Insider Links Broncos OLB Duo as Trade Targets to Watch

This could be a smart move for the Denver Broncos, at the right price.

Sep 8, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; Denver Broncos linebacker Jonathon Cooper (0) celebrates following a sack against the Seattle Seahawks during the first quarter at Lumen Field. / Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

The Denver Broncos currently possess one of the best defenses in the NFL. That defense, on top of a very underappreciated special teams unit, should get most of the credit for this team’s early-season success.

How is Denver getting it done? An aggressive, blitz-heavy front paired with excellent man-cover defensive backs, the best cornerback in football, and waves of talented pass-rushing depth along the defensive line.

The Broncos defense has been so impressive this season that some teams around the league are apparently interested to see if they'd be willing to trade from a potential surplus. That’s always a risky proposition in-season, given injuries can change how a unit looks rather dramatically and quickly.

But with the San Francisco 49ers apparently interested in Broncos defensive tackle D.J. Jones, other defenders are being floated on the trade market as the November 5 deadline approaches.

According to NFL insider Ian Rapoport, rush linebacker Baron Browning and his partner on the opposite side, Jonathon Cooper, is a name to watch if the Broncos are interested in trading any defenders before the deadline.  

“A converted off-the-ball LB who had 4.5 sacks last year, Browning's playing time has dwindled in Denver and he's in a contract year. He could be available. Denver has depth at the position. Linebacker Jonathon Cooper could draw interest, as well," Rapoport wrote.

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With Browning and Cooper set to hit free agency at the end of this season, it makes sense for Denver to at least take the temperature on the market for their edge defenders at this point, even amid a playoff race. This team is a feisty competitor but not a probable championship team yet. Trading an edge the Broncos don’t plan to re-sign in the offseason is a viable path forward.

Not only will Cooper and Browning be looking to cash in this offseason, but Nik Bonitto will be a free agent in 2026. Denver will probably look to re-sign at least one, if not two, of its edges, but all three seem extremely unlikely.

Given the fact that Denver has the 10th-most cap space this offseason, letting Browning or Cooper walk and playing the compensatory game is not probable. Compensatory picks for free agents get canceled out when teams sign a player for an equivalent or greater contract. It’s hard to imagine Denver sitting out free agency with cap space just to recoup a compensatory pick for the 2025 draft.

Will Denver trade Browning or Cooper?

Browning seems far more likely to be on the move. The Broncos already survived half their games this season without the talented edge rusher, and Browning, despite his tantalizing pass-rushing profile, just hasn’t been on the field consistently enough to be someone the team should invest a large second contract in at this point. He’s been injured and unavailable too often.

If Denver is able to package Browning with a pick, perhaps the team can garner a Day 2 selection in return. There are ample teams desperate for pass rushers, so there will be a market. However, unlike in years past, this isn’t a Denver team circling the drain and eager to move pieces in a lost season. 

This team is very much a playoff contender so any move would need to entice Denver to potentially give up some immediate depth and talent in favor of assets to help this team to continue to grow and evolve this upcoming offseason.

A late-Day 3 pick offered for Browing or Cooper should be promptly met with a chuckle and a dial tone from the Broncos’ front office.

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