What Broncos Trade Deadline Decision Means for 2023 Season

The Denver Broncos are gearing up for a stretch run.

The NFL trade deadline came and went on Tuesday without the Denver Broncos making any additional moves. Sean Payton was true to his word.

Despite a wild rumor mill this fall, the Broncos weren't sellers at the deadline.

Denver did make one trade since the regular season started, dispatching rush linebacker Randy Gregory and a 2024 seventh-round draft pick to the San Francisco 49ers early this month in exchange for a 2024 sixth-rounder.

The Broncos didn't move Jerry Jeudy, Courtland Sutton, or anyone else at the deadline. There were offers, based on reports, but whatever they were, keeping these players on the roster was deemed more valuable by Payton and GM George Paton. 

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What it Means

In the wake of the Broncos' win over the Kansas City Chiefs, this team has been infused with a massive dose of confidence and swagger. Winners of two in a row, the Broncos sit at 3-5 entering their Week 9 bye. 

Payton has finally established a winning model in Denver; playing good defense, running the ball with authority, and capitalizing on red-zone trips. Although four of the Broncos' next six games coming out of the bye are on the road, if the team stays true to this newfound blueprint, Payton's squad can beat anyone. 

Although many fans will lament it, the Broncos aren't going to tank the season for draft position. That's not Denver's style traditionally, nor is it Payton's. 

The Broncos hired Payton to restore the team to competitive relevance in the NFL. It has taken some time for Payton to acclimate to his new football environs and get to know his personnel, but things are finally starting to click. 

So the Broncos are going to pursue what remains of this season with integrity. Denver holds seven picks in the 2024 NFL draft, currently, so if it turns out that losing five of their first six games was a hole too deep to dig out of, this team isn't exactly bereft of capital to continue shaping the roster in Payton's image. 

Plus, with the exception of linebacker Josey Jewell, every player who was linked to trade rumors this year can still be dealt away in the offseason, before the draft. Jewell will be a free agent. 

Payton has pushed all of his chips in on 2023. Russell Wilson is playing well, and there's evidence to suggest he'll only improve as the season marches on. 

Buckle up, Broncos Country, because Payton didn't come here to dismantle the roster and orchestrate a rebuild. Payton's Broncos mean to compete, and this two-game winning streak shows that they can do just that when they stay true to the model. 

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