Of all the teams that are considering trades, the one that seems the most likely to make one before Tuesday’s deadline is the Denver Broncos.
The Broncos have heard from multiple teams interested in trading for star outside linebacker Bradley Chubb, sources told ESPN.
One team even has been willing to trade its first-round draft pick, along with other compensation, in exchange for Chubb, according to sources.
Although they are fielding trade inquiries on Chubb, the Broncos do not plan to trade Jerry Jeudy or KJ Hamler despite getting calls on the third-year wide receivers, according to sources familiar with the team’s thinking.
The Broncos, who play Sunday in London against the Jacksonville Jaguars, instead want to use Jeudy and Hamler to revive their struggling offense, the sources told ESPN. Denver could ultimately still trade one of the receivers by Tuesday, but it only would be for what the team believed to be a strong offer, according to sources.
There should be no shortage of strong offers for Chubb, who is having one of his best seasons with 5.5 sacks through Denver’s first seven games. Any team that agrees to the required trade compensation also will want to work out a contract extension for Chubb, who is in the final year of his rookie deal.
If the Broncos don’t trade Chubb by Tuesday, they also will work on signing him to keep him in Denver long term, according to sources. So Chubb is expected to get a lucrative deal whether he’s with Denver or elsewhere, and sources told ESPN his new contract is expected to be worth more than $20 million annually.
One year ago, the Broncos traded Von Miller to the Los Angeles Rams just before the deadline for second- and third-round picks, and Chubb is likely to fetch even more in compensation should Denver decide to deal him.
Chubb said Friday that he is “not even thinking about” the trade speculation and emphasized that he “hundred percent” wants to remain with the Broncos.
Chubb, 26, missed all but four games in 2019 with a torn ACL and missed 10 games last season because of bone spurs in both ankles. He had a career-best 12 sacks in 2018 after being drafted No. 5 overall that year.