The Broncos have spent years making the right moves to get here, and that success comes with a new problem: keeping everybody is no longer realistic. John Franklin-Myers walking in free agency a few months ago already showed how this can go, and the 2027 free-agent class could get crowded fast for Denver.
That reality is why trade ideas will keep popping up around this roster. The logic is simple enough - if a player is likely to leave later, maybe you move him now and get something back. But two recent proposals would ask the Broncos to weaken themselves before they have to.
Bleacher Report’s Moe Moton included two Denver names in a roundup of trades every NFL team should make, starting with cornerback Riley Moss. His pitch was straightforward: send Moss out for a 2027 Day 2 pick. The reasoning was that Denver already used a first-round pick on Jahdae Barron in the 2025 draft, and if the Broncos don’t plan to extend Moss in a contract year, they should deal him while his value is high and let Barron climb the depth chart before Week 1.
Moss gave Denver plenty to think about in 2025. He started all 17 games and tied Carolina Panthers cornerback Michael Jackson for the league lead with 19 pass breakups.
That kind of production would naturally attract teams looking for help on the boundary. Still, moving him now would be a gamble, especially with Barron having struggled to get consistent snaps.
Going from depth piece to one of the most important starters on the field is a massive leap, even if Barron was a first-round pick for a reason.
There is also the bigger roster picture. Moss, Brandon Jones and Ja’Quan McMillian are all set to be free agents in 2027, so Denver’s front office already knows it may not be able to keep all three.
If the Broncos decide they can only hold on to two, Moss and McMillian would be the better pair to keep. Moss, in particular, looks like a future building block if the penalties calm down in 2026.
The other proposal in Moton’s piece had Atlanta sending a late 2027 pick to Denver for Marvin Mims Jr. That one feels even less likely.
The Falcons, as Moton noted, do not have a clear No. 2 receiver. Jahan Dotson, Olamide Zaccheaus and rookie third-rounder Zachariah Branch would be competing for targets behind Drake London. On paper, Mims could help fill that opening, especially since he is buried on the Broncos’ depth chart.
But Denver’s receiver room is not as simple as just moving on from the speedster. The Broncos acquired Jaylen Waddle from the Miami Dolphins, Courtland Sutton and Troy Franklin have a strong connection with Bo Nix, and the staff could still keep developing second-year wideout Pat Bryant. Mims also knows this could be his last year in Denver, but that does not mean the Broncos should rush him out the door.
He remains one of the best return specialists in the league and has real juice on offense when he gets chances. Even with Waddle in the mix, his role may shrink, but his value to Denver is still obvious. Waddle and Sutton are not going anywhere, Bryant profiles as a future “X” receiver and Mims’ speed plus special teams impact make him a real weapon.
If Denver were going to move a receiver, Troy Franklin would make more sense. Among the notable names in the room, his skill set is the least compelling, and trading him would also improve the Broncos’ chances of keeping Mims after 2026.
For now, though, the bigger point is that Denver should not be in a hurry to sell off useful players. This roster is good enough to chase a Super Bowl, and if anything, the Broncos should be looking to add rather than subtract.
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Riley Moss has been a steady presence for Denver, and first-round pick Jahdae Barron gives the Broncos another talented option to work with if they choose to reshape the depth chart. The idea of moving a starting corner would not be the kind of aggressive swing fans expected after such a strong year, but it reflects the kind of roster balancing act teams face when they have to weigh present value against future flexibility. [Read more 🡒]
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Bleacher Reports Moe Moton floated the idea that Denver could use Mims as a trade chip to help address another roster need, which is the kind of move that makes sense on paper and still feels risky in practice. The Broncos are chasing a Super Bowl window, and dealing away a player who can change field position every week is not the sort of decision a contender makes lightly, especially when there are still other ways to clear the logjam at receiver. [Read more 🡒]