Looking forward to the upcoming NFL offseason, the Denver Broncos appear poised to be more active than most teams. With a roster in need of improvements on both offense and defense following a disappointing 8-9 season, and constrained by limited available cap space, they face some tough decisions regarding player personnel for the 2024 season.
Aside from the ongoing speculation surrounding Russell Wilson, another significant storyline revolves around how the Broncos’ front office will address their wide receiver corps. Despite having several players on the roster, financial constraints may necessitate trading away one of these assets to alleviate cap pressure.
Bleacher Report suggests that Denver could potentially trade their 2020 first-round pick, Jerry Jeudy, to the New England Patriots for a day-two pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Maurice Moton at B/R provides reasoning for this proposal, citing Jeudy’s underwhelming performance and the substantial salary cap implications involved.
It’s worth noting that any trade involving Russell Wilson is complicated due to his contract’s structure, which includes a no-trade clause and offers little immediate cap relief. Consequently, the Broncos may need to explore trading other veterans to comply with the salary cap. They might opt to retain players like Courtland Sutton, Mims, and Tim Patrick, provided the latter can maintain his fitness.
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The New England Patriots reportedly expressed interest in Jeudy last offseason, and this interest could persist given their continued front-office presence from the previous regime. Denver might revisit these trade discussions to free up approximately $13 million in cap space, while the Patriots could see Jeudy as a valuable addition to their receiving corps, which ranked poorly last season.
Jeudy’s performance in the 2023 season saw a decline from his previous year, with 54 receptions for 758 yards and two touchdowns. He has yet to match the expectations set by his draft position as the 15th overall pick four years ago. Unlike his peers like Justin Jefferson and CeeDee Lamb, Jeudy has not surpassed the 1,000-yard mark in a season. Therefore, instead of offering him a new contract after his fifth year expires, Denver could opt to trade him for both salary cap relief and additional assets.