Last spring, Denver Broncos general manager George Paton traded first-, second- and fifth-round picks in the 2022 NFL draft, plus first- and second-round picks in 2023, plus quarterback Drew Lock, tight end Noah Fant and defensive lineman Shelby Harris to the Seattle Seahawks.
In exchange for those picks and players, Seattle sent quarterback Russell Wilson and a 2022 fourth-round pick back to Denver.
The Seahawks used the Broncos’ first-round pick last year (No. 9 overall) to select offensive tackle Charles Cross. Seattle then used Denver’s second-round pick to select outside linebacker Boye Mafe. The Seahawks later traded the fifth-round pick from the Broncos and used two resulting picks to select outside linebacker Tyreke Smith and wide receiver Dareke Young.
The Broncos used the fourth-round pick from Seattle to select defensive lineman Eyioma Uwazurike. So far, Denver has added two players in the trade while the Seahawks have added seven — and two more players are on the way for Seattle this year.
With the 2022 regular season now over, we know the 2023 first-round pick the Broncos traded will be fifth overall. Seattle will also own Denver’s second-round pick in this year’s draft. Even if Wilson has a better season next fall than he did in 2022, it’s looking like the Seahawks easily won last year’s trade with the Broncos.
There is some early-round good news for Denver this year — Paton acquired a first-round pick from the Miami Dolphins in exchange for outside linebacker Bradley Chubb last November.
The pick the Dolphins traded to the Broncos originally belonged to the San Francisco 49ers, so we won’t know exactly where the pick will fall in the first round until after San Francisco’s playoff run has concluded.
The 49ers’ pick could end up being anywhere between 23-32 late in the first round. So Denver will have a first-round pick this spring — unless they use it to acquire coach Sean Payton from the New Orleans Saints.
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