Broncos Pivot Back To Defense In Surprising Deadline Deal

The Denver Broncos were expected to address their offensive issues at running back and with their offensive line at the trade deadline, but instead they pivoted to defense and made a surprising deal within the AFC West to acquire Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Daiyan Henley. 

Jeff Legwold of ESPN did the follow-up report, and he noted that at least some of this move was about cap management as the Broncos gave up a fourth-round pick in 2027 and a fifth-rounder in 2028. 

The Broncos were reported to be in on a big trade for Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor, but that would have required some additional work to add bigger contracts. Taylor got stranded in Indy, though, and he’s been named one of the big losers after the deadline. 

The fan base probably won’t be happy about this. It’s basically a depth move at linebacker right now, although Henley has been a tackling machine for the Chargers, with 51 in eight games to lead an 0-8 team so far. 

One angle on this move is that it could be the first signal in the end of linebacker Jonathon Cooper’s tenure in Denver. Alex Singleton has been leading the league in tackles, but he’s 32 and has played a ton of snaps, and Cooper is facing a trial for felony assault in a domestic violence incident that will start in March. 

This trade is also an admission that the Broncos win with defense, so given their cap situation and the options that were available they made a smaller move to ensure that they can continue to do that. 

Henley’s cap situation plays into all this. He’s in the final year of his rookie deal and is scheduled to become a free agent next year, per Legwold, who added that his salary fits with Denver’s $5 million in remaining cap space. 

The linebacker was a third-round draft selection in 2023, Henley had 317 tackles, five sacks and four interceptions in 56 career games with the Chargers.

The Broncos did make calls on other running backs per multiple reports, and coach Sean Payton also reportedly called around the league to try to add a tight end, with the Broncos being rebuffed in their efforts to get Trey McBride of the Arizona Cardinals. 

The trade leaves the Broncos short on running backs for the moment, with rookie Jonah Coleman and J.K. Dobbins currently carrying the load there, and it leaves disappointing tight end Evan Engram as their best receiving option at the position.