ENGLEWOOD, Colo — The destruction from the Russell Wilson trade has ended.
But the spinoff debris from the Wilson trade damage has a bit more mess for the Broncos to clean up with this weekend’s NFL Draft.
It’s been a three-year ordeal.
The Broncos acquired Wilson from Seattle to fix their quarterback problem in 2022, and then they acquired head coach Sean Payton from New Orleans in 2023 to fix Wilson.
The Broncos surrendered a first-round, second-round and fifth-round pick in the 2022 draft to get Wilson from the Seattle Seahawks. Denver also surrendered a first- and second-round draft pick in 2023. The Broncos also gave up three veteran players in tight end Noah Fant, quarterback Drew Lock and defensive lineman Shelby Harris.
All the surrendered draft picks are now behind the Broncos. Lock and Harris have moved on from Seattle while Fant re-upped. And the Broncos are still looking for a down-field receiver tight end threat. Fant is one residual still lurking from the Wilson trade.
Payton’s rights were acquired from New Orleans in exchange for a first-round pick in 2023 and second-round pick this year.
The Broncos must deal with that second-round void this year, and then can fully recover from the Wilson trade.
Denver actually got Wilson and a fourth-round pick in its trade with Seattle. Wilson was released after two seasons, and the fourth-round pick, defensive lineman Eyioma Uwazurike, was suspended last season because of gambling violations.
Everything about the Wilson trade doomed the Broncos.
Throw in last year’s draft trade for cornerback Riley Moss and the Broncos have just two picks – No. 12 and 76 – among the first 120 selections in this weekend’s draft. That’s not much material with which to rebuild a franchise that is presently suffering from seven consecutive losing seasons.
Here are some possible players for the Broncos at No. 12 and 76:
No. 12
Bo Nix, quarterback. (Either by trade back or stand pat at 12.)
Others: J.J. McCarthy, QB (if he unexpectantly falls); Dallas Turner, edge; Terrion Arnold, cornerback; Laiatu Latu, edge; Jared Verse, edge; Any one of Big Three receivers who may drop (Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabors, Rome Odunze); Byron Murphy, defensive tackle; Brock Bowers, tight end; Amarius Mims, offensive tackle.
No. 76
Some of these would require a trade up from 76:
Xavier Legette, receiver/returner; Jaylen Wright, RB; Trey Benson, RB; Ray Davis, R B, Kentucky; Ladd McConkey, receiver/returner; Lideatrick Griffin, returner/receiver; Roman Wilson, WR; Ricky Pearsall, receiver/returner; Bucky Irving, RB; Spencer Rattler, QB; Jeremiah Trotter Jr., ILB
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