There are teams that act as magnets whenever trade season comes up in the NFL. As it stands, the Denver Broncos are one of the chosen few franchises that don’t attract a lot of players as a popular trade destination.
The 2023 season marked a transitional year for the Denver Broncos, as they navigated changes in leadership and roster. After a disappointing 1-5 start, the team managed to turn things around, winning five consecutive games for the first time since 2015. However, the Broncos ultimately finished the season with a 8-9 record, extending their playoff drought to eight straight years.
One of the highlights of the season was the Broncos’ Week 8 victory over the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs, snapping a 16-game losing streak against their division rivals. This win demonstrated the team’s potential, even as they struggled to find consistency throughout the year.
Quarterback Russell Wilson‘s performance improved from the previous season, but he was ultimately benched for the final two games due to financial considerations. Wilson’s future with the Broncos remained uncertain, and he was subsequently released and signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the offseason.
The Broncos’ search for stability and success continued, as they looked to regroup under the guidance of new head coach Sean Payton and the Walton-Penner family ownership group.
As it stands, going to Denver isn’t a popular idea among players in the league right now. In an article posted on Bleacher Report, Alex Ballentine went into detail why the Broncos aren’t attracting players or teams to deal with them.
“The Broncos’ best selling point, and the reason they aren’t higher on this list, is the opportunity to play for Sean Payton. The former Saints head coach has a long enough track record of success to have the benefit of the doubt.
But Drew Brees isn’t walking through that door, and a quarterback battle between Bo Nix and Zach Wilson doesn’t exactly sell the idea of playing for the Broncos.
Nix was the 61st player overall on our big board and the sixth quarterback off the board on draft day. Wilson threw more interceptions (23) than touchdowns (21) in three years with the New York Jets.
Fortunately, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN has reported that Nix is impressing in the quarterback battle, so there’s hope. However, Nix has a long way to go to lead the Broncos to contention in an AFC West that features the Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes, along with a Chargers team that should be more dangerous with Jim Harbaugh at the helm.
The Raiders have more answers on defense, so it’s not hard to argue that the Broncos are the worst landing spot in their division.
If the Broncos were able to trade for a player, they would have room for a big contract extension. However, they also have Patrick Surtain II to pay,” Ballentine wrote.
As it stands, the Broncos will around $52.2 million in cap space for the upcoming season, which gives enough room to sign up players to key positions. However, they are not projected to go far or even reach postseason.
It remains to be seen whether the Broncos can surpass expectations and actually compete in the coming months. In any case, the franchise will have to work as one to come up with a competitive roster for the upcoming season.
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