The Broncos are no strangers to big trades, having made deals over nearly 30 years involving some of the NFL’s biggest stars. NFL reporter Lindsay H. Jones analyzes them:
JOHN ELWAY – 1983
Trade partner: Baltimore Colts.
Broncos got: Future Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway.
Colts got: OL Chris Hinton, QB Mark Herrmann and the first-round draft pick in 1984 that the Colts used to draft G Ron Solt.
Who won: Easy. The Elway trade changed the future of the Broncos’ organization. Hinton and Solt had fine NFL careers, but the Colts regretted trading Elway until they finally landed their franchise quarterback in 1998 (a guy named Peyton Manning).
GARY ZIMMERMAN – 1993
Trade partner: Minnesota Vikings.
Broncos got: Future Hall of Fame offensive tackle Gary Zimmerman.
Vikings got: Draft picks in 1993 that became CB Dewayne Washington and TE Andrew Jordan, and a 1995 first-round pick that Minnesota used to draft S Orlando Thomas.
Who won: Zimmerman played only five seasons for Denver before retiring, but he was a crucial piece of the Broncos’ first Super Bowl championship team. That he protected Elway so well made the Broncos the winner in this deal. The three players the Vikings got played a total of 27 seasons in the NFL.
CHAMP BAILEY AND CLINTON PORTIS – 2004
Trade partner: Washington Redskins.
Broncos got: Champ Bailey and a second-round pick that became RB Tatum Bell.
Redskins got: Clinton Portis.
Who won: No clear-cut winner here, though Broncos have an edge. Bailey has been to five Pro Bowls and intercepted 28 passes since becoming a Bronco, and he is the team’s longest-tenured player. Bell was serviceable and the last Broncos back to rush for more than 1,000 yards (in 2006). Portis has 6,597 yards and 44 touchdowns for the Redskins, and has been re- united at Washington with Mike Shanahan, the Denver coach who traded him.
JAY CUTLER – 2009
Trade partner: Chicago Bears.
Broncos got: Quarterback Kyle Orton plus a 2009 first- round draft pick that became OLB Robert Ayers (No. 18 overall), a third-round pick (No. 84) that was packaged with another third to move up into second round to draft TE Richard Quinn, and a 2010 first-round pick Denver traded to Seattle to draft CB Alphonso Smith at No. 37 overall in 2009.
Bears got: Quarterback Jay Cutler and the 2009 fifth- round pick that Chicago used to draft WR Johnny Knox.
Who won: Too early to tell. Cutler threw too many interceptions in 2009 and wasn’t the immediate savior in Chicago that Bears fans were envisioning. Orton was solid, but not spectacular, for the Broncos. How well the Broncos ultimately fare in this deal will depend on the development of all of those younger players.
BRANDON MARSHALL – 2010
Trade partner: Miami Dolphins.
Broncos got: The No. 43 overall pick (second round) in the draft next week and a second-round pick in 2011.
Dolphins got: WR Brandon Marshall, whom they will pay about $10 million a year for the next five years.
Who won: Right now, both sides seem to have gotten exactly what they wanted — which is more than anyone could have hoped for.
