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.
9. Trading up for Riley Moss in the 2023 NFL Draft
Broncos receive:
- CB Riley Moss (83rd pick)
Seahawks receive:
- OL Anthony Bradford (108th pick)
- 2024 3rd-round pick
Very rarely do you like to see future top-100 picks leaving the team's hands like this, and I think a lot of people were in agreement that this trade did not give off the best look in the moment for the Denver Broncos.
The Broncos were aggressive on Day 2 of the 2023 NFL Draft, the first night of action they had in the 2023 NFL Draft after sitting out the first round for the second straight year. Thanks to another trade on this list, the Broncos did have two future third-round picks to work with, but that was capital the team really needed to hold onto.
Perhaps the Broncos would have missed out on Riley Moss, had they simply waited to get him with that 108th overall pick, but the reality at this point is that Moss has done nothing for the team and suffered a training camp injury. Instead of having multiple third-round picks in the 2024 NFL Draft to look forward to, the Broncos have Moss on the roster.
Time will tell whether or not that works out for the team, and I don't think the Broncos lost much value here, but they paid a pretty hefty price to get Riley Moss so hopefully, we start to see some return on that investment.
8. Trading Trinity Benson after his big preseason
Broncos receive:
- 2022 5th-round pick
- 2022 7th-round pick
Lions receive:
- WR Trinity Benson
- 2023 6th-round pick
This trade by the Denver Broncos was a masterclass by general manager George Paton. The Broncos took a practice squad player who wasn't going to make their final roster and turned his great preseason into multiple draft picks coming back from another team. The Detroit Lions, who have obviously been on a much different trajectory than the Broncos in recent years, were desperate for wide receiver help after the 2021 preseason. The Broncos felt like they had a ton of depth, and they sent preseason star Trinity Benson to Detroit for 5th and 7th-round picks in the 2022 NFL Draft.
It should also be noted that, although Benson has since parted ways once again, he actually ended up back on the Denver Broncos practice squad at one point after this trade, and the Lions actually ended up trading that 6th-round pick back to Denver, who just used it in the Spring to take safety JL Skinner.
The moral of the story here? Not every preseason star is going to work out in the regular season, so if a team is coming to you offering you substantial picks for a guy, you probably have to take the deal. A lot of Broncos fans were upset about the Trinity Benson trade when it happened but they were much better off with those extra NFL Draft darts.
7. Trading out of the 96th pick in 2022
Broncos receive:
- 2022 5th-round pick (179th overall)
- 2023 3rd-round pick (67th overall)
Colts receive:
- 2022 3rd-round pick (96th overall)
The Broncos realized they had a bit of a lack of NFL Draft capital in 2023 going into the 2022 NFL Draft, and George Paton made something happen. He turned one draft pick into two picks when the Indianapolis Colts came calling for the 96th pick in the 2022 Draft. The Colts wanted Maryland safety Nick Cross, and the Broncos were happy to take their chances that the Colts' pick in 2023 would be much better than the 96th overall slot they were giving up in the deal.
When you think about this trade on paper, you've got to really love a player to lose this kind of value. The only scenario in which the Broncos would have gotten even slightly poor value is if the Colts had won the Super Bowl last year. Not only did they not win it, but they didn't even come close. They ended up sending the Broncos the 67th pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, which was used on linebacker Drew Sanders.
This trade allowed the Broncos to move up nearly 30 spots in round three, they just had to wait a year to make the picks.
They also traded that 5th-round pick, which ended up being used on Kingsley Enagbare (Packers).
But this trade was another outstanding value for George Paton, turning the 96th pick into the 67th pick (a year later) and the 179th pick. The unofficial trade value chart puts the value of picks 67 and 179 at 275 points, the equivalent of the 63rd overall pick in the draft. The difference between the value of those two picks and the 96th pick is roughly the value of the 85th or 86th pick, so the Broncos got amazing value here.
