The Denver Broncos could truly put the NFL on notice if they were to pull off one or more of these major trades. Would these hypothetical trades make the Broncos a better team? There is nothing stopping the Denver Broncos from sniffing around to see if there can be a major trade to benefit them.
Honestly, we're a year away from a major trade, as Bo Nix can prove that he's a franchise QB in 2024. If he does that, Denver may just go all in for 2025 and beyond. If Sean Payton is indeed as confident in Bo Nix as he was in Patrick Mahomes developing in the NFL, the Broncos are set.
Well, could Sean Payton jump the gun a bit and pull off one of these major trades to shake up the league in 2024?
These 3 Broncos trade scenarios would shake up the NFL in the 2024 season
Let's get super freaky right off the bat. You could argue that the one thing missing from the Denver Broncos offense currently is a true WR1. Well, you can't get much better than CeeDee Lamb, who seems very unhappy that he does not have a contract extension from the Dallas Cowboys, who have totally botched this offseason.
Lamb is a top-three wide receiver in the NFL and just came off a year with 135 receptions, 1,749 yards, and 12 touchdowns. He just turned 25 years old and has averaged 102 receptions, 1,325 yards, and eight touchdowns over a 17-game season during the first four years of his career.
Make no mistake, CeeDee Lamb is among the very best in the NFL. The three-time Pro Bowler just watched his WR brethren Justin Jefferson sign a deal worth $35 million per season. Well, any team who extends Lamb may have to beat that number, believe it or not.
It is a high price, but it's what the top of the WR market is at now. The Denver Broncos would likely have to part with valuable draft capital to make this deal go down, perhaps multiple draft picks and a player, like I've proposed above. Would Courtland Sutton, a first, and a second-round pick be enough?
Marshon Lattimore's contract is going to explode next season, so the New Orleans Saints need to make this move. They did take Kool-Aid McKinstry in the second-round of the 2024 NFL Draft, and do have some young and talented defensive backs not named Lattimore.
For Denver, it would be a reunion for Sean Payton, the team's head coach, and it would be a painful reminder of what could have been for Payton, as the Saints had planned to pick Patrick Mahomes with the 11th overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. They were jumped by the Kansas City Chiefs, so the Saints stood pat at 11 and instead took Marshon Lattimore, who has been a top-10 CB his entire career.
Lattimore entering into this secondary would give Denver the best CB duo in the NFL and perhaps the best overall secondary in the league. The Saints took McKinstry likely knowing that the end is near for Lattimore with the team, and I cannot think of a better fit than playing for the coach that originally drafted him.
A third and a six-round pick seems like a fair deal for both sides, as Denver makes an all-in move to shore up their secondary, which was a very weak unit in 2023.
Matthew Judon was on pace to have a monster season for the New England Patriots in 2023 before a torn bicep ended his campaign. A four-time Pro Bowler, Judon signed on with the Patriots on a four-year deal before the 2021 NFL Season and has just one year remaining on his contract. However, through his 38 career Patriots games, he's got 32 sacks, 33 tackles for loss, and 62 QB hits.
He's been among the most productive pass rushers in the NFL since signing with the Patriots, as he's averaged 14 sacks per 17-game season with the Patriots. In total, Judon has 66.5 sacks in 114 regular season games between the Patriots and the Baltimore Ravens.
The Denver Broncos still do not have an "alpha" off the edge, but did take Jonah Elliss in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Perhaps Elliss being in the picture alongside Baron Browning, Jonathon Cooper, and Nik Bonitto could be enough for Denver to field an explosive pass rush, but why not see if the rebuilding Patriots want to part with a 31 year old player?
He's a free agent next offseason and would be entering his age-33 season at that point. I just do not see a scenario where he'd re-sign with the team. And frankly, if New England knew what was good for them, they'd get a draft pick back in a trade instead of letting him leave in free agency.
A fourth-round pick should do the trick.