
The Denver Broncos have been linked to multiple wide receiver trade rumors, including right before the deadline last November. The Broncos have clearly been hunting for help, and with the offseason underway, trades will be a viable way to get it once the new league year opens in March.
Today, we're breaking down five potential trade targets the Broncos could pursue. These five options are based on rumors that have circulated, comments made, and reporting.
Whether each player is or isn't available is almost impossible to know for sure, but everyone is available at the right price, as the saying goes. We're not considering what it would cost to acquire one of these receivers, but you can learn about that here.
These five receivers could help the Broncos in different ways, but I'm not going to speculate on trade details, the potential cost to acquire them, or even their contracts. This isn’t saying the Broncos are interested, will be interested, or even if they're great options.
It's about what they could bring to the team if Denver does make that move.
Brown has some juice after the catch and has averaged about a third of his total yards coming after the reception. He is a well-built receiver who can be hard to tackle, and drops aren’t a serious issue on tape, though he isn’t immune.
The biggest concern with Brown is his attitude, which became an issue with the Tennessee Titans and again with the Philadelphia Eagles. When things aren’t going his way, he makes it known, but Payton dealt with something similar with Michael Thomas.
The Broncos were supposedly in on Waddle before the trade deadline, but no move was made. Denver could circle back this offseason, as Miami could look to blow some things up with its offense. Waddle could be a good fit with the Broncos, not only because of how he has been used in that Miami offense, but also because of what he can do beyond that.
Waddle is known for his explosive playmaking, both attacking deep and making shorter catches happen. While there are drops on tape, it's not a consistent issue, and he cut them down to three this last season. With how much Sean Payton likes screens in his offense, Waddle could help make them more dangerous.
Aiyuk may be the only player on this list who is known to be available, as the 49ers have made it clear they're done with him. There are a lot of off-field issues with Aiyuk, as well as medical issues, but again, Payton dealt with Thomas, and he has a lot of trust in Denver's medical staff.
When it comes to fitting with the Broncos on the field, Aiyuk is the best option. He fits their needs the most and can be a versatile player in their receiver room, maximizing the other receivers' skill sets by varying Aiyuk's usage.
Harrison may or may not be available, but his time with the Cardinals has not gotten off to the best start, and he is coming off a year in which his play declined, even accounting for his medicals. He is only entering Year 3, which the Cardinals could decide to give it another shot, especially with a new, offensive-minded head coach taking over, Mike LaFleur.
If Harrison is available, Denver would be smart to call, even though he hasn’t proven himself to be at or near the level of Courtland Sutton, yet. Harrison is still full of untapped potential, and Payton has done a great job of getting the best out of his players.
The Broncos have bet on development from their receivers before, and adding Harrison would be another case of doing so, but it would come with inherent risk.
There were rumors that Thomas was available for a trade before the trade deadline, following a terrible start to the year after such a hot rookie campaign. The Jaguars could circle back to trading Thomas with Travis Hunter, Jakobi Meyers, and Parker Washington stepping up to close out the 2025 season.
Denver would be taking a risk, much like with Harrison, on a receiver who had a down year in 2025 and would need to develop. Thomas may have more issues with the Broncos' offense, as he isn’t a blocker and is averse to contact. Thomas has many similarities to Troy Franklin in what he brings.
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