Denver Broncos general manager George Paton. Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

Broncos could flip a WR to add more draft capital

By Michael Gallagher | Last updated 4/25/23

The Denver Broncos have several positions of need but not enough draft picks to address them all.

With just five total picks in the 2023 draft — and none in the first two rounds — SI.com’s Albert Breer believes Broncos general manager George Paton may have to deal from Denver’s top position of strength, wide receiver, if he wants to pick anywhere in the first 64 picks.

“[Paton is] light on picks and wanting to accumulate some,” Breer wrote. “He could use No. 67 or 68 to do it, or he could work a trade with the surplus of receivers he’s got. The Broncos haven’t been shopping those guys, but I think at the right price, they might move one (if I had to guess, I think it’d take a first-rounder for Jerry Jeudy, and maybe a second-rounder for Courtland Sutton) with the idea that they get a little leaner and more flexible financially in the process.”

Sure, Paton told reporters during his pre-draft news conference last week that the team was “really high” on Jeudy and that he didn’t anticipate moving the 24-year-old wideout during draft week. It's a stance he's maintained all offseason.

#Broncos GM George Paton on not looking to trade Jerry Jeudy & Courtland Sutton: "We’re excited to have them on our football team. Two young players in their prime. I think Sean said it best. We’re not interested in trading them. When you’re in my position you get a lot of calls"
— Chris Tomasson (@christomasson) March 27, 2023

But a receiver-needy team like Green Bay (No. 13), Baltimore (No. 22), Minnesota (No. 23), Buffalo (No. 27) or Kansas City (No. 31) that may want a proven veteran over gambling on a rookie WR could part with its first-round pick for Jeudy, who totaled 67 receptions for 972 yards and six touchdowns in 2022.

Trading a second-round pick for Sutton, who’s just 27 and has a 1,000-yard season and one Pro Bowl under his belt, might look more appealing than using that pick on any of the wideouts who should be available in Round 2 including Josh Downs, Jalin Hyatt, Rashee Rice, Marvin Mims, Jayden Reed and Jonathan Mingo.

If the Broncos don’t make any moves, it’ll be the second straight year they won’t pick in the first round, and it would mark the first time since 1995 that their first pick comes in Round 3 or later.

More must-reads: