The Broncos might not be done working trades before the season

The Denver Broncos made a bunch of key moves this offseason, whether by cutting players or through trades.

The team said goodbye to household names like Russell Wilson, Justin Simmons and Jerry Jeudy. They brought in Zach Wilson and of course drafted rookie QB Bo Nix.

As it becomes clearer than ever that head coach Sean Payton is running the show, and remaking the roster, he might not be done yet.

ESPN’s Bill Barnwell, who’s well-connected around the league, had an interesting piece on Tuesday. He awarded superlatives to all 16 AFC teams, and gave the Broncos a curious one. Barnwell calls Denver the “team most likely to be working the phones in August.”

“The Broncos are on a roster roller coaster,” Barnwell writes. “Like the empty nesters who sold their house and downsized, the Broncos have too much stuff.”

It is an odd time for Denver, as Payton is trying to put his identity on this thing, but also still has holdovers from squads that did nothing but lose over the last several years.

The most notable are the unhappy Courtland Sutton and left tackle Garett Bolles, but Barnwell actually brings up two other names that could be moved in August. Especially if his prediction comes true.

“There are players who predated Payton’s time with the organization who could be traded away, especially if they haven’t shown much since he arrived, including cornerback Damarri Mathis and tight end Greg Dulcich,” Barnwell writes. “As the Broncos redraw themselves in Payton’s image, they should be looking to try to recoup some much-needed draft capital for 2025 and beyond.”

He notes that, of course, guys like Mathis and Dulcich wouldn’t garner much in return. But with the Broncos drafting Kris Abrams-Draine at corner out of Missouri, and Lucas Krull emerging at tight end, then Mathis and Dulcich could find themselves on the outside looking in for roster spots.

Rather than outright cut them, Payton could potentially land late-round draft picks to use next April. That’s not terribly exciting, but it’s also the reality Denver finds themselves in.

To read Barnwell’s full superlatives story, click here.