Cornerback
The idea of Pat Surtain being moved has come up, mostly because he would provide the greatest return of anyone on the roster. The Broncos would expect a healthy package of players and/or picks in return and those picks would have to be of the first-round variety.
Surtain is regarded by many as the best defensive back in the NFL but it is for that reason that I don't think there is much chance, if any, that he is traded. The Broncos are a sinking ship, that much is evident. But to get the boat back afloat, the team is going to have to have something to take it into that direction.
Surtain is only 23 years old and has not even come close to reaching his full potential. Outside of a quarterback and a left tackle, a true No. 1 cornerback is probably next on the list in terms of importance to an overall roster.
Unless a team comes forth with an absurd offer, the Broncos need to hold onto Surtain, and that will likely be the case.
5. Justin Simmons, Safety
Another marquee name on the roster, Justin Simmons is going to turn 30 years old next month and is probably heading toward the back end of his career. It would be a good time to move him if the team could, and the return made sense.
Simmons is still on a short list of the best safeties in the league and has been one of the best players on the Broncos' team for many years. Some could argue that doesn't mean much given the team's overall success since winning Super Bowl 50, but Simmons is a playmaker, as evidenced by his 28 career interceptions.
Trading Simmons would leave the Broncos extremely weak at safety for the rest of this year and unless Caden Sterns can prove he can stay healthy and get through a full season, that position may suffer for some time. Because of that, it may not be a great idea to trade him.
Simmons is under contract through the 2024 season, but trading him now would also create a big relief under the salary cap. The move would cost the team just $3.7 million in dead money and create a cap savings of $14.4 million, according to Over the Cap.
4. Josey Jewell, Linebacker
Josey Jewell will be an unrestricted free agent following this season so moving on from him now and getting something for him, as opposed to nothing if he signs somewhere else next year, makes sense.
It would also make sense from the standpoint of getting the rookie Drew Sanders on the field more and seeing what the team has in him. Though Jewell has been a reliable piece of the defense when he's been healthy, he has likely reached his ceiling as a player and he does have some limitations.
The Broncos almost certainly wouldn't get anything more than a day three draft pick for him, but it would make sense for a team looking to shore up its defense ahead of a playoff run to make a move for him.
Teams like the Miami Dolphins, who have Vic Fangio at defensive coordinator and the Buffalo Bills, who have lost Matt Milano to a season-ending injury, make sense.
3. Garett Bolles, Left Tackle
It's hard to say how likely trading Garett Bolles is, but if the right offer presented itself, the Broncos would almost certainly take it. Like Simmons, Bolles is under contract through 2024 and has a big cap number that the team could create savings with by trading him.
The former first-round pick is already 31 years old but could still be seen by teams around the league as a big upgrade in the pass-blocking department. The team would save $13.8 million under the salary cap by dealing him but would have to start fresh at another premium position.
As in the case of Surtain and Simmons, if an offer comes up that is just too good to refuse, the team will have to take it. But the Broncos must be careful, because finding consistent play at left tackle is about as hard as it is at quarterback, and we have seen what the Broncos have been through there.
If Bolles were to be traded, the team would have to go with either Cam Fleming or Alex Palczewski at the left tackle spot for the rest of the season. Fleming is a veteran and can play the swing tackle role, but it might make more sense to turn to the undrafted Palczewski to see if there is any chance he could hold down the position going forward.
Bolles will be one of the most interesting names to watch as the deadline approaches.
2. Jerry Jeudy, Wide Receiver
There is no player on the roster who I feel the team should be more inclined to trade than Jerry Jeudy who at this point, is just much more trouble than he is worth.
Jeudy was highly-touted coming out of college at Alabama, but he's never come close to living up to his status as a first-round pick. Because he was drafted so high, fans are going to be expecting a big return for him. Personally, I think fans will be disappointed in what the team gets back if he is trading because I feel his trade value is only going in the wrong direction.
Still, it's absolutely time for a change of scenery with Jeudy who is having a rough season along with the rest of the team. Both the Carolina Panthers and New England Patriots are often connected to Jeudy, but those teams also have a combined record of 1-11 right now so it doesn't make much sense for them to trade for him.
But a team like the Dallas Cowboys, one of the better teams in the NFC who could use Jeudy to pair with CeeDee Lamb, makes a lot of sense.
Another team can see what they can get out of him. The Broncos are never going to get what they hoped to from him when he was drafted, so it's time to cut the losses.
1. Courtland Sutton, Wide Receiver
Courtland Sutton and Jeudy have been involved in trade rumors for quite some time and you could interchange them in the top two spots on this list. It would shock me if at least one of them is not dealt.
Sutton won't have as much appeal as Jeudy because he is four years older and not quite as explosive but he may be the safer, and cheaper, bet for a team to take a chance on. The Broncos would be just as motivated to get him off of their books as he is under contract through the 2025 season but trading him now would lead to a $14.4 million cap savings.
Sutton has been a little better statistically this season than Jeudy, catching 25 passes for 275 yards and four touchdowns. Jeudy has 20 catches for 222 yards and he has yet to find the end zone. Sutton is also a bigger target, so a team looking for a player to come in and be a red-zone threat could be interested.
The Baltimore Ravens are a team that makes sense for Sutton and that is a team to watch for in a potential deal.