Could we see the Denver Broncos deal their former first-round receiver this offseason?
Looking ahead to the next couple of months of the NFL offseason, the Denver Broncos project as a team that could be a bit busier than most. They’re a roster that could use some improvements upon both sides of the ball after an underwhelming 8-9 season, also sitting bottom-five in the league in available cap space. It could ultimately lead to some tough decisions needing to be made surrounding who’s bound to stay on board for 2024.
Outside of the looming Russell Wilson situation, another key storyline to keep tabs on is how the front office will tackle the receiver room. With many names on board and not a lot of cap to spare, we could inevitably see one of these weapons eventually shipped off in money-saving efforts.
As Bleacher Report sees it, Denver could end up shipping off 2020 first-round pick Jerry Jeudy via trade. In their newest proposal, the Broncos send off the pass-catcher to the New England Patriots with a return of a day-three pick for the 2024 NFL Draft:
Denver Broncos receive: 2024 fourth-round pick (no. 104 overall pick)
New England Patriots receive: WR Jerry Jeudy
Maurice Moton at B/R ended up giving a bit of rationale for his proposed deal, noting some substantial cap implications and some underwhelming play from Jeudy being key factors:
Remember, a potential trade deal that involves Wilson could have significant complications and seems unlikely with the structure of his contract, which includes a no-trade clause and doesn’t provide much immediate cap relief.. The Broncos may have to unload one or two other veterans to get under the cap threshold… Denver may choose to move forward with Courtland Sutton, Mims and perhaps Tim Patrick if he can stay healthy
According to The Athletic’s Jeff Howe, the New England Patriots inquired about Jeudy last offseason. Even though the Patriots moved on from Bill Belichick and his coaching staff, they still have front-office holdovers from the previous regime. Denver could revisit those trade talks in an attempt to clear about $13 million in cap space, and New England may be open to acquiring Jeudy in order to bolster its bottom-tier wide receiver group.
Jeudy ended his 2023 campaign, posting 54 receptions on 758 yards and two touchdowns. It was a decline in production from his previous year in Denver, where he put up 67 receptions on 972 yards and six touchdowns.
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It’s hard to say Jeudy has lived up to his potential of the 15th-overall selection four summers ago. The Alabama product has never produced over 1,000 yards in a season and hasn’t stacked up to his class counterparts like Justin Jefferson and CeeDee Lamb. Instead of dishing out a new contract his way after his fifth year expires, Denver could get some cap relief and some capital in return for him.
As it stands, Denver is a team that lacks draft picks heading into April with six. While a fourth-round pick doesn’t jump off the page, the Broncos can effectively get a younger and cheaper option to add to the roster to assist with the cap hurdles they need to clear.
On the other hand, the Patriots are a team that’s struggled to retain reliable pass catchers in recent history. While Jeudy is far from a sure-fire bet as a consistent weapon, it brings some necessary talent at the position (and maybe some untapped potential) into the building. If New England also wanted to take another chance with Mac Jones around for another year, adding his former college roommate to his arsenal would be a welcomed addition to the squad.
The Broncos are currently $16 million over the cap and will need some maneuvering to prepare for next season. Expect to see some moves rumored to go down in the coming weeks, even if it happens to involve their young receiver.
