Shocking GM firing may have opened the door for Broncos to make a major trade

The Denver Broncos have to get aggressive, especially to fix the offensive side of the ball this offseason. It's clear that the Broncos need help at wide receiver, tight end, and running back. The team could also use a boost along the offensive line, perhaps as early as 2026, depending on what the team does with left guard, Ben Powers and his contract.

Unfortunately, the opportunity to legitimately upgrade at wide receiver, for example, isn't really attainable with the free agency class this offseason. We've seen hypothetical trades cycle through Broncos Country, and it feels like if there was any offseason for Denver to make that type of move, it would be this one.

The Broncos are free from Russell Wilson's dead cap. Bo Nix is approaching superstardom and is a franchise QB, and the Broncos nearly made it to the Super Bowl without Nix, two of their three top wide receivers, their best running back, and a top-10 starting safety. Denver is extremely close and needs to make a move to get over the hump. This shocking GM firing on Friday may have opened the door for the Broncos to make that type of move.

The Minnesota Vikings shockingly fired GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah on Friday

This was a major bombshell that few, if any, saw coming:

This came out of nowhere, as the NFL Draft is just three months away, and the start of free agency is less than two months away. To put it bluntly, this is an extremely late GM firing and indications some major issues within the organization.

But on the flip side, this move could be a great thing for the Denver Broncos, as, when a team gets rid of a GM, that typically means major roster change could come. Denver has the resources, financial and NFL Draft pick-wise, to swing a major, league-altering trade. The Minnesota Vikings are now a bit vulnerable, so could George Paton call up Minnesota and see how much Justin Jefferson would cost?

Well, he wouldn't get an answer on that unless he tried.

Justin Jefferson turns just 27 years old in June. He's a four-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro, having been drafted back in the 2020 NFL Draft. Through his first six years in the NFL, Jefferson has amassed 8,480 yards and 42 touchdowns. He's had at least 1,048 yards in every single season of his career and averages 90.2 yards per game.

He had his career-best year back in 2022 with 128 receptions, 1,809 yards, and 8 touchdowns. Not only is Justin Jefferson the best WR in the NFL, but he's on a Hall of Fame pace. There is a legitimate chance he could already hit the 10,000-yard mark in 2026, which would be just year seven in the NFL.

And it would be amazing if he could do that with the Denver Broncos. The trade is doable for Minnesota if it's designated as a post-June 1st move. The Vikings would take on about $13.5 million in dead money and would save $25.5 million on their cap. Financially, it's a realistic move for both Denver and Minnesota, but what would it cost?

I would have to assume that the talks begin at two first-round picks, but for a player of Jefferson's caliber, that would be a price worth paying. The Broncos would finally get a WR1 and someone who could be the centerpiece of the offense and a high-end weapon for Bo Nix.

Sure, some Broncos fans might understandably not want the team to trade draft picks for a player, as the Broncos were burned during the Russell Wilson trade, but this is a totally different situation. Denver does have the resources to be a leading team here in the event the Vikings would listen to talk calls.

With their GM now out, that possibility may have grew.