The Denver Broncos undoubtedly have a lot to play for here in the 2024 season. The Broncos are 4-3 already this season, a much better position than they were in a year ago at this time. The Broncos have set themselves up to make a legitimate run at the playoffs in 2024, and with the NFL trade deadline looming, everyone in Broncos Country is obviously wondering whether or not this team is going to try and make some type of move to increase those playoff odds.
ESPN recently put out an article about the trade deadline expectations and needs for every NFL team, and they actually had something pretty interesting and important to say about the Denver Broncos...
ESPN: "[The Broncos are] kind of in a no-man's-land between contender and pretender status."
— Sayre Bedinger (@SayreBedinger) October 23, 2024
They think the Broncos will sit out the trade deadline this year.
ESPN raises interesting point about Broncos trade deadline status
The Denver Broncos being in a "no-man's-land" between contender and pretender status shouldn't deter them from making any trade deadline deals -- it should push them to make one.
Think about it.
If the Broncos are truly somewhere in between contender and pretender status, then what sense does it make for them to just sit tight at the trade deadline? There are a number of factors that should push the Broncos to make a deal at the deadline, especially if we're talking about this team acquiring help in the playmaker department.
The Broncos are 11-7 in the last 18 games they've played dating back to last season. The perception of this team is that they are somewhere between contender and pretender, but the reality is that they are much closer to contender than anyone would really care to admit. The Broncos have had one of the best defenses in the NFL all season long. They've got a head coach who came in to change the culture and make this a winning team again.
And that head coach has what he believes to be his franchise quarterback. The fact that the head coach -- and man with the final say of the roster -- thinks he's got his QB of the future tells us all we need to know about the Broncos' potential involvement at the trade deadline. Should they be mortgaging 1st and 2nd-round picks to go and get players?
I don't know about that, but I do feel like the Broncos should try and be opportunistic. Anything after the 2nd round should be fair game for them. If they are in between contender and pretender status, why would you not try to swing the pendulum toward contender? There are big names already on the move, and more that could be on the way.
The Raiders have traded Davante Adams. The Browns have traded Amari Cooper. The Titans have traded DeAndre Hopkins. The Rams are said to be interested in trading Cooper Kupp.
And that's just the receiver position. We could see a much more active NFL trade deadline in 2024 than we've all grown accustomed to, and if there are a lot of players available, it could mean a buyer's market. I don't think you have to push your chips all in to win the Super Bowl in order to be a buyer at the NFL trade deadline. There are a number of viable reasons to add good players to your team and it would be a massive win for the Broncos just to get to the playoffs this year.
They need to approach the trade deadline with a very open mind.