Denver Broncos As the NFL quickly approaches the midway point of the 2024 season, there’s one place in the AFC playoff picture where things are getting busy. At 4-3, Denver nearly exceeded the team’s season win total projection in Vegas (5.5) and is performing well above national expectations entering the year.

With Denver vying for a playoff berth, the organization still appears to be operating under the impression of a competitive rebuilding season. I played with many young players and The biggest dead hit in the NFLDenver may make the playoffs this season, but the reality is that this team is still likely to be a few steps away from title contention.

From that perspective, it makes sense for the Broncos to be sellers as well as buyers as the Nov. 5 trade deadline approaches. Denver shouldn’t accept calls on players the organization sees as long-term building blocks, but are there any players who could be on the move as free agents this offseason? The Broncos should at least pick up the phone.

One player who fits that bill is third-year Broncos linebacker DJ Jones. athletics Michael Silver reported early last week He said the San Francisco 49ers are looking to add talent to the defensive line before the trade deadline. Considering the NFC West is open for the taking this season, San Francisco is still in the thick of things. Despite being in last place in the league with a score of 3-4.

The Athletic’s Dianna Russini also added more about the 49ers’ quest to strengthen the interior defensive line, naming former 49ers standout Jones as a potential trade candidate the 49ers could covet.

“Two other former San Francisco players, linebackers DeForest Buckner (Colts) and DJ Jones (Broncos), have been discussed internally by the team’s decision-makers, but I don’t get the sense that Indy or Denver are open to moving either player.” Russini Wrote.

Jones is having a resurgent year in Denver after a disappointing 2023 season. Jones is a shorter, squatter player of limited length, averaging 6’1″ 320 pounds, the shorter of the two wideout interior linemen. However, Denver’s other interior players are Zach Allen in an attack-oriented front that presses more space under a blitz-centric Vance Joseph defense. , with Malcolm Roach and John Franklin-Myers performing well.

Given that Denver’s run defense is arguably the worst aspect of what has become one of the premier defenses in the NFL this season, why would the Broncos consider shipping Jones?

Jones is in the final year of his contract He’s in Denver and will be 30 this summer. He has a chance to remain with the team, but Jones could very well walk as other areas of the roster need to be addressed as well. given Denver now has the 10th most cap space In the league next summer, it’s unlikely the Broncos will be given a compensatory pick for letting Jones go. The Broncos will likely spend an equivalent contract or more on a free agent, negating any potential compensatory picks for Denver.

As Russini noted in his article, the Broncos probably don’t want to move on from Jones. It’s hard to imagine the team getting a significant return on the 29-year-old run-stopping interior plug who will make the defensive loss this season worthwhile.

Any move such as switching picks in the mid to late day of Day 3 is not as valuable as keeping Jones in his current role. If the 49ers were willing to give up a 4th round pick or return a Day 2 pick and an early Day 3 pick from Denver in exchange for Jones, then maybe Denver could play ball, but that doesn’t seem likely.

If the Broncos are going to move on from Jones, expect a higher dose of former 4th round pick Eiyoma Uwazurike. After missing all of 2023 due to a gambling suspension, the Broncos kept him on the team and praised him when given the opportunity.

There seems to be inherent optimism that Uwazurike will be a useful player in the near future, and Jones’ departure will accelerate that opportunity.

It is unlikely that the Broncos’ defensive line will move away from the extremely useful player DJ Jones, taking away from his team’s strength and hindering their playoff push. He had a very good season on the team’s most advanced unit and is a key cog in the run defense.

Removing him could have a domino effect on the entire unit, which has survived the small investment at the inside linebacker position due to the strength of the secondary in man coverage and deep rotation of linebackers.

Given his age and the fact that it’s the final year of his contract, Jones might not be a part of the Broncos if this team actually makes title contention next time, but that doesn’t mean the team should give up on him for a small return.

If the 49ers are willing to part with a valuable draft pick in return, Denver should be interested. But even if it’s less, it’s better to keep him until the 2024 playoffs and re-evaluate whether the team should keep him this offseason.