The Denver Broncos Offseason
2022 Dream Draft Pick: Leo Chenal
The Denver Broncos traded for Russell Wilson this offseason in the offseason move of the decade and while it certainly cost them a boat load of picks and players, they still have the 64th overall pick and finding help in their linebacking corps should be their goal and getting a Leo Chenal would certainly get Bronco fans excited. Chenal is a phenomenal athletic specimen that was a terror as an inside blitzing linebacker and with Randy Gregory and Bradley Chubb commanding the attention offensive lineman Chenal can have easy lanes to rush through and wreak potential havoc in AFC West backfields.
The To-Do List
Give up the Farm for Aaron Rodgers
Everything that is being written about the Denver Broncos potential moves in free agency or the draft can't happen until either the Packers say that they will not trade Aaron Rodgers, Aaron Rodgers says he wants to stay in Green Bay, or that the Denver Broncos have traded for Aaron Rodgers. The Aaron Rodgers to Denver love fest has been the most open secret in the NFL the past couple years and only got worse, or better depending on your fandom, once the Broncos signed Nathaniel Hackett to a contract and Denver now in my opinion has to give up the farm for him as their fan base gets excited over his potential trade to the team. The Packers could ask for 3-4 years of 1st round picks plus players, as long as they aren't offensive weapons if I am Denver negotiating, and probably many more picks in this years draft to satisfy. The Denver Broncos have always been in the market to sign or trade for legendary quarterbacks with Manning and Elway obviously not being with the team originally and Rodgers heading to the Broncos would be such an awesome move. This team as constructed is far from competing in the AFC but if they get Rodgers on the squad, it could game over for the rest of the conference.
Trade Away Bradley CHubb?
Bradley Chubb looked to be the next big thing when he put up a 12 sack rookie season that made him one of the most feared young players in the NFL but a torn ACL and chronic ankle injuries have absolutely derailed his career so far and while he certainly flashes that ability that made him such a phenom in 2018 the Broncos might want to consider shipping him out of town for picks, or Aaron Rodgers. Bradley Chubb still has the potential to be an elite all-round edge rusher despite his injuries and the Green Bay Packers are in need of a young and talented edge rushers to pair with Rashan Gary as he continues to become a dominant pass rusher and Green Bay with those two players could have the foundation for a ferocious defense. Chubb still has two years left on his rookie deal and the Packers, if they wanted him as a part of the Rodgers trade, would certainly benefit from having him attack the weaker offensive lines of the NFC north and I believe that this team could still make the playoffs as NFC north champs with him and Gary wreaking havoc in the one of the worst divisions in football. If the Denver Broncos try to wait and see with Chubb in 2022, they could be kicking themselves royally for not trying to ship him out.
Draft linebacker Devin Lloyd over a quarterback
Assuming Denver doesn't trade for Aaron Rodgers, the Broncos one big issue in the draft is their linebacker unit which has increasingly become worse and worse over the years with age not investment into the position and at the #9 pick in the draft the best decision this team could make in the 2022 draft is taking Utah linebacker Devin Lloyd over any quarterback in this draft class as each one of them has a very high chance of flaming out quickly. Devin Lloyd is a tremendous linebacker prospect whose ability to defend against the run, play in pass coverage, and blitz with ferocity at 6'3" and 240 lbs. makes him one of the best overall defenders in the draft and he's an absolute upgrade over whomever is playing Denver and as a prospect with one of the highest floors in the draft, the Denvers find themselves picking quarterback over him as the impact from this linebacker will be far greater than any quarterback in this draft could have. The 2023 draft will have better quarterbacks available and Denver probably will find themselves in the Top 10 again given how competitive the AFC West is currently and they certainly would be much better off with a Bryce Young or C.J. Stroud potentially being available for them to choose from than a Kenny Pickett or Malik Willis. I don't expect the 9th pick in the draft to be theirs when they are on the clock as this team is going to throw the kitchen sink at Green Bay for Rodgers and this could turn into one of the most interesting offseasons ion quite some time.