FIRE SALE! The Broncos lost to the New York Jets on Sunday, bringing them to 1-4 on the season. As they prepare to take on the Kansas City Chiefs, the Broncos are more than likely to go 1-5. Their season is all but over, so it’s time to look towards the future. The trade deadline is at the end of this month and the Broncos need to make some moves to put them in a better position for seasons to come. Some of the most familiar faces on the Broncos should be traded away to obtain draft capital and allow young stars to shine. Denver’s new motto has to be “out with the old and in with the new.”
The Broncos That Should Be Traded By October 31st
The Players That Have To Go
Jerry Jeudy
With the 15th overall pick in the 2020 draft, the Broncos selected Jerry Jeudy with high hopes of gaining the next star receiver. As of 2023, that hasn’t worked out. With only a few flashes of greatness, Jeudy has been plagued by injuries and dropped balls. The Broncos picked up the young wideout’s fifth-year option this offseason and believed he could turn it around under Sean Payton. It seems the new coaching staff doesn’t work for Jeudy. He only has 208 yards with zero touchdowns over four games. As the losses continue to pile up, Jeudy seems to be growing impatient with the organization.
This lack of success may have an impact on his effort during games. Many Denver analysts, like Mark Schlereth (Broncos Super Bowl champion and offensive guard), seem to think Jeudy doesn’t want to put in the effort for this team. If that is the case, the Broncos should be more than happy to send him to a more suitable team at the trade deadline. Jeudy could be one of the few Broncos that can get the team a higher draft pick, and for that reason alone, they should trade him sooner rather than later. It may be the Broncos fault, or Jeudy wasn’t fit for the NFL, but he isn’t working out here.
Courtland Sutton
Courtland Sutton has been Denver’s number-one wide receiver for a while now. At the start of his career, he was the most promising wideout that Denver had seen since Demaryius Thomas. Because of this success, the Broncos paid Sutton as a number one wide receiver, giving him a four-year, $60.8 million contract in 2021. After an ACL tear and multiple disappointing seasons, it seems that the star wide receiver Denver once knew has lost his edge. Sutton may have lost his motivation in Denver just like his counterpart, Jeudy.
In the same breath, Mark Schlereth said this about both wide outs “Neither of those two guys would play for me. I would cut both of those guys, Jerry Jeudy would not be on my team. Jerry Jeudy could not play on the teams I played on if his life depended on it. He’s not tough enough, he’s not focused enough, he’s not good enough, he’s not anything enough.”
Even if Sutton was playing up to his contract, the Broncos need to trade him. The draft picks that the Broncos would receive (no matter what they are) are worth it. Before the trade deadline, the Broncos need to focus on allowing the older faces to head to a contender while they focus on rebuilding.
Justin Simmons
The longtime and beloved safety of the Broncos, Justin Simmons’, time in Denver may be up. Simmons has been the star and leader of this defense for over five years. He has led this defense to be one of the best in the league over the years, but that time is over. As the rebuild starts, Simmons is worth more as a draft pick. The veteran safety is a three-time Pro Bowler and led the league in interceptions last year. With these types of stats, the Broncos could get another high draft pick out of trading Simmons.
The longtime Bronco will be missed in Denver, but both sides will be happier. Simmons is almost 30, he surely doesn’t want to go through another rebuild. The Broncos shouldn’t want to have him for the rebuild either. They need to get all the value they can out of him at the trade deadline.
Why The Broncos Trade Deadline Is So Important
For the past eight years, since the Broncos won the Super Bowl, they have been avoiding the dreaded “rebuild.” They have resigned underperforming players, drafted busts, and signed aging stars. None of this has resulted in a single winning season. The new ownership and head coach have to face the truth — the Broncos can’t win with the current structure and personnel. With this, and young stars like Marvin Mims and Jaleel McLaughlin, the old faces of the Broncos must go. As the Broncos trade away the players of the past, they will get draft ammo for players of the future.
Rebuilding should not be taboo. Teams like the Jacksonville Jaguars and Detroit Lions are perfect examples. It wasn’t pretty, but these teams redefined their rosters and cultures and now have a great chance at the playoffs. They allowed their young stars to grow together and learn how to win. The Broncos can do this as well, but they can no longer avoid the inevitable.
Trade away as many players as it takes. Notify all the general managers in the NFL because Denver is having a fire sale!
Main Photo: Isaiah J. Downing – USA Today Sports
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