NFL Trade Rumors: Russell Wilson expected to lose weapon in major blow to Sean Payton’s new offense

Russell Wilson and the Denver Broncos are entering a new era under the leadership of Sean Payton and changes are already happening three months into his tenure. The team did not have a first-round draft pick due to the quarterback's deal, and one of their second-round picks was used on wide receiver Marvin Mims from Oklahoma.

But ESPN analyst Bill Barnwell thinks that, following the addition of Mims, other changes might be coming for the wide receiver group. Barnwell expects the Broncos to boost their haul of 2024 draft picks with the trade away of a veteran receiver, and his pick for the deal is Jerry Jeudy.

"I argued that trading Jeudy made the most sense at the time, given the likely return and the physical traits coach Sean Payton typically wants from his wide receivers. For the Broncos, it might make sense to wait until training camp and see whether a team loses a star wide receiver to a season-ending injury."

---

Broncos wide receiver depth chart: Who's expected to play with Russell Wilson in 2023?

In the quarterback's second season, there's the expectation that Jerry Jeudy might not be on the Broncos' roster once the season starts. The former Alabama wide receiver has been subject to trade talks for a while now, and his future doesn't look like it belongs to Denver.

Apart from the quarterback's struggles, the Wilson-Jeudy partnership was productive in 2022

If Jeudy indeed leaves the team, Courtland Sutton and Tim Patrick will be the primary receiving options. Sutton has developed into a number-one receiver, while Patrick is a trustworthy option who missed the 2022 season with a knee injury.

Marvin Mims is expected to see his role grow over the course of 2023, while the KJ Hamler pick clearly did not work out the way the Broncos hoped for. Marquez Callaway also should make the 53-man roster in August, giving a great core for Wilson.