The Broncos have built a roster good enough to chase a Super Bowl right now, but that kind of talent eventually creates a different problem: somebody has to become expendable. That’s the backdrop for a trade idea floating around out of Cleveland, and it’s one Denver should probably ignore.
Ryan O'Leary of Dawg Pound Daily suggested a deal that would send Ja'Quan McMillian from the Broncos to the Browns for a 2028 second-round pick, the one Cleveland owns from the Rams through the Myles Garrett trade.
O'Leary wrote:
"They also hold an extra second-round pick in 2028 via the Rams from the Myles Garrett trade, and that could be an interesting place to start with a hypothetical proposal for McMillian.
It’s rare for teams to part with a premium draft pick in exchange for a former undrafted player. McMillian is legit, though, and could prove to be the exception to that rule...
Cleveland's second-round pick in 2028 via the Rams could make sense for both sides. The Broncos would be extracting max value for an expendable asset, with Barron waiting in the wings, and the Browns could justify parting with a pick that’s likely to fall somewhere around the 60s that’s still two full NFL seasons away."
The mention of Jahdae Barron matters here. If Denver believes Barron is ready to handle the unofficial starting slot cornerback job, then the Broncos at least have a reason to listen if another team comes calling.
And from a pure value standpoint, a second-rounder in 2028 would be a strong return for McMillian, who entered the league as an undrafted player. Denver doesn’t have a massive investment tied up in him.
But that’s only part of the picture. McMillian is a playmaker.
He’s made impact plays, including a key interception in the playoffs, and he’s been one of the most active defenders on the field. The source material calls him a top-5 slot cornerback in football, which is exactly why moving him would be a risky call for the Broncos.
There’s also the bigger roster question looming in the secondary. McMillian, Riley Moss, and Brandon Jones are all scheduled to be free agents, and Denver may not be able to keep all three. It could end up being two of the three, or maybe only one.
That’s where Barron comes back into the conversation. The Broncos could see him as someone who eventually takes over Moss’ or McMillian’s role full-time in 2027 if they choose not to re-sign one of those veterans.
So yes, a McMillian trade is at least easy to imagine on paper. But just because a deal can be explained doesn’t mean it should happen.
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Payton even reached back to his own early days calling plays, pulling up a box score from a 1999 preseason game when he was the Giants quarterbacks coach to make a point to Webb. It was the kind of veteran-to-apprentice reminder that fits Denvers current setup, where the coach who has seen just about everything is still willing to teach while letting a new play-caller find his own rhythm. [Read more 🡒]