Following weeks of speculation, the Denver Broncos finally pulled the trigger on a trade of former Pro Bowl wide receiver Demaryius Thomas, sending him to the Houston Texans in exchange for a third and seventh-round selection in next year's draft.

According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, this move will save the Broncos $4 million in salary cap space this season and $14 million off the books for the 2019 campaign.

The Broncos dealt Thomas mostly to save a significant amount of salary cap space for next offseason that can be used to address other areas of need for the franchise. The team has struggled tremendously against the run this year while their offensive line has been shaky at times, negatively impacting their ability to put points on the board.

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This is a notable departure for Denver as Thomas has been a key piece to the puzzle in the passing game throughout his career with the franchise, emerging as one of the top wide receivers in the league.

Thomas has been a highly productive offensive factor in his first eight-plus campaigns that saw him earn five Pro Bowl selections where he toppled 1,000 receiving yards and 90 receptions in each campaign. He has continued to produce with 36 catches for 402 receiving yards and three touchdowns this season, which has put him on track to notch 72 receptions for 804 receiving yards and six touchdowns.

This move opens the door for rookie Courtland Sutton to step up in a bigger role in the passing games, as he has shown flashes of promise this season by hauling in 17 catches for 324 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Meanwhile, this deal gives the surging Texans a bonafide 1-2 punch that second-year quarterback Deshaun Watson can lean on with Thomas and Pro Bowl wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins.