It’s time for the Denver Broncos to collapse, but they should also accelerate that process by being very aggressive ahead of the October 31 trade deadline.
It’s time to move almost every player who can get the pick back draft. If that means making five, six, seven or even eight trades, so be it. The best-case scenario for the Broncos next spring is to have more than 10 draft picks, including several first-round picks.
For the first time in a few seasons, the Broncos will have their own first-round draft pick. In a perfect world, he would be No. 1 overall.
If edge rusher Bradley Chubb could land a first-round pick at last year’s trade deadline, there’s no reason to think star cornerback Pat Surtain II can’t get you two. Even safety Justin Simmons could get you a first or even a second rounder. Left tackle Garett Bolles hopes to do the same.
And then there’s Jerry Jeudy, who, if anyone were to make a third-round pick, Sean Payton and George Paton would immediately take. Then if you can get fourth, fifth, sixth or seventh round picks for guys like Courtland Sutton, Josey Jewell, Kareem Jackson and D.J. Jones, it’s time to pull the trigger.
The only guys who should be safe are rookie running back Javonte Williams and last year’s expensive free agent acquisitions. Sure, it would be nice to move on from Mike McGlinchey and that huge contract, but no team will take his salary. The same thing happened with quarterback Russell Wilson. His future will be determined this season and that is another story for another day.
Whether or not Payton knew he was signed up for a rebuild is debatable, but the reality is that he was in the process of rebuilding. And getting plenty of recruiting capital will go a long way toward overhauling a roster that lacks depth and, frankly, talent.
If the Halloween deadline means this is the last time the Broncos win a game this year, then so be it. That will make the last two months of the season painful, but the dirty little secret is that the current losses are a good thing. There are some really bad teams out there, so it might take a 1-16 or 2-15 record to get the first overall pick.
And you really can’t hit rock bottom and rebuild without a franchise quarterback. That’s what USC star Caleb Williams, who looks like Patrick Mahomes 2.0, plans to be.
Payton can say whatever he wants. Denver isn’t answering the phone, but don’t believe that for a second. It’s a good strategy not to publicly admit that the Broncos are sellers, but the reality is that there should probably be a giant “We’re Open” sign outside the Centura Health training facility.
If other teams want to raid the Broncos’ empty lockers, let them have a handful of guys who can actually bring something to the table.
It would be cruel to part ways with Surtain, but fullbacks simply can’t run or destroy play like a midfielder or running back. Teams cannot throw in their direction. The Broncos could make Surtain an asset in hopes of helping this proud franchise return to the Super Bowl. Hell, even the playoffs would be great.
And Simmons, Bolles, Jewell and Sutton have been part of a culture that has been lost for too long. They are good people, but a change of scenery would be better for everyone involved. Jeudy has now become a distraction, picking fights before fights with borderline Hall of Famers. It will be shipped this week.
It’s time for Payton and Paton to do what John Elway never wanted to admit. This team needs a complete rebuild, tearing everything down to rebuild it. It starts with getting draft picks and a lot of them over the next two weeks.
