Broncos Projected to Make Trade With ‘Surplus’ of Backup QBs

With the NFL trade deadline of November 5 now less than one month away, the Denver Broncos might find themselves fielding calls from teams about both of their backup quarterbacks.

It’s a good problem to have.

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler predicted on October 9 that both current Denver backup quarterbacks, Jarrett Stidham and Zach Wilson, have a good chance of getting traded before the deadline.

“The Broncos have a surplus at the position, with the luxury of maintaining a quality backup whether it trades a passer or not,” Fowler wrote. “Wilson seems to be the logical candidate because he’s No. 3 on the depth chart. Coach Sean Payton has been excited to work with Wilson since acquiring the 25-year-old passer in April, and Wilson’s $1.055 million salary is far cheaper than Stidham’s $4.49 million. I could see Denver having dialogue with multiple quarterback-needy teams and moving one of Bo Nix’s backups based on the direction of those talks.”

Identifying NFL Teams That Need Quarterbacks

Wilson has been a popular trade target all season while serving as the team’s emergency third quarterback, but Stidham might be an even better option for a team in need of a top-notch backup or fill-in starter.

At the top of that list is probably the Carolina Panthers if they move 2023 No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young before the deadline. Depending on how bad Derek Carr is hurt, the New Orleans Saints might be in play now as well. The Los Angeles Rams are another team with playoff hopes that might want a better option at backup than Stetson Bennett.

Stidham has been an ultra-reliable backup for 6 seasons on 3 different teams and might be presented as the more attractive commodity over Wilson, even if Stidham hasn’t shown he’s any better than Wilson.

Wilson Might Still Have Value as Possible Starter

The Broncos find themselves with an unlikely and attractive asset for other teams with third-string quarterback and former 2021 No. 2 overall pick Wilson.

Getting another team to bite on Wilson as trade bait could help the Broncos recoup what they gave up for him — their 2024 6th round pick — in a trade with the New York Jets in the offseason in which they got Wilson and a 7th round pick.

General manager George Paton has said Wilson will eventually be a starter again in the NFL.

“He has all the starting traits in the world. He’s still working through some things,” Paton said in late August, according to the Denver Gazette. “You could see the really good last week in the game (against the Cardinals). He can throw it as good as anyone in the league. … I do think he’ll be a starter in this league.”

Of the 5 quarterbacks taken in the first round in 2021, only No. 1 overall pick and Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence remains with his team and signed one of the biggest contracts in NFL history when he signed a 5-year, $275 million contract extension in June 2024. Wilson, Justin Fields and Mac Jones are all with new teams in 2024 — No. 3 overall pick Trey Lance was traded to the Dallas Cowboys before the 2023 season.