The Broncos’ push to land Chargers linebacker Daiyan Henley fell apart, and the reason appears to have been a medical concern that Denver couldn’t get past.
Denver announced late Wednesday night that the “proposed trade will not be finalized,” turning what had been a done deal in name only into a sudden reversal. The move had been reported Tuesday as “pending a physical,” and once Henley got to Broncos Park Powered by CommonSpirit, things apparently went sideways.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter added more detail Thursday morning, writing:
“Some context on the Daiyan Henley trade that did not go through between the Broncos and Chargers, per sources.
It is not uncommon for one team to have some medical concerns about a player while another does not. In this case, Denver had concerns about Henley following his… pic.twitter.com/y97Ly3CSn9”
Schefter later said, “The Broncos still wanted Henley with Denver and LA discussing revised trade alternatives throughout the day, taking into account those concerns. In the end, no agreement was reached. The deal was off,”
That suggests Sean Payton and George Paton kept working to salvage the move, possibly by adjusting the draft compensation. Under the original agreement, Denver would have sent a fourth-round pick in 2027 and a fifth-round pick in 2028. Once the physical raised flags, that price likely changed.
But the Broncos and Chargers couldn’t find a new number they both liked, and Henley is headed back to Los Angeles. For Denver, that leaves a thin-looking inside linebacker group behind Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad.
Payton and Paton haven’t spoken to reporters this week because the team is on a bye, so the next chance for more answers likely comes Monday, when Payton is scheduled for a conference call.
For now, the bottom line is simple: the Broncos wanted Henley, but they couldn’t close the deal.
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Instead, the process stalled after Denver reviewed Henleys medical report and came back asking for less draft compensation, which the Chargers declined to accept. Jim Harbaugh then made his frustration public, adding a little more heat to a rivalry that already has plenty of it and leaving the Broncos with one more reminder that even agreed-upon deals can unravel fast in this division. [Read more 🡒]