A report several days ago listed the Broncos as being unlikely to trade for Cooper Kupp. No one traded for Kupp, as the Rams abandoned that pursuit and cut the former All-Pro. With Kupp on the market, however, Denver is believed to have interest.
Kupp may also have interest, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, who said during an appearance on Altitude Sports 92.3 FM that if the veteran receiver had his way, “he would like to be in Denver.” Adding that the Broncos would be an appealing destination for the cap casualty, Schefter points to interest on the player’s part. The team would stand to be interested as well, and Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz describes the Broncos as “firmly in the mix.”
The 31-year-old receiver has been connected to a potential $12MM-per-year number, and with at least four other teams (the Patriots included) in the mix, Schultz expects Kupp’s asking price to ultimately be met. Kupp has been connected to wanting to stay on the West Coast. Colorado certainly does not qualify, but the Broncos would qualify as a fit.
Denver has one of the game’s best contested-catch players in Courtland Sutton, a two-time 1,000-yard receiver who operates primarily as an outside playmaker. Beyond Sutton, a host of unproven rookie-contract wideouts round out Denver’s group. Marvin Mims presents the most promise of this cast, being 2-for-2 in first-team All-Pro nods as a returner and impressing as a receiver down the stretch. The Broncos also saw flashes from fourth-round rookie Troy Franklin — a Bo Nix college teammate — and seventh-rounder Devaughn Vele. That said, this offense could benefit from a veteran performer.
Sean Payton named tight end as a position he was more interested in filling compared to receiver, and the team has checked that box by adding Evan Engram on a two-year, $23MM deal ($16.5MM guaranteed). Kupp appears to land in a similar price range, after not staying healthy during his three-year, $80MM Rams extension. The Broncos do have a rookie-QB contract to build around, though they are also carrying $30MM-plus in Russell Wilson dead money this season. While an opportunity to add talent exists, the Wilson number is not exactly an afterthought on the Broncos’ cap sheet.
More to come.