The 2023 season has been a disastrous one for the Denver Broncos. They have gotten off to an awful 0-3 start and it is hard to find any positives to build off of. Coming off of an embarrassing 70-20 defeat at the hands of the Miami Dolphins, there is a lot of self-evaluation that has to go on in Denver.
The only positive is that they are facing off with another team off to a disastrous start in Week 4. The Broncos will be heading on the road to face the Chicago Bears, who are such a dumpster fire right now that Denver has been installed as a 2.5-point favorite in the game.
A team coming off of a 70-point loss going on the road and being a favorite is all you need to know about the status of the Bears. That game could draw a lot of attention just because people are going to want to see what could possibly happen next for both teams.
There should be a lot of roster changes on the horizon. At 0-3, there is virtually zero chance the Broncos are going to make a run at the postseason. After trading away so much draft capital the last two offseason to land quarterback Russell Wilson and head coach Sean Payton, it is time to start recouping.
This was more than a one-season rebuild for Payton, who has gotten more out of Wilson but the team still isn’t winning. It is time to sell and restock the cupboard for the future. The first player that could be on the move is wide receiver Courtland Sutton.
Sutton found himself involved in a ton of trade rumors this offseason. His contract was a detriment to those talks as he hadn’t regained his form from 2019. But, this is the closest he has looked since, catching 17 passes for 189 yards and two touchdowns in three games.
Plenty of teams are on the lookout for weapons to improve their offense for a playoff push. If the Broncos have a realistic asking price set on Sutton, moving him will be much easier. Another wide receiver that will garner interest is Jerry Jeudy.
Jeudy had a breakout in 2022 and was the center of trade chatter all offseason as well. Denver was reportedly seeking a first-round pick in return for him, which is steep. Given the current condition of their roster, the Broncos should be looking for a quantity-over-quality approach to draft compensation.
They may not get a first-round for Juedy, but if they can snag multiple mid-round picks it will help them bolster the depth on the roster. If they are looking for premium picks, dangling safety Justin Simmons could net it for them.
Simmons is one of the premier safeties in the NFL, but as we saw this offseason, teams are willing to pay a premium price if a player at the position is made available. Teams were interested in Kevin Byard and Budda Baker before the Tennessee Titans and Arizona Cardinals amended their contracts. If the rebuild is on in Denver, Simmons should net them a very solid return.
