The Denver Broncos are going to have a lot of difficult decisions to make ahead of the 53-man roster deadline next week. They are loaded with quality depth pieces at multiple positions and are going to have to part ways with certain guys who would make plenty of other rosters around the NFL.
Earlier in the week, Denver made the tough decision in the wide receiver room by trading Devaughn Vele to the New Orleans Saints in return for a 2026 fourth-round pick and a 2027 seventh-round pick. Was it the right call? Vele is only heading into his second season in the NFL, but is already 27 years old. The 6-foot-5 receiver showed some flashes of his potential last year, but this phone call from the Saints was too good to hang up on.
The deal has sparked debate across Denver and Broncos Country, as some don’t think it was a good idea to trade a guy away who showed signs of upside. On the other side, others say that the value was too good to pass up on (turning a seventh-round pick into a future fourth and a future seventh is hard to do). On “The Drive” with Zach Bye and Phillip Lindsay on Thursday, Denver Sports 104.3 The Fan’s Cecil Lammey and Zach Bye got into a heated debate about whether or not it was the right call.
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“Devaughn Vele, right now, is a better player than Demaryius Thomas was [when he was traded]. Demaryius was done … One foot out of the league. He played for one more season … It’s no disrespect to Demaryius,” Bye said.
For those who don’t remember, midway through the 2018 season, the Broncos traded one of the greatest receiver’s in franchise history to the Houston Texans in return for a fourth-round pick and a seventh-round pick swap. Thomas was 30 and at the end of his career at that time of the trade. Vele is now 27 and just getting started.
Bye and Lammey brought up the depth in the wide receiver room and Vele’s contract, among other things, while debating on whether it was the right call.
Vele has three years left on his rookie contract that will pay him roughly $1 million per year with New Orleans. He had the third-most receptions (41) receiving yards (475) and touchdowns (3) on the team last year. For a seventh-round pick, he came onto the scene and instantly made an impact for Sean Payton and the Broncos.
Devaughn Vele was such a pleasant surprise last season. Consistent hands over the middle, efficient separator, and fantastic instincts to find open grass when plays broke down. Very excited to see what he can do in his sophomore campaign. pic.twitter.com/G4vtY3bw4Y
— Frankie Abbott (@FrankiesFilm) July 24, 2025
Taking Vele’s job will be some combination of Troy Franklin, Pat Bryant and Trent Sherfield. Alongside Sutton and tight end Evan Engram, those will be Bo Nix’s top targets in his second year. Bryant has made great strides as a rookie throughout the offseason, while Franklin has also shown signs of growth after a rookie campaign that was a bit underwhelming outside of his touchdown in the Wild Card game.
Was the trade the right move by George Paton and the Broncos? Vele has a lot of ball left to play, but a fourth-rounder is hard to pass up. It’s probably going to be difficult to tell down in New Orleans this year, as the guys they have in the quarterback room to get Vele the football are far worse than Bo Nix.
Listen to “The Drive” with Zach Bye and Phillip Lindsay weekdays from 2-6 p.m. MDT on Denver Sports 104.3 The Fan.