Is Payton Really Targeting This Star Tight End In A Trade?

Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton has made a career out of using deception in his play calling, and he’s certainly not above using it on the media from time to time. Payton has some unique language when it comes to getting his messages across, and it’s fair to wonder if he’s not doing that now with the trade deadline approaching. 

The Broncos have beeen rumored to be all-in on the possibility of adding running back Jonathan Taylor at the deadline, which makes sense on paper. Running back J.K. Dobbins has underperformed to date, and it was only when rookie Jonah Coleman made his approach that the Broncos running game began to take off. 

But trading for Taylor feels extremely unlikely, mostly because it’s not how Payton typically operates. The Broncos reportedly balked on adding running back Travis Etienne during the offseason when his contract demands began to soar, and this wouldn’t get any better with Taylor. 

It would be different, however. The Indianapolis Colts are going to want draft picks for Taylor, and the draft capital costs would be high. The Broncos have the picks to send, but the coach and GM George Paton didn’t spend the last year carefully managing the cap  only to change course when a running back becomes available. 

But Payton does value the tight end possibility immensely, and there’s another possibility in play here. It’s about Arizona tight end Trey McBride, who just torched the Broncos secondary for ten catches, 111 yards and a touchdown last Sunday. 

Could Payton actually be targeting McBride behind the scenes? It sure sounded possible on Sunday, as Payton complimented McBride effusively as one of the best he’d ever seen in the move/joker role. 

The draft cost would also be enormous here, but Payton might be willing to pay it if he really wants to do this. It’s starting to look like cornerback Jahdae Barron will be a candidate to be moved at the deadline given the way he struggled with tackling and coverage, but the former first-rounder still has a lot of value to offer. 

Call all of this idle speculation if you’d like, and it certainly is that. But it also makes a certain amount of sense when it comes to what Payton wants, and the Broncos have other good players they could offer as part of a deal. It’s something to watch going forward, especially if the offense struggles against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.