The Denver Broncos appeared to have made significant offensive progress in their Week 7 matchup against the New Orleans Saints, achieving a convincing 33-10 victory on the road.
However, given the weakened condition of their opponent, the Broncos might revert to their usual struggles with the running game in 2024, which could highlight weaknesses in their passing attack. To address this, a trade could be a viable option.
Any trade would need to provide immediate benefits while aligning with their strategy surrounding Bo Nix.
With depth in critical positions and six draft picks available—including four in the first four rounds—the Broncos have the opportunity to make a substantial move before the trade deadline on November 5.
Following the New York Jets’ acquisition of Davante Adams, reuniting him with former Green Bay Packers players Aaron Rodgers and Allen Lazard, Garrett Wilson may find himself sidelined more often than he’d prefer.
This proposal from Heavy Sports suggests the Broncos target Wilson:
**Broncos receive:**
– Garrett Wilson
**Jets receive:**
– Baron Browning
– 2025 first-round pick
– 2026 sixth-round pick (via NYJ)
go crazy @GarrettWilson_V!!#BUFvsNYJ on ESPN pic.twitter.com/2QSJOCCqLu
— New York Jets (@nyjets) October 15, 2024
Browning started the season as a starter alongside Jonathon Cooper but was placed on injured reserve after Week 2 due to a foot injury. He returned for the Broncos’ victory against the Saints, but Nik Bonitto had already filled in for him with four consecutive starts.
The Broncos currently lead the league with 28 sacks and would still have promising rookie Jonah Elliss to support Bonitto and Cooper if the trade goes through.
The Jets are ranked fourth in sacks but have had to cope with the season-ending loss of starter Jermaine Johnson to a torn Achilles, along with Haason Reddick’s recent holdout. Reddick ended his holdout before their Week 7 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Browning could enhance the Jets’ depth while the Broncos would include a first-round pick and return the Jets’ sixth-round pick from the Zach Wilson trade.
Broncos Trade for Garrett Wilson Would Reshape WR Room
The Jets selected Garrett Wilson with the No. 10 overall pick in the 2022 draft. In his rookie season, he caught 83 passes for 1,104 yards and four touchdowns, earning Rookie of the Year honors.
Despite facing inconsistent quarterback play, Wilson has recorded back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons. This proposed trade mirrors the Philadelphia Eagles’ 2022 deal to acquire A.J. Brown from the Tennessee Titans, where Philadelphia sent a first and third-round pick to Tennessee for Brown, whose production was comparable to Wilson’s through his first two seasons.
Wilson is in the third year of a four-year, $20.5 million rookie contract, carrying a $985,000 cap hit for 2024, which would be prorated based on the remaining schedule. As of October 20, the Broncos have $3.9 million in cap space, allowing them to take on Wilson’s contract for both 2024 and 2025 when his salary rises to $1.1 million. Pro Football Focus projects that Denver will have $70.9 million in cap space in 2025, which would be sufficient to secure Wilson before the trade deadline and negotiate a long-term extension.
He would likely compete with Courtland Sutton for the top spot in the Broncos’ receiving corps. Sutton is 29 years old and has one year remaining on his contract after 2024. Wilson, being younger, could take the lead as second-year player Marvin Mims and rookies Devaughn Vele and Troy Franklin (Nix’s college teammate) develop.
However, the primary challenge for the Broncos or any interested team is the Jets’ current stance.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that following the Jets’ acquisition of Davante Adams, several teams expressed interest in Wilson, but the Jets are not planning to trade him.
Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio raised questions about the Jets’ firm position, suggesting that it could be a strategy to increase interest in Wilson. He noted that with Jets owner Woody Johnson wanting to justify the firing of coach Robert Saleh after just five games, trading Wilson for future draft picks wouldn’t make much sense. Yet, if the Jets are hesitant to offer Wilson a market-level deal—potentially $35 million or more per year—and if they could trade him for immediate help at a position of need, it might be worth considering.
Both Wilson and Adams are reportedly excited to play together, but a further downturn for the Jets or a trade request from Wilson might shift the situation.
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