The Broncos didn’t give Bo Nix more weapons, and that’s a shame

The Denver Broncos had a great chance to help rookie QB Bo Nix on Tuesday.

And they didn’t do it.

No, Denver essentially stood pat at the NFL trade deadline, instead only unloading Baron Browning on Monday for a lousy sixth-round pick.

After what we saw against the Ravens this past Sunday in Baltimore, it’s abundantly clear that Nix needs more help around him. Head coach Sean Payton and GM George Paton apparently felt differently. That’s a strange line of thinking after Nix and the Denver offense only scored 10 points and he was failed by his teammates… again.

Lil’Jordan Humphrey tipped a Nix pass on the second play of the game that resulted in an easy interception. It’s the second week in a row Humphrey has been on the wrong end of a big moment, fumbling against the Panthers on Denver’s first drive on Oct. 27 and setting up a Carolina touchdown.

The fact that Payton and Paton picked Humphrey over Tim Patrick this summer looks more inexcusable as the games go on. Humphrey isn’t making plays, instead doing the opposite. He’s helping the Broncos opponents. Of course, it’s not intentional, but the gold star he earned because was with Payton in New Orleans is growing old with Denver fans.

On a critical fourth-down early in the game against the Ravens, running back Javonte Williams didn’t dive to secure a first-down. It was a little league mistake made by Williams, as guys are taught from a young age they have to reach across the sticks with the football whenever possible. Baltimore went on to score a touchdown seven plays later and take a 7-0 lead.

Were there really no upgrades at wide receiver or running back available? Actually, there were a couple of guys.

The Steelers acquired Mike Williams from the Jets for a fifth-round pick, a player who was suggested the Broncos go get in this column last week.

And the Bengals added running back Khalil Herbert from the Bears for a measly seventh-round selection. You could make a case Herbert would’ve instantly been Denver’s best running back, and that’s not a steep price to pay.

What happened on Tuesday (or didn’t happen) is an odd message from Payton and Paton. How can you tell the fanbase you’re all in on Bo Nix then not add weapons around him when the return value being asked was relatively small?

It’s a classic case of the Broncos record being 5-4 but the head coach and GM not being sold this is actually a playoff team. And if you look at the weak AFC, there’s a very realistic chance Denver could get into the dance. Something doesn’t add up.

The end result is it’s simply not fair to Bo Nix to ask him to try to keep winning with this roster. Courtland Sutton is basically the only skill-position player on offense who could play for a Super Bowl contender. That might come off as harsh, but it’s the truth.

Instead we’ll get more Humphrey and Williams in our lives in the coming weeks, along with the underwhelming Troy Franklin, Marvin Mims Jr, Jaleel McLaughlin and an anonymous tight end room.

It’s one thing to trade Browning knowing he was going to walk in free agency next spring. It’s quite another to not add a piece or two that could help Nix and Denver improve this season.

The trade deadline plan for the Broncos didn’t make a lot of sense. And the person who’s going to suffer the most from it is the young rookie QB. That’s not a winning formula for this year or beyond.