The Denver Broncos were a project for head coach Sean Payton to fix and turn back into a contender. After a disastrous 2022 season, the 2023 campaign hasn't been any better. Their lone win on the year was against the Chicago Bears. Other than that, they failed to force overtime against the Washington Commanders despite a successful Hail Mary pass at the buzzer and had 70 points scored on them by the Miami Dolphins. With a 1-4 record, the Broncos are a prime contender to sell at the trade deadline.
While speaking with reporters on Tuesday, Payton was asked if the team would sell by the Oct. 31 trade deadline. Payton said that the team was "not looking to do business with any of our players." However, Payton said that he would still listen to class from teams.
Payton's comments come courtesy of Zac Stevens of DNVR Sports.
So the Broncos won't trade players, but they'll still listen to offers. Of course, it would be negligent not to pick up the phone to see what a team is willing to pony up for a player.
Sean Payton not looking to trade players, but will still listen to calls
NFL Network's James Palmer appeared on NFL+'s "The Insiders," and said that there is a belief among the players in the Broncos locker room that "a tear down is coming."
Denver could benefit from selling at the trade deadline. They sit near at the bottom of the AFC and statistically have the worst defense in the league through the first five weeks of the season. With Payton looking to build the roster in his image, getting players of interest and draft capital could help him do so.
The Broncos are currently in contention to land a Top 5 pick as of this writing. If they land within the first two selections, quarterbacks Caleb Williams and Drake Maye.
With the trade deadline taking place on Halloween, the clock is ticking. We'll see if the Broncos are willing to trade its players, or opt to stand pat. But as Palmer states in the video clip above, the players feel that the team will ultimately tear down the roster.
