Broncos predicted to send defensive lineman to division rival in proposed trade

The Denver Broncos face some tough contract decisions before the 2026 season starts, leading to speculation that at least one of the players set to become a free agent could be traded. 

The Broncos have Nik Bonitto, Zach Allen and Courtland Sutton all in contract years, which could put a guy like John Franklin-Myers as less of a priority, even if he has another big season. Could the Broncos look to trade him? Would they be willing to send him to a team within the division?

Brandon Austin of PFSN believes that they could. While discussing one player each team should target before the season kicks off, Austin declares that the Chargers should check in on Franklin-Myers. Here was his assessment:

"The Chargers parted with longtime star edge rusher Joey Bosa. The five-time Pro Bowler was a franchise cornerstone and racked up 72 sacks, 277 pressures, and 136 QB hits with a career 15.3% pressure rate. That’s a lot of production to replace, but Bosa has also missed significant time over the past few seasons.

Los Angeles was able to retain Khalil Mack, who was the sixth-best free agent this offseason in PFSN’s rankings. His return makes things more manageable, and Tuli Tuipulotu should be ready for an increased role after recording 8.5 sacks in 2024.

The Chargers also added South Carolina’s Kyle Kennard through the draft. Still, it feels like they are one move away from solidifying the position and being a top unit again in 2025.

This would be a rare trade between divisional foes, so it’s highly unlikely to happen, but John Franklin-Myers fills a major need for Los Angeles. The Broncos could also afford to lose him.

Denver has major decisions looming on the defensive line, with Nik Bonitto and Zach Allen both set to hit free agency next offseason. With limited cap space and a top-ranked defense to maintain, Denver won’t be able to keep everyone.

Franklin-Myers is entering the final year of his contract, making him a potential cap casualty. He posted a career-high 7.0 sacks in his first season with Denver in 2024. Since 2020, his 14.4% pressure rate ranks 13th among 159 defenders with at least 1,000 pass rush snaps, and he’s topped 14% in each of the last three seasons."

That makes sense, but Austin himself notes that a trade would be unlikely. 

The Broncos lost both games to the Chargers last season and they know that they will be a major roadblock in their path this season. As a result, they won't be in the business of making their defense even better. 

The Broncos obtained Franklin-Myers in a trade with the New York Jets last year and he played quite well for the team. While the team may not be able to keep him around after the season, it would be better to ride the year out with him than to trade him to the Chargers. 

Sai'vion Jones, a third-round pick in this year's draft, was a player the Broncos traded up to be able to select. That move was likely made with the idea of having to move on from Franklin-Myers after the season in mind.

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