To say the Denver Broncos' season hasn't gone to plan would be a massive understatement. The Broncos acquired star quarterback Russell Wilson this offseason with hopes of finally returning to the playoffs. With solid pieces on both sides of the ball, Broncos fans hoped this would be the season they could return to prominence, but things aren't going well as the trade deadline approaches.
Wilson looks like a shell of himself, and first-year head coach Nathaniel Hackett looks completely overmatched. The Broncos have also suffered some key injuries this season, leaving them in a rough spot.
At 2-5 and riding a four-game losing streak, the playoffs look like a long shot for the Broncos. A loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in London on Sunday morning will all but seal their fate, but even if they win, they still have a lot to overcome.
As hard as it is to admit, it may be time to look ahead to next season. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Broncos are fielding trade calls for some of their top players, and they have to strongly consider the offers. Let's go over a few reasons why the Broncos need to be sellers at the 2022 NFL trade deadline.
3. Several players are already drawing interest
The list of Denver's top trade possibilities includes some pretty surprising names. Wide receivers Jerry Jeudy and K.J. Hamler are reportedly on the block, which is somewhat surprising. The true shocker, though, is defensive end Bradley Chubb, the former fifth-overall pick and current face of the defense.
Hamler has had a pretty disappointing season with just five catches for 113 yards. Jeudy has been better with 24 catches for 386 yards and a touchdown, but he still hasn't lit the world on fire. Chubb has been on fire, with a team-high 5.5 sacks, and losing the young star would definitely hurt.
However, the Broncos may be willing to pull the trigger for the right price ahead of the trade deadline. When there's smoke, there's fire, and Denver could make some tough trades in the coming days.
2. The Broncos aren't going anywhere this season
As painful as it is to admit, this season is likely a lost cause for Denver. The Broncos are dead last in the AFC West, and they have to overcome several teams to even get to a Wild Card spot.
Compounding this is the Broncos' brutal schedule to close out the year. Denver's final six games this season include matchups with the Ravens, Chiefs, Cardinals, Rams, Chiefs again and Chargers. All of those teams except for the Cardinals are in playoff position right now, and even they have looked better than the Broncos this season.
Even if their schedule was easier, Denver hasn't shown that it can win consistently. The Broncos have already lost to weak opponents such as the Raiders and Colts and struggled to put away the Texans, who have the worst record in the league. If they play this way against some of the league's worst teams, imagine how the Broncos will fare against some of the best.
The season is already going badly, and it has potential to get a lot worse down the home stretch. With slim postseason hopes, the Broncos would be better off selling at the trade deadline and preparing for another crack at glory next year.
1. The Broncos need to recoup draft assets
Denver paid a hefty price to Seattle in order to acquire Wilson, as is typical of high-profile trades. Drew Lock, Noah Fant and Shelby Harris is already a lot, but what really stings is the draft assets Denver gave up. The Broncos gave up two first-round picks, two second-round picks and a fifth-round pick in the blockbuster trade.
Last year's first- and second-round picks were high up, but it was worth it to get a star QB. Now that Wilson has underperformed and the Broncos' season is in shambles, the cost is even higher.
If the current standings hold, Denver will give Seattle a top-10 pick in the draft, and that second-round pick will also be a high one. This scenario would turn an even trade on paper into an absolute fleecing by Seattle. The Seahawks thriving without Wilson only makes this scenario even worse.
If the Broncos want to avoid the same fate next year, they need an infusion of young talent. A strong rookie class can completely turn a team around, just as it has for the Seahawks this season. As it stands, Denver doesn't have the draft assets to do that.
Trading some current assets to get some future ones may be in Denver's best interest. It may hurt to give up some current stars, but getting the picks to acquire some new ones would make it a bit easier to swallow.
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