Let’s face it: The Denver Broncos could use help at just about any position on the roster.
Besides the quarterback position, the other position group that could use a facelift is outside linebacker. The Broncos have yet to find an elite, game-changing pass rusher since the departure of Von Miller in 2021.
The current group is characterized by the sum of its parts. Let's take a look at the statistics for the Broncos' three key starters at outside linebacker:
- Jonathon Cooper: 72 total tackles, 8.5 sacks, a forced fumble, two fumbles recovered
- Baron Browning: 25 total tackles, 4.5 sacks, two forced fumbles
- Nik Bonitto: 30 total tackles, Eight sacks, one forced fumble
Although these numbers are solid, the Broncos can use more power and speed, but at the cost of dealing the team's best player? Bleacher Report Scouting Department pounded the table for the Broncos to trade Patrick Surtain II to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for Pro Bowl pass rusher Josh Sweat. Below are the hypothetical trade details:
Broncos receive:
- Sweat
- 2024 first-round pick (No. 22 overall)
- 2024 fifth-round pick (No. 143 overall)
Eagles receive:
- Surtain
Sweat recorded 7.5 sacks in 2021, a career-high of 11.0 sacks in 2022, and 6.5 sacks in 2023. He's in the last of a three-year, $40 million contract.
Although Sweat would help the Broncos, I'm reluctant to approve this trade for a few reasons. First, outside of the outlier 2022 season, the sack totals are on par with what the Broncos' current edge group is producing, so any impact Sweat would make is unlikely to be significant.
Second, moving Surtain for the aforementioned haul would be unwise. It's not guaranteed that Denver will draft players with the level of sure talent that Surtain possesses.
Per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, another Eagles pass rusher has recently been granted permission to seek a trade — Haason Reddick. He's also entering the last of a three-year, $45 million contract and is owed $14.25 million in 2024.
Drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in 2017, he started his career as an inside linebacker and moved to edge in 2020. In his first year at the new position, he produced 12.5 sacks, leading to a new contract with the Carolina Panthers in 2021. In Carolina, Reddick recorded 11 sacks and then inked another deal with the Eagles.
Reddick is a great player. For this trade, it all comes down to the financials.
Reddick would like a salary comparable to his elite counterparts. Such will be at least $20 million APY. Given the current cap situation for the Broncos, I don't see this trade happening either.
If the Broncos were already in playoff contention and needing one or two pieces to vault them over the top, then a trade for one of these players might make sense. This team is gearing up for a rebuild.
It has been a long time coming, but it's a necessary process if the Broncos plan to contend in the AFC again.
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