The Only Way to Fix the Broncos? Tear It All Down

To rebuild, Denver needs to trade away its best players, including wide receiver Jerry Jeudy.

Initially, I told myself I would keep a close eye on Broncos All-Pro cornerback Patrick Surtain II during Thursday night’s game against the Chiefs.

I wanted to make sure Surtain is still playing at an elite level individually, so I could blame the Broncos’ poor defense and offense for why Surtain’s numbers are down this season. Also, if the Broncos are serious about tearing down the roster, Surtain might be the one player who could net them a future first-round pick.

The Broncos might not be willing to part with Patrick Surtain, who’s a bright spot on defense :: Denny Medley/USA TODAY Sports

But then Steve Smith Sr., the Panthers great and current NFL Network analyst, decided to verbally destroy Broncos wide receiver Jerry Jeudy on live television—a diss bar so hot that I couldn’t tell whether Nas used it while he was battling with Jay-Z two decades ago.

Here’s what Smith said about Jeudy on the Arrowhead Stadium field before Thursday Night Football:

“I’m sorry that I said you were a J.A.G., just a guy, who’s an average wide receiver they used a first-round pick on, that isn’t doing anything. I hope today that you show up in a way that you haven’t showed up in the last couple years since they drafted you.”

Jeudy didn’t show up and neither did the Broncos, who fell to the Chiefs, 19–8. With the Broncos having a 1–5 record, they will likely continue unloading players as the Oct. 31 trade deadline approaches.

But before discussing the many Broncos players who might be on the trading block, I have a few thoughts about Smith’s criticism of Jeudy, the No. 15 pick in the 2020 draft. (I had to keep a close eye on Jeudy after the random feud. He only had three catches for 14 yards vs. the Chiefs.)

First of all, I’m going to start using J.A.G, especially during draft season and free agency. Secondly, I don’t know how I feel about Smith talking on television as if he’s still playing in the league—he’s one of the greatest trash talkers of all time and a former standout wide receiver for the Panthers and Ravens. But I do appreciate Smith’s honesty. Many former players tend to play it safe as TV analysts because they don’t want to offend their former NFL colleagues.

Also, I mostly agree with Smith. Jeudy hasn’t played up to his potential, but he also hasn’t had the best surroundings. He caught passes from Drew Lock, Teddy Bridgewater, Jeff Driskel and Brett Rypien before the real chaos arrived following the team’s trade for Russell Wilson.

Wide receiver Courtland Sutton has also disappointed, partly because of injuries the past few seasons. Both might be on new teams by Halloween. On the defensive side, Frank Clark will soon join Randy Gregory as former Broncos who started the season in Denver. Safety Justin Simmons, a three-time Second-Team All-Pro, could also be on the move.

As for Surtain, the Broncos might not be willing to part with one of the best young players in the league. But Sean Payton’s squad desperately needs high draft picks to finally move on from the mess the front office created with the Wilson trade. And don’t expect a team to take on Wilson’s massive contract in a trade before the deadline.

Surtain has struggled this season because he hasn’t had much help. He had a 68.9 defensive grade and 65.3 coverage grade before Thursday’s game, according to Pro Football Focus.

The Broncos’ defense entered Thursday ranked last in points (36.2) and yards allowed (450.6) per game. They were also last in rushing yards (938) and 31st in passing yards (1,315) allowed.

But somehow, Vance Joseph’s unit held the Chiefs to three points for most of the first half. The Chiefs entered the red zone on their first three drives, but Mahomes threw an interception to Simons and Kansas City failed on a trick play during a fourth-and-2 from the Denver 6-yard line.

The Chiefs eventually found the end zone on their fourth drive after Mahomes connected with wide receiver Kadarius Toney on a three-yard touchdown pass to extend their lead 10–0 with 3:06 left before halftime.

Plenty of playoff contenders could make use of wide receiver Jerry Jeudy.  :: Isaiah J. Downing/USA TODAY Sports

Toney’s score offers a good segue, and a golden opportunity to use Smith’s phrase again, so I’m gonna take it. The Giants thought of Toney as a “J.A.G” and traded the 2021 first-round pick to the Chiefs ahead of last year’s trade deadline. Many might still view Toney as a “J.A.G.” due to his somewhat quiet second season in Kansas City. Also, many haven’t forgotten about his handful of drops that hurt the Chiefs in the season-opening loss to the Lions.

But Toney is also a “S.B.C” (Super Bowl champion) and stepped up in the big game against the Eagles. Perhaps Jeudy can find that type of team success elsewhere, and prove Smith wrong on an individual level. Smith referred to Jeudy as a No. 3 wide receiver. His potential suggests he’s better than that, but he’s never had a 1,000-yard receiving season.

Jeudy could certainly at least be a No. 2 for the Bills, Ravens, Cowboys or Lions—all playoff contenders who could use another wideout. The Chiefs and Chargers could also use Jeudy, but the Broncos might not want to trade with their AFC West rivals.

I didn’t mean to make this column a “best landing spots” story for Jeudy, but Smith got me thinking with his critical comments about the Alabama product. It was also a reminder that the Broncos really need to trade most of their best players to get a real refresh next season.

Payton viewed the roster he inherited as a team he could help compete, which could explain why he didn’t trade Jeudy and Sutton before the season started, but summer injuries at the position might have not allowed it. On the other hand, the Broncos spent money in free agency as if they were a few signings away from becoming a playoff team. Then Payton did his best Smith impersonation when he decided to rip former Broncos coach Nathaniel Hackett in a candid interview during training camp.

Payton’s actions and words suggest he thought he could do a quick fix in Denver. He was wrong. Now, the 1–5 Broncos need to get real and commence the real tear down.