6. Trading up for WR Marvin Mims
Broncos receive:
- 63rd overall pick (WR Marvin Mims)
- 183rd overall pick (S JL Skinner)
Lions receive:
- 68th overall pick (QB Hendon Hooker)
139th overall pick (traded, used on QB Clayton Tune)
It's still very early, but young wide receiver Marvin Mims has already accomplished something no Broncos wide receiver has done in really modern football history. Mims, in just three games, already has a receiving touchdown and kickoff return touchdown. He's barely played a quarter of the offensive snaps and has just nine targets in the passing game (at the time of this writing) but he has undoubtedly maximized those opportunities.
So far, Marvin Mims is averaging nearly 28 yards per reception. He's been outstanding as a kickoff and punt returner. He's been a factor on designed running plays.
Yes, it's early, but this is looking like one of the better trades the Denver Broncos have made in recent memory. They only had to move up a handful of spots, but getting a player like Marvin Mims, it looks like the Broncos maybe got him a round later than he should have gone. Mims looks like he could be a true building block for a team that desperately needs them.
5. Russell Wilson blockbuster trade
Broncos receive:
- QB Russell Wilson
- 2022 4th-round pick (DL Eyioma Uwazurike)
Seahawks receive:
- 2022 1st-round pick (OT Charles Cross)
- 2023 1st-round pick (CB Devon Witherspoon)
- 2022 2nd-round pick (EDGE Boye Mafe)
- 2023 2nd-round pick (EDGE Derick Hall)
- 2022 5th-round pick (traded)
- QB Drew Lock
- TE Noah Fant
- DL Shelby Harris
We just haven't really ever seen a quarterback trade like this before. Even another trade the Denver Broncos have been part of in the past -- the Jay Cutler trade -- pales in comparison. This is one of the biggest trades in NFL history with so many draft picks changing hands from Denver to Seattle, not to mention some players who were supposed to be key to the Denver Broncos' rebuild, once upon a time.
The Broncos definitely missed having those picks in the top two rounds of the last two NFL Draft classes, that's for sure. They didn't expect they would be in contention for the top overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft for as long as they were, but the Seahawks ended up getting top-10 picks in the first two rounds of the 2022 NFL Draft and top-five picks in the first two rounds of the 2023 NFL Draft. That's a haul.
At this point in time, you may be wondering how this can be considered in the top five of recent major trades the Broncos have made, and the justification for that is rather simple. While the results haven't been great (yet), it's clear that Russell Wilson has turned the proverbial corner and I also think this trade involved a good process. I don't fault George Paton for taking a big swing at QB. We all wanted it.
Now, pairing it with the hiring of Nathaniel Hackett and giving Russ a massive extension? Well, those two things knock this move down a few rungs. But in terms of just this trade, I don't know that there's any price that would have been too high for most people in Broncos Country to get a legitimate QB in the building.
4. Trading away franchise legend Von Miller
Broncos receive:
- 2022 2nd-round pick
- 2022 3rd-round pick
Rams receive:
- OLB Von Miller
This is what you call a win-win of a trade. The Denver Broncos, in a lost season, sent franchise legend Von Miller to the Los Angeles Rams. It ended up being a perfect fit for Miller, who went on to help the Rams win a Super Bowl, earnin his second ring as a pro.
It also worked out great for Miller after the 2021 season as he parlayed his outstanding finish with the Rams into a six-year, $120 million contract with the Buffalo Bills. He became the first defensive player in NFL history to sign multiple contracts worth more than $100 million.
For the Broncos, they were able to recoup some much-needed NFL Draft capital for 2022 although, at the time, they hadn't yet made the Russell Wilson trade. These picks definitely ended up coming in handy, however.
Most people felt like the Broncos wouldn't be able to get much for Von Miller because of his age and contract situation, so for the Broncos to get two top-100 picks, including a second-rounder? That was tremendous value. As brutal as it was to see the Broncos trade Miller away, this was a good deal when it was made and it worked out for the Broncos, Rams, and Miller.
