The Denver Broncos should trade for a receiver to help rookie quarterback Bo Nix.
Yes, they won easily 28-14 over the worst team in the league, the Carolina Panthers. But the stats tell the story.
One exceptional wide receiver isn’t enough to truly compete, even if the Broncos have moved up from the “bad” tier to “mediocre” as of late.
Sean Payton questions if Broncos have enough talent around Bo Nix
At 5-3, Denver has their best record at this point in the season since 2016.
Sean Payton doesn’t take the 5-3 record for granted. Nor does he think the Broncos are legitimate contenders. At least, not yet.
He questioned if the team is good enough at the positions surrounding quarterback Bo Nix after the win on Sunday.
“For a rookie quarterback, I think all of these are steps,” Payton said. “Confidence steps. We’ve seen it. The key is—and I’ve said it—the key is around him. Are we good enough at these other positions around him? That’s what we’re constantly looking [at]. We have to paint the picture, and when we do that, we’ll have success. We’ll move the ball. Today we were much better on third down, better in the red zone. [We had] two wide receiver fumbles. [It] just is what it is. It bothers you.”
Payton wondering out loud if the team has enough talent surrounding Nix could refer to the offensive line, but they’ve been a top-10 unit this year. More likely, Payton was talking about the skill position players, at tight end, running back, and wide receiver.
National Tight End Day was a hit around the NFL. The position group enjoyed 177 catches around the league, which was a new record.
And Denver utilized their tight ends well, too. Adam Trautman enjoyed a new career-high of 85 yards in a game, complete with his explosive, 37-yard touchdown catch. He hauled it in partially one-handed on the strike from Nix.
Seldom-used Nate Adkins scored the first touchdown of his NFL career, too. Plus, Lucas Krull hauled in two receptions for 18 yards.
No offense to Trautman, Krull, or Adkins, but the Broncos are lacking a playmaking tight end. That was supposed to be Greg Dulcich, but he was a healthy scratch against the Panthers.
And at receiver, Courtland Sutton went off. He enjoyed his best game of the year, with 100 yards on 8 receptions, which was notable after zero catches the week prior. Even Sutton isn’t on pace for 1,000 yards this year, though, he’s on pace for 801. Which is right around his average, but one has to wonder if he’s even a No. 1 receiver.
Pro Football Focus says the team’s receiver room keeps changing, pointing to the fact that Lil’Jordan Humphrey earned the second-most snaps (44) to Sutton’s (61). But, hopefully they kept in mind Josh Reynolds is on the short-term Inured Reserve for a thumb injury, and was also shot 10 days ago, but is recovering.
The thing is, even with Reynolds healthy, the Broncos don’t have enough firepower at receiver. In fact, Warren Sharp ranked all NFL teams’ tight end and receiver groups three weeks ago. The Denver Broncos came in at No. 26.
Denver Broncos should trade for a receiver if they want to make the playoffs
Other than Sutton, the injured Reynolds, and the so-so Lil’Jordan Humphrey, Denver also has Marvin Mims and rookies Troy Franklin and Devaughn Vele. Vele and Franklin have done decently, but they’re only good for about two receptions per game.
Denver had Tim Patrick, but cut him before the season. And even as a fourth option, Patrick is proving valuable to the Detroit Lions. He would be a great safety blanket for Nix right now.
Simply, the Denver Broncos should trade for a receiver since they’re in the heat of the playoff race. Currently, they’re in fifth place in the AFC and have a 65% chance of making the postseason.
Just like Payton said about Nix, “I think these are all steps,” a football team has to take steps before being true contenders. Putting a winning season in the books, and making the playoffs is the first step toward winning a Super Bowl.
So, if the Denver Broncos trade for a receiver, who could it be?
One name is Darius Slayton of the New York Giants. Slayton is a 6’1” sixth-year pro who has big-play ability. A few weeks ago, Slayton put together an 8-catch, 122-yard and one touchdown day against the Seattle Seahawks that included a 41-yard reception. With Malik Nabers and Wan’Dale Robinson in New York, Slayton could be traded for a draft pick and only carries a $2.5 million cap hit.
Diontae Johnson of the Panthers is one more potential name. He’s in his sixth season as a pro, and has put up solid numbers (30 rec. 357 yards, 3 TDs). But at $7 million base salary, the Panthers would have to be willing to eat some of his salary as part of a deal.
Another less intriguing option is Mike Williams of the New York Jets. After the Jets traded for Davante Adams, Williams’ name started being floated in trade talks. The 8-year pro was once a dynamic target with the Chargers, but he’s more a complimentary piece now. This season he has only 11 catches for 160 yards and part of his $10 million salary would have to be paid by New York to make it happen.
The NFL Trade Deadline is Nov. 5, and it’s possible the Broncos add to their wide receiver room. They’re a team that’s still in rebuilding mode, but they also have a chance to earn a playoff berth for the first time since 2015.
“I wish we would’ve finished better,” Payton said. “I said this, it’s not a good offense we played. It’s just the truth. So we expected that, and we’re going to see a lot better teams.”
Up next for the Broncos is a murderer’s row of opponents. They face the Baltimore Ravens (5-3) on the road, a team who will be hungry to win after losing late to the Cleveland Browns. Then, it’s the undefeated Chiefs (7-0) at Arrowhead Field, or whatever they call it these days. Finally, the Broncos host the NFC South leading Atlanta Falcons (5-3) in this tough three-game slate.
