One Trade Broncos Must Make if Serious About the Playoffs

If the Denver Broncos are serious about a playoff push, they must make a trade before the deadline.

Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku (85) stares down Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt (29) as he runs to the sideline during the first half of an NFL football game at Huntington Bank Field, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in Cleveland, Ohio. / Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

When you watch the Denver Broncos offense, they're clearly missing a playmaker. The Broncos could use a weapon at wide receiver, but the bigger priority is finding a legit tight end to give the room a major boost.

Having that tight end is critical for Sean Payton's offense, and he has always had such a piece. If the Broncos' ambition is truly to make the playoffs, they have to make a trade before the November 5 deadline.

While there was some hope Greg Dulcich could become that guy, he has not and has now been a healthy scratch for back-to-back games. The Broncos need to end the Dulcich experiment and move on from him, and including him in a trade for another tight end could be the move to make. 

Some links have been made to Kyle Pitts from the Atlanta Falcons. While he could be a receiving weapon, he doesn’t help the Broncos in the blocking department. Not only do the Broncos need a receiving option from the position, they need someone who can be a capable blocker, and they don’t have that either. 

That leads to the situation of the Cleveland Browns, who sit with a 1-6 record and have managed only 109 points in seven games, or 15.57 points per game. The Browns are stuck with Deshaun  Watson's contract, who is now out for the season with an Achilles injury.

Some outlets have proposed that Denver trades for Cleveland tight end Jordan Akins, the backup tight end, and that isn’t a bad idea. However, the Broncos should be calling Cleveland about starting tight end David Njoku. 

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This hasn’t been the best season for Njoku, with 165 yards in seven games, but all of the Broncos' tight ends combined have 136 yards. Njoku has three more catches than the Broncos' tight ends combined, with 20 to 17. He would give the Broncos a legit playmaking option, as the Broncos need to boost their passing game. 

However, Njoku is also a more than capable blocker. He isn't great, but he's better than what the Broncos have and can also help out the running game in that department. Njoku is that tight end who could help in all phases of offense that the Broncos are missing. 

His contract isn’t bad for the Broncos to pick up, and he doesn’t kill the Browns' cap. Njoku is under contract for the 2025 season, so he wouldn’t be a half-season rental either. Four years of void years after the 2025 season help spread out his cap hits and make his contract even more manageable. 

Bottom Line

While many call for a receiver to be added to the team, tight end is a more immediate void. With how vital it is to have a quality tight end in Payton’s offense, the Broncos need that tight end, and getting one would likely lead to a considerable improvement in the passing game, including what the receivers are doing.

Njoku should be at the top of the Broncos' list, but if they can’t swing it or don’t want to give up the capital the Browns might be asking for, then Jordan Akins, Kyle Pitts, or even Austin Hooper would be good candidates for the Broncos to add. Whatever the case, the Broncos must add to the tight end room before the trade deadline if they're serious about pushing for a playoff spot. 

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