Why Broncos' 41-year-old free agent signing cancels tight-end trade rumors

With the Denver Broncos coming off a dominant Week 8 win over the Dallas Cowboys, trouncing Dallas 44-24, the Broncos are heading into Week 9 with a 6-2 record.

Less than a week until the trade deadline, and Denver has some clear needs to address, specifically, on the offensive side of the ball. Wide receiver is one of the Broncos' biggest needs, but so too is tight end. Or at least, it was.

As Bill Barnwell of ESPN highlights, the Broncos' decision to sign 41-year-old free agent tight end Marcedes Lewis has taken Denver out of the tight end trade market this season.

Why the Broncos won't trade for a tight end despite trade rumors

"I thought they might look at tight end options with Nate Adkins out," Barnwell writes, "but Payton went for one of the most experienced players in football when Denver signed 41-year-old tight end Marcedes Lewis this week. Lewis will take a handful of snaps as an inline tight end until Adkins returns."

The point that Barnwell makes is clear: due to the Lewis signing, the Broncos are no longer expected to be pursuing tight end help. After missing out on two waiver claims, the Broncos landed on Lewis to bolster their injured tight end room.

Not only is Adkins out for some time, but Lucas Krull is also out for the majority of the season. Denver needed to add a tight end in some capacity, and likely one who could be a blocker.

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Evan Engram and Adam Trautman are the two healthy options, but the Broncos needed more blocking from this group with Adkins out.

They get it in Lewis, but what it also does is take the Ravens out of the tight end trade market. Despite rumors over the last few weeks linking the Broncos to tight-end trade talks, this Lewis signing has canceled any such rumors.

Denver instead would look to the wide receiver, the offensive line, and potentially some extra cornerback depth with Patrick Surtain II's injury.

While their plans are mostly unknown, likely, Sean Payton and George Paton won't explore tight end trades in the wake of Lewis signing to the Broncos' practice squad.

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