Denver Broncos Should Avoid Unloading Key Players At Trade Deadline

Denver Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett has bought himself some time — for now.

Following the Broncos’ Week 8 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars — their first since Week 3 when they defeated the San Francisco 49ers — Denver is feeling somewhat better about themselves.

A lot of the same issues are still there. The robust amount of penalties. The head-scratching turnovers. The fact that Hackett still doesn’t appear to be ready to be leading the Broncos’ sideline.

But Denver showed some fight in their win over the Jaguars. In fact, Denver was trailed 17-14 late in the fourth quarter when Russell Wilson and the Broncos made some clutch plays. Heck, the offense — the league’s worst — somehow went 3-for-3 in the red zone when it comes to scoring touchdowns.

And while the Broncos may still sport a mediocre 3-5 record heading into their bye in Week 9, that means one big thing — Denver can’t be sellers at the trade deadline.

Heading into their Week 8 matchup versus the Jaguars, the Broncos were presumed to be sellers at the trade deadline — especially if they lost. In fact, if they had lost, it wouldn’t have shocked anyone if Denver fired Hackett on the plane ride back home to Colorado.

Names such as Jerry Jeudy, KJ Hamler and Bradley Chubb were popular names thrown out there in trade rumors.

You can shut those rumors down— for now.

Prior to the game, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the Broncos were not planning on trading either of their receivers.

“Although they are fielding trade inquiries on Chubb, the Broncos do not plan to trade Jerry Jeudy or KJ Hamler despite getting calls on the third-year wide receivers, according to sources familiar with the team’s thinking,” said Schefter.

Schefter stressed that it would take a “strong offer” for Denver to trade away their top two young receivers.

“The Broncos, who play Sunday in London against the Jacksonville Jaguars, instead want to use Jeudy and Hamler to revive their struggling offense, the sources told ESPN,” said Schefter. “Denver could ultimately still trade one of the receivers by Tuesday, but it only would be for what the team believed to be a strong offer, according to sources.”

The one player who possibly could be moved is Chubb, Denver’s top pass-rushing specialist. As Schefter noted, one team is willing to offer the Broncos a first-round draft pick. Chubb could also command more compensation that what Denver fetched from the Los Angeles Rams — second and third-round picks — in the Von Miller trade last season.

Furthermore, Chubb is the final year of his rookie deal and is expected to command a contract worth at least $20 million annually. If he’s not moved by the deadline, the Broncos are expected to keep him on a long-term deal.

As enticing as a first-round pick may be for Chubb — especially considering Denver doesn’t hold one for the 2023 NFL draft due to the Russell Wilson trade — now isn’t the time to trade a key figure of Denver’s No. 3-ranked defense.

If you trade Chubb now — or any of Denver’s other key players — for draft capital, you’re sending the signal that the win over Jacksonville means nothing. Most importantly, you’re sending the message that you’re waving the white flag on this season.

As Mark Kizla of The Denver Post notes, trading Chubb — the cornerstone of the defense that is keeping the Broncos afloat — would send Denver into a rebuilding project.

The Broncos would also waste a valuable season after signing Wilson to a $245 million contract extension.

“Trading Chubb would not only be waving the white flag it would send a signal to Wilson that he signed a $245 million contract extension to lead a rebuilding project,” said Kizla.

Since winning Super Bowl 50, this franchise has been on a downward spiral. They’ve gone six consecutive years without clinching a postseason berth — a record for a team after winning a Super Bowl. They can ill-afford another rebuild of a season just weeks after signing Wilson to such a big contract with high expectations.

The Broncos may not make it to the postseason this year. They face a tough slate over their nine remaining games, with five of those against teams with winning records.

But you have to give this team a chance. Let this team go down swinging with its best players.

Retaining Chubb ensures that the Broncos are indeed all-in on this season and not looking ahead towards the future.

Simply put, it’s the right move to make.