Although the Denver Broncos have been really bad the last couple of seasons, you certainly can't say the team isn't taking big swings when it comes to making trades and free agent signings. The Broncos have arguably been more active in that regard than any other team, and have inarguably been the boldest team in that timeframe in trying to make upgrades.
But as Yoda once said, "There is no try." You either do make the upgrades, or you don't. It's fair to say the jury is still out on a number of these moves, but let's take a look at the last 10 major trades the Denver Broncos have made and rank them from worst to best.
Ranking last 10 biggest Denver Broncos trades worst to best
10. Broncos trade for OLB Jacob Martin
Broncos receive:
- OLB Jacob Martin
- 2024 5th-round pick
Jets receive:
- 2024 4th-round pick
In hindsight, this trade was absolutely pitiful for the Denver Broncos. At the 2022 trade deadline, the Broncos sent Bradley Chubb to the Miami Dolphins in a blockbuster deal (more on that later) and as a way to supplement their depth off the edge, they traded an actually valuable pick to the New York Jets for backup outside linebacker Jacob Martin. Martin, who is a Colorado native, showed some nice things in his first couple of games for the Broncos, but was injured and missed the last month or so of the year.
No big deal though, because Martin had another year left on his contract, and would be able to provide some depth to the EDGE group in 2023, right? No. The Broncos cut Martin and have virtually nothing to show for the pick they gave up to the Jets to move down from the 4th round to the 5th. This trade was a complete waste for the Broncos, who would have been better off just signing a street free agent or promoting off the practice squad.