The Denver Broncos have made the first move of the week ahead of Tuesday’s NFL Trade Deadline. Denver is sending pass rusher Baron Browning to the Arizona Cardinals.
Denver Broncos trade Baron Browning to the Arizona Cardinals
The Denver Broncos have sent former 2021 third-round pass rusher Baron Browning to the Arizona Cardinals in exchange for a sixth-round pick.
Browning started the season as the starter at outside linebacker opposite of Jonathon Cooper, but an early season injury and the emergence of Nik Bonitto as a potential superstar rusher have changed the Broncos vision for Browning. Injuries have been the biggest obstacle for Browning throughout his Denver career, but his talent still exists and could be something that pays off for the Cardinals defense.
Browning is in the last year of his rookie deal, and all signs have been pointing toward Denver extending Cooper ahead of free agency. With a potential Cooper extension in the near future and Bonitto’s emergence, Denver is going younger, especially with third-round draft pick Jonah Elliss, who has been a promising contributor defensively. Behind Elliss, Denver has been impressed with undrafted rookie free agent Dondrea Tillman, who was one of the star players in the UFL this past season.
Second-year linebacker Drew Sanders, who is on injured reserve after tearing his Achilles in April, is in line to stay at the edge position versus going back to off-ball linebacker. He’s been on the team’s side field progressing through his recovery plan for the last month or so, even though a timeline to return is not clear.
It’s unclear what draft year the Cardinals’ sixth-round pick is, but Denver’s in a position where acquiring capital is only going to strengthen the arsenal for Sean Payton and George Paton, who will have more cap space to work with in free agency, and more picks than they’ve had in the last handful of years due to previous trades that depleted their draft capital.