3. Trading back twice in 2021 NFL Draft
Broncos receive:
- 98th overall pick (Quinn Meinerz)
- 105th overall pick (Baron Browning)
- 164th overall pick (Jamar Johnson)
Giants/Saints receive:
- (71st overall pick) CB Aaron Robinson
- (76th overall pick) CB Paulson Adebo
The Denver Broncos made two trades down the board in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft. First, they moved back just five spots with the New York Giants from the 71st pick to the 76th pick, adding a 5th-rounder in the process. Then, they traded back from pick no. 76 with the New Orleans Saints to picks 98 and 105 overall.
After all of that moving down the board, George Paton selected the team's current starting right guard Quinn Meinerz with the 98th overall pick, and then pass rusher Baron Browning with the 105th overall pick.
Although the jury is still very much out on Baron Browning for the Broncos (eligible to come off PUP in Week 5), it looks like Meinerz might be one of the best guards in all of football. This maneuvering down the board in the 2021 NFL Draft is a testament to a couple of things. First, you rarely see George Paton get swindled in Draft day trades. Second, it's a testament to his personal philosophy of having as many darts as possible.
The Broncos trusted their scouting with the Meinerz pick, despite the fact that he didn't even play in the pandemic-impacted 2020 season. It's not a given that moving down the board is a great idea, but in this case, turning the 71st pick into picks 98, 105, and 164 certainly benefitted the Broncos.
2. Trading Bradley Chubb to Miami Dolphins
Broncos receive:
- 2023 1st-round pick
- 2024 4th-round pick
- RB Chase Edmonds
Dolphins receive:
- OLB Bradley Chubb
- 2025 5th-round pick
Essentially, the Denver Broncos got a 1st-round pick and 4th-round pick for Bradley Chubb and a 5th-round pick.
Given the trajectory of how things had been going with Chubb in the weeks leading up to the trade, it was clear that the Broncos needed to get the best value for him that they possibly could. Chubb, the 5th overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, had an outstanding rookie season in 2018 but struggled with injuries throughout his time in Denver, and was never really able to cement himself as an upper-echelon EDGE guy.
The Dolphins obviously felt like he could be a significant difference-maker for them, not only trading a 1st-round pick to get him but also giving him a massive contract extension.
Although everyone would have rather seen Chubb become a fixture for the Denver Broncos, this trade proved to be important to the top overall trade the Broncos have made in recent years...
1. Trading for HC Sean Payton
Broncos receive:
- HC Sean Payton
- 2024 3rd-round pick
Saints receive:
- 2023 1st-round pick (29th overall)
- 2024 2nd-round pick
This is a trade that certainly has drawn mixed reviews from the Denver Broncos fan base. On one hand, you have a lot of people who loathe the idea of trading first-round picks in general, but especially for a head coach. On the other hand, you look at some of the more notable trades involving head coaches throughout NFL history (and there haven't been many) and you see how crucial they can be.
Notable NFL head coaches to be traded:
- Mike Holmgren, 1999 (Packers to Seahawks)
- Bill Belichick, 2000 (Jets to Patriots)
- Jon Gruden, 2002 (Raiders to Buccaneers)
- Bruce Arians, 2019 (Cardinals to Buccaneers)
Those are not the only head coach trades to go down in the last 20 years, but it's significant that four head coach trades have resulted in teams winning (or at least appearing in) Super Bowls, is it not?
To me, there is really no single person more important to a team than the head coach, other than perhaps the quarterback. And if you don't have one or the other, you're probably not going to be any good. For the Broncos to be able to land a head coach like Sean Payton, a legendary coach in modern NFL history who will likely be in the Hall of Fame one day?
That's a no-brainer type of trade to make. Even though we don't know how this will turn out, I think this was a very worthwhile trade for the Broncos and is the best trade they've made in recent memory.