Broncos might have gotten a steal in John Franklin-Myers trade

The Broncos got a starting defensive end in John Franklin-Myers for a future sixth-round pick. That could end up being a steal for Denver.

During the final day of the 2024 NFL draft, the Denver Broncos beefed up their defensive line depth chart by acquiring John Franklin-Myers in a trade with the New York Jets.

The Broncos got Franklin Myers for a cheap price relative to his career production, sending a 2026 sixth-round pick to New York in exchange for the defensive lineman. The trade was in the works leading up to the draft.

“It is something we have been working on the past couple of weeks,” general manager George Paton said on Saturday night. “He is a player that we have always respected. He is durable. For three straight years he has not missed a game, and four straight years of 54-plus pressures.

“He can play all down the line of scrimmage. The one thing that sticks out on tape is the relentless motor this guy plays with. We are excited to get him. It took a bit, but he was here today in the building. He is going to help our defensive line.”

Franklin-Myers (6-4, 288 pounds) spent one year with the Los Angeles Rams before joining the Jets in 2020. He emerged as a starter in 2021 and he started 50-straight games in New York before his trade to Denver.

Broncos coach Sean Payton said after the draft that Franklin Myers plays “4i or tackle,” with the “i” representing lining up on the “inside” shoulder of an offensive tackle. He’ll be a defensive end in Denver’s base 3-4 defense. Put simply, Franklin-Myers is an interior defensive lineman for the Broncos.

Franklin-Myers recorded 48 quarterback hits, 16 tackles behind the line of scrimmage and 14.5 sacks over the last three seasons with the Jets. He now joins Denver’s defensive line room which already includes Zach Allen, D.J. Jones and Malcolm Roach. Landing a starting-caliber defensive end for a future sixth-round pick could end up being a steal for the Broncos.

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