The most valuable player on the Denver Broncos roster at the moment is Patrick Surtain II. Would the Broncos ever entertain a trade package for the player? Could this actually happen? Is this something that George Paton and Sean Payton would even consider?
Well, if the situation arises and the Denver Broncos become desperate enough, I don't think anything would be off the table at all. Right now, the Broncos appear well-positioned for the 2023 season. They added a ton of quality talent in free agency and boast one of the top rosters in the AFC.
They're also coached by Sean Payton, a coach who has won over 60% of his games and a Super Bowl.
But, what happens if the Denver Broncos simply collapse in 2023? What happens if Russell Wilson plays as badly as he did in 2022? If the situation is as dire in 2023 as it was in 2022, big changes would have to come, and it would likely start with Wilson.
Denver has a very solid infrastructure in place with their roster and coaching, so if the 2023 season goes south, there'd be no reason to blow everything up.
Conversely, the best situation, in this case, might be to be hyper-aggressive to find a potential QB replacement for Wilson. Denver does own their own first-round pick in 2024, but they might need more draft capital to somehow facilitate getting a different QB on the roster.
Well, their best bet to acquire more capital would be to part with a valuable player, and that's where Patrick Surtain II comes into play. I'd never advocate for trading such an elite player who is the best at his position, but the potential return could be massive.
Wild Pat Surtain II trade packages if Broncos are QB-desperate in 2024
The first insane package would come after the Dallas Cowboys would yet again fail to get over the hump with their current QB, Dak Prescott. Prescott was drafted back in 2016 and has been one of the most consistently "slightly above average" quarterbacks since then.
He did have a down year in 2022, but the Cowboys' offense was still quite good. Dak is a fine QB. He's top 10 on most days and has topped out as a borderline elite player. Currently, his contract would be quite a pain to move, as he'd likely have to agree to some sort of restructure to facilitate a trade to a new team.
And obviously, this should go without saying, but in these scenarios, the Broncos simply cut Russell Wilson. Prescott could bring some much-needed stability to the position in 2024 and beyond.