On Wednesday, yet another defensive tackle sees his name enter the trade market. Could the Denver Broncos make a deal? With the trade market having some names, the free agency market having some names, and the 2025 NFL Draft being deep at defensive tackle, there is simply no reason why the Broncos can't upgrade at DT.
DJ Jones was solid in 2024, but he is a bit undersized and does not bring the complete package from the DT spot. Given that NFL defenses rotate players along the defensive line frequently, there is absolutely a space on this roster for Jones in 2025, but another player or two is needed.
The team also has Malcolm Roach at DT, and Roach was quite good in 2024.
Well, on Wednesday, Patriots defensive tackle Davon Godchaux was given permission to seek a trade.
The #Patriots have given DT Davon Godchaux permission to seek a trade, sources say.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 26, 2025
There has been contact with interested teams, and the veteran is likely on the move given the team’s defensive scheme shift. pic.twitter.com/yMLiwkTWhQ
Davon Godchaux might be a good fit for the Broncos
Davon Godchaux is 30 years old and his played eight years in the NFL. He has split his time between the Miami Dolphins and the New England Patriots.
He's not missed a single game over the last four years and has started all but one game ever since the start of the 2021 NFL Season. Standing a 6'3" and 330 pounds, Godchaux is a space-eater and has been a very solid player along the defensive line for 120 regular season games.
He is under contract through the 2026 NFL Season. If the New England Patriots were able to trade the player and designate him as a post-June 1st trade, they would save $5 million on their cap in 2025 and would take on $3.3 million in dead money.
The contract is moveable, but with a new head coach in town, this seems to be an instance of Godchaux not being a solid fit for the defense they hope to run. And earlier this week, Washington Commanders DT Jonathan Allen became available for trade, so the trade market is beginning to heat up, especially at DT.
Free agents along the defensive line like Bobby Brown III and BJ Hill should be available this offseason as well.
Frankly, there is no excuse for the Denver Broncos to not add at least one more notable body to their defensive line this offseason, and this is true even if they bring DJ Jones back. We saw just how important a deep DL was, as the Philadelphia Eagles totally vandalized the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX.
Furthermore, all of Zach Allen, DJ Jones, John Franklin-Myers, and Malcolm Roach are set to be free agents either this offseason or next offseason. While there is reason to believe the team's DL is going to remain a strong suit for years, the team does have some work to do, and they should take a proactive approach with this.
Could the Denver Broncos swing a trade for Davon Godchaux?