Why the Broncos should absolutely trade for Antonio Brown

DENVER — 27-23.

23-20.

30-23.

Do these numbers look familiar to you?

These are the scores of the Denver Broncos three contests against teams that are still standing in the NFL playoffs heading into Championship Week. A 27-23 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 4, a 23-20 loss to the Los Angeles Rams in Week 6 and a 30-23 loss to the Chiefs again in Week 8.

What do these games have in common? Well, first, they were all Broncos losses. Second, on average, the Broncos defense held these teams more than a touchdown under their combined average of more than 34.1 points per game. Third, they were all one-score games. And fourth, the Broncos did not even make it to the league median in scoring (23.1) in a single one of these contests. Keep in mind, both teams ranked in the bottom third of the league in points allowed.

While Denver doubled down on defense with the hire of Vic Fangio as their new head coach, and an improved defense will help in the good fight, it’s clear that the defense in the Mile High City is already good enough to hang with the league’s elite. This is not breaking news to anyone that dons the Orange & Blue, but the offense has been anemic for three years now, and it’s the main reason the Broncos have only won 11 games over the last two seasons.

Beggars can’t be choosers.

After a rough ending to the season for the Steelers and star wide receiver Antonio Brown, including multiple missed practices and a de facto suspension, the relationship has gone awry. Last week, reports surfaced that the Steelers would be exploring “all options” other than cutting Brown, and team president Art Rooney II went as far as to say it’s “hard to envision” that Brown will be with the team in 2019.

Then, on Sunday, Ian Rapoport dropped a bomb on NFL Network, noting that a trade scenario is certainly in play and mentioning the Broncos, and only the Broncos, when talking about possible destinations.

“I am told to keep an eye on the Denver Broncos,” he said. “They may be one of the teams plotting a run at Antonio Brown.”

Rapoport later added that the “consensus” on what Pittsburgh could get in return is likely a second-round pick or potentially a second and a third.

Now that’s enticing.

For the Broncos, a team without a quarterback, they can’t afford to make any non-quarterback moves that involve first-round picks, but a second round pick? Box it, wrap it, fasten a nice bow around it and ship it to the Steelers via FedEx overnight.

That’s a no-brainer.

“But what about his attitude, it’s too much of a risk,” some will say.

Was it a risk when the Broncos took DeMarcus Walker in the second round? Ty Sambrailo? Cody Latimer? Montee Ball?

Even Adam Gotsis and Courtland Sutton, the team’s two best second-round picks in the last six drafts, can only dream of one day having the impact on the field that Antonio Brown is capable of.

He may come with some baggage, but the potential rewards well outweigh the risks for the small price of a second-round pick.

“But his contract,” some will yell, “the Broncos can’t afford it!”

As it stands, the Broncos have more than 45 million in cap space, more than enough to take on Brown’s 2019 cap hit of just over $22 million. Heck, by simply moving on from Emmanuel Sanders and Derek Wolfe, you could essentially negate the costs you would incur by bringing on the man they call ‘AB.’

And no, Sanders is not in the same stratosphere as a player.

“But the Broncos don’t have anyone to get him the ball,” some will exclaim.

They do have the 10th pick in the draft, and you know what a young quarterback needs? Weapons.

Just ask Patrick Mahomes, who was thrust into an offense where he was surrounded by one of the league’s best running backs, one of the league’s best wide receivers and one of the league’s best tight ends. That’s how you throw 50 touchdowns while making the “NFL learning curve” look like a load of malarky.

Stick your pick of Dwayne Haskins, Kyler Murray or Drew Lock into an offense with Phillip Lindsay and Antonio Brown, and you’re a tight end and a creative offense away from that ideal mix. Not to mention the wonders Brown’s presence on the field would do for guys like Courtland Sutton, DaeSean Hamilton and even Lindsay. Just ask JuJu Smith-Schuster and James Conner. Oh, and if they really wanted to, the Broncos could afford to have Emmanuel Sanders on that field, too.

Heck, maybe without the load of ‘baggery that is Ben Roethlisberger as his quarterback, a guy like Brown can flourish mentally and physically.

Any more questions or concerns?

To nobody’s surprise, John Elway has attacked the beginning of this offseason with his trademark “win now” attitude and, for better or for worse, this team isn’t rebuilding any time soon. So, for this team—a team that has been closer to the No. 1 pick that they have been to the playoffs in the last couple years—to start winning, they have to be willing to take risks like trading for one of the league’s best receivers, regardless of any off-the-field concerns.

Beggars can’t be choosers. Let that business boom.