Englewood, Colo. (AP) – The Denver Broncos have agreed to send wide receiver and former first-round pick Jerry Jeudy to the Cleveland Browns for a pair of 2024 draft picks, two people with knowledge of the trade told The Associated Press on Saturday. told. ,
The people, who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the impending deal was not immediately announced by either team, said the Broncos will receive fifth- and sixth-round picks in next month’s NFL draft when the trade is next made. The week will become official.
The Browns are getting another big target and deep threat in No. 1 receiver Amari Cooper and quarterback Deshaun Watson.
Moving on from Jeudy will save the Broncos $13 million in both cash and salary cap space. The first of two draft picks they receive is a fifth-round pick. That gives Denver eight picks in the April draft.
The Broncos have cleared nearly $50 million in cap space over the past few days after informing quarterback Russell Wilson they will release him when the new league year starts next week.
Possible landing spots for Wilson include the Steelers and Giants. His next team will only have to pay him the veteran’s minimum $1.2 million because the Broncos will have to pay him the remainder of his $39 million salary in 2024.
The Broncos released All-Pro safety Justin Simmons on Thursday and renegotiated the contract of wide receiver Tim Patrick.
The Broncos used the 15th overall pick in 2020 to draft Jeudy, the highest wide receiver they have ever selected. He never lived up to that billing, largely because Denver continued to churn through the middle quarterbacks.
Jeudy often showed his frustration on the field, especially last season when he caught just two touchdown passes after a strong 2022 campaign in which he set career highs with 972 receiving yards and six TD receptions.
Jeudy has 11 career touchdown catches in four seasons. He is entering the final year of his contract after the Broncos exercised their fifth-year option on him.
The Browns were linked to Jeudy last year but were unable to finalize a deal with the Broncos at the trade deadline.
Cleveland considered exploring adding a top-tier wideout in free agency, but was able to acquire a proven wideout in Jeudy, who like Cooper had played at Alabama.
Jeudy’s speed is expected to be an asset for Watson, who likes to throw deep and had shown signs of being an elite QB again before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury in 2023.
The Browns traded for Elijah Moore last offseason, and he didn’t really succeed until Joe Flacco came in late in the season and led Cleveland to the playoffs.
Cleveland also signed free agent Marquise Goodwin as a deep threat, but injuries slowed his pace and he had little impact during the Browns’ 11–6 season, which ended with a playoff loss to Houston. Happened.
The Broncos extended their losing season streak to seven with an 8–9 record in coach Sean Payton’s first season in Denver.
The Broncos’ chances of ending their eight-year playoff drought in 2024 have diminished with the decision to move on from Wilson, a separation that includes a whopping $85 million in dead cap fees, leaving the team with Jeudy and Veterans like Simmons were forced to leave. , among others.
Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
