3 Broncos who should be on the trade block this offseason
By Nick Villano
The Denver Broncos are going all in, trading a first-round pick to hire Sean Payton as head coach. However, it’s more than coaching this team needs. The Broncos need to make room on the roster.
It was somewhat of a surprise when the Denver Broncos traded for Sean Payton. The team fired Nathaniel Hackett after one dreadful season. The Russell Wilson trade might go down as the worst trade in football history, but the Broncos are desperately trying to save their franchise under new ownership.
Payton is going to come in and clean house. It’s just how he’s going to work. This team is ridiculously flawed, but they still have talent. The Broncos are Payton’s long-term plan. He won’t make them contenders in a year because there is a mess to clean up. It starts this offseason. The talent the Broncos have on the roster can turn into assets.
So, who are those talented pieces the Broncos will look to move? The team likely hopes someone comes and offers to take Wilson off their hands, but it’s not likely to happen. So, they need to make the most of the assets from there. Who would bring a decent return while also giving a spot to a younger player or future draft pick?
Broncos rumors: 3 players who should be on the trade block this offseason
3. WR Courtland Sutton
One might not think it’s smart to take weapons away from Russell Wilson as he gets older, but the Broncos have this strange asset in Courtland Sutton that’s likely a depreciating value. He had a decent season despite the Broncos struggles (64 catches and 829 yards), but he’s 27 years old, and Jerry Jeudy will take over the top receiving role next season.
Sutton is a good player now, but how long will it last? Sutton is now three years removed from his only 1,000-yard season. He has had four touchdowns in the last three seasons. Yet, he still has really decent value on the market. The Broncos should shop Sutton in a strange wide receiver market to see who would be the highest bidder.
Sutton is also making more than $17 million next season. That’s more than anyone not telling us to “Let It Ride” on the roster. It would be nice to allocate that money elsewhere.