Smokescreen? Sean Payton claims Broncos not looking at trades
Oct 10, 2023, 2:54 PM | Updated: 3:19 pm
The Denver Broncos aren’t looking to make any more trades — at least, not yet.
That’s what head coach Sean Payton said at his press conference on Tuesday.
With the trade deadline just three weeks away, many think the 1-4 team could go on a firesale, moving plenty of veterans for draft picks. Payton claims that’s not the case.
“(GM) George (Paton) and I talk every day, three, four times a day. We’re not looking to do business with any of our players,” Payton said.
The Broncos already made one trade, shipping disgruntled edge-rusher Randy Gregory to the 49ers last week to move up one round in the 2024 NFL Draft. Payton says the phones are ringing, but Denver isn’t the one initiating the contact.
“That doesn’t prevent teams from calling at times. You pick the phone up, but that’s kind of where it’s at. We’ve got a good handle on this current roster, our vision on the roster a year from now,” Payton said.
This could all be a smokescreen from Payton. If the Broncos lose to the Chiefs, they’ll be 1-5 by the time they wake up on Friday morning. Still, Payton says he didn’t even know the trade deadline was looming on Halloween.
“Until you just said it, I wouldn’t have known it was three weeks away. Three weeks seems like an eternity right now,” Payton said.
Three weeks could be an eternity, because the Broncos might be 1-7 by the time the deadline comes. They have two games against Kansas City, with one contest against the Packers sandwiched in between. But, they’re 0-3 at home, so even a win over Green Bay isn’t a sure thing.
It’s all worth monitoring, but for now, Payton appears to be keeping his cards close to the vest.
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