Broncos pick up veteran defensive end in draft-day trade
Apr 27, 2024, 1:14 PM | Updated: 1:17 pm
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — PFM is still around the Broncos, but now they have JFM.
That’s as in John Franklin-Myers, the veteran defensive end the Broncos acquired during the NFL Draft on Saturday. The Broncos acquired him for the cost of a 2026 sixth-round pick. It was the second trade made between the teams in the last six days.
For the Jets, the move was a salary dump. Franklin-Myers was scheduled to count for $16,364,000 under their salary cap for the upcoming season prior to the trade.
The Jets will save $13.9 million of cap space. His cap figure and the Jets’ desire to shed salary was a reason why the trade compensation was so minimal for a proven starter.
New York inked Franklin-Myers to a four-year extension during the 2021 season that was worth up to $55.2 million. The contract also included two more voidable years in 2026 and 2027 which allowed the Jets to spread out the hit of guaranteed money.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Broncos will restructure the contract.
They also get an interior defensive lineman who is a solid pass rusher, giving them a complement to Zach Allen, one of last year’s big-ticket free-agent pickups. John Franklin-Myers has at least 50 total pressures in each of the last four seasons, all spent with the New York Jets, according to data compiled by Pro Football Focus.
This also continues an offseason overhaul of the defensive line, which was a priority after last year’s disastrous performance against the run. Denver signed former Saints defensive lineman Malcolm Roach, who was one of the league’s best run stuffers last season.
In addition, the team signed veteran Angelo Blackson last week.
Denver did not address defensive line with any of its first five draft picks, going for a quarterback (Bo Nix), an edge rusher (Jonah Elliss), a wide receiver (Troy Franklin), a cornerback (Kris Abrams-Draine) and a running back (Audric Estimé) with their first five selections.
The trade for John Franklin-Myers also marks the second-straight year in which the Broncos have traded for a veteran potential starter during the third day of the draft. Denver acquired Adam Trautman from the New Orleans Saints on Day 3 last year as part of an exchange of Day 3 picks.
Trautman remains with the team, having re-signed last month.
