Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Broncos DE Listed as Trade Candidate to Help Chargers Fill Joey Bosa Void

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Griffin Goodwyn | Last updated Jun 5, 2025 3:15 PM ET

The Denver Broncos have a wealth of options along their defensive line in the form of John Franklin-Myers, Zach Allen, and Nik Bonitto.

But just over a year from now, the Broncos might be suffering from their success at accumulating talent in that area of the field. All three players are set to be unrestricted free agents after the 2025 season, and the team will be forced to make difficult decisions regarding who will stay and who will go.

Pro Football Network's Brandon Austin has proposed a solution for the Broncos, which involves losing one of the aforementioned three players, but could potentially provide the team with additional compensation in the form of draft capital or another roster addition.

Austin believes the Broncos should consider dealing Franklin-Myers to the Los Angeles Chargers, a move Austin acknowledges as being unlikely since the two teams are division rivals.

Austin, however, still considers Los Angeles to be a prime destination for Franklin-Myers because of question marks surrounding the Chargers' defensive line.

"The Chargers parted with longtime star edge rusher Joey Bosa. The five-time Pro Bowler was a franchise cornerstone and racked up 72 sacks, 277 pressures, and 136 QB hits with a career 15.3% pressure rate. That’s a lot of production to replace, but Bosa has also missed significant time over the past few seasons," Austin wrote.

"Los Angeles was able to retain Khalil Mack, who was the sixth-best free agent this offseason in PFSN's rankings. His return makes things more manageable, and Tuli Tuipulotu should be ready for an increased role after recording 8.5 sacks in 2024. The Chargers also added South Carolina’s Kyle Kennard through the draft. Still, it feels like they are one move away from solidifying the position and being a top unit again in 2025."

Franklin-Myers had a successful debut campaign in the Mile High City in 2024, recording a career-high 40 tackles, eight tackles for loss, and seven sacks. He is entering his eighth professional season and previously played for the New York Jets and Los Angeles Rams before joining the Broncos via a trade.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: