Denver Broncos Trade Watch: 6 Players Who Could Be Dealt

While George Paton and Sean Payton have built up a solid roster for the Denver Broncos, they still have some positions that are weaker than others. One thing teams can do when that is the case is to flip players to positions where they are strong, rather than assigning them to a weaker position. 

When reviewing the Broncos' roster, six players stand out who can be traded for another player; four of them play positions that are considered a strength for the Broncos. The other two players are expiring contracts that still have a high enough cost this year that could be moved.

Of course, before moving a player, the team always has to factor in other elements of roster building, such as depth at the position and potential injuries. You don’t want to weaken a strong position by moving one of the pieces that helps make it so strong. 

So, for each of these candidates, the Broncos would still need someone on the roster to step up to make them even more expendable than they currently are. Without that happening, the Broncos shouldn’t consider trading any of these pieces, unless they appear likely to be cut anyway. 

When that is the case, it can be challenging to sell a team on a player, and teams often hold out, daring the team to cut the player. After all, they would rather take a risk with the player on the open market than trade for them, unless the trade involves a player-for-player swap with players likely to be cut. 

So, who are those six players, and what are the situations around them that can lead to a potential trade? 

Ja’Quan McMillian

A starter last year, the Broncos upgraded the nickel position with Jahdae Barron, assuming he takes over the starting nickel spot. If he doesn’t, and instead Barron takes the other boundary spot, then Riley Moss can be placed here, but the focus is on McMillian since that is where Barron is expected to be. 

McMillian was the most targeted corner last year and allowed the second-most catches. He had serious issues in coverage and struggled in zone, which is necessary for sustained success in the NFL. Even though he performed well in man coverage, it is more volatile on a game-to-game and season-to-season basis. 

With Kris Abrams-Draine on the roster, the Broncos have four deep at the position, which could make them comfortable in moving McMillian if a team comes calling for his services. What could make it even more likely for the Broncos to move him is if another corner, like Reese Taylor or Mario Goodrich, steps up in camp to fill that fifth corner spot. Otherwise, it’d be best to keep McMillian for depth. 

Alex Singleton

Trading Singleton isn’t much of an option unless Levelle Bailey or another linebacker steps up. They don’t have the depth at the position to handle a loss of Singleton, even at his age and coming off an injury. 

If someone does step up, then Singleton might have more value for another team given his contract situation. With him being in the final year of his contract, he will be looking for a new one, and his cost is currently unknown. If it ends up expensive, the Broncos won’t be able to afford it. 

P.J. Locke

The safety position isn’t great for the Broncos when it comes to their depth behind Talanoa Hufanga and Brandon Jones, and Locke provides starting experience as a depth piece. However, like Singleton, he is in the final year of his deal and could be of value to someone else. 

It isn’t as dire as the linebacker position, where someone has to step up to facilitate the trade, because the Broncos have plenty of solid options to step up. On top of that, their options to step up and replace Locke have already replaced him on special teams. 

Both JL Skinner and Sam Franklin Jr. are good special-teams players, which is a significant reason they brought in Franklin. Skinner was one of the best for the team last year. While Skinner hasn’t had much opportunity to show much on defense, Franklin has been solid there in limited action. 

Devon Key is around, and he got action last year, though it wasn’t a good showing. There is a chance he can show development as a player to help take a spot on defense. So, there are options on the roster to take over the third safety spot for Locke that opens the door to trading him. 

Drew Sanders

While Singleton shouldn’t be looked at because of depth, Sanders should be considered to be traded because he is fighting for a roster spot. It has been two bad years for Sanders, including a serious injury, but he hasn’t shown signs of getting the defense down, even with his position changing. 

There is a chance he can step up this year and start to show something; if he does, then the Broncos will obviously keep him. If it is enough, then it can open the door more for a Singleton trade. Either way, they should be looking at trading one of these two linebackers. 

Sanders was a solid special-teams player and an a-gap blitzer, but both of those areas have been replaced and upgraded. The role Sanders had has been filled by someone else, meaning he must adapt to something else, or he won’t make the roster. 

Damarri Mathis

Is there a spot for Mathis on the roster? The special-teams value is there, but it isn’t like Mathis was a great special-teams player. Additionally, the Broncos have added several players to improve their special teams this year, and all of them are better options than Mathis. 

He doesn’t have much value for defense, outside of his starting experience, which hasn’t gone well with his latest exposures. At best, he is the sixth corner in the room, and at his cost, you can get cheaper for that spot, and it’d come without a significant drop off in play. 

Mathis is a case of both sides needing to separate, which makes Mathis the only player the Broncos should actively trade, no matter what, even injuries. There is a good chance he has more value to another team, and he would bring value to the Broncos in the form of whatever draft capital they can acquire, as well as freed-up salary cap space. 

Dondrea Tillman

The Broncos are five deep at the edge position, with Tillman being a great surprise last year. With them so deep at the position, they may not have enough snaps for all five players, so moving one for Andrew Farmer or Johnny Walker as a game-day inactive option could net a return for the Broncos. 

This is the only player where the Broncos are deep enough not to have to rely on a player stepping up, making the trade more likely. The bigger question is whether a team will value Tillman enough to trade for him, given that he has only one year of experience in the NFL, where he was solid in a limited role. 

You can never have enough pass rushers, and the Broncos still have some questions at the position. It would probably be safer to keep Tillman around, especially if they don’t get an extension done with Nik Bonitto before the season.