As the Denver Broncos aim to build on last season’s run to the playoffs, they’ve known such a pursuit wouldn’t include every contributor from last season.
Wednesday saw one of those producers voted off the island when Denver traded receiver Devaughn Vele to New Orleans for a 2026 fourth-round pick and a 2027 seventh-round choice.
Given a day to process the move and prepare his remarks, head coach Sean Payton explained the combination of interest in Vele and a need to narrow down the Broncos’ receiver room led to the deal.
“We weren’t actively shopping at all, but teams in need of receivers obviously do a good enough job, they look at the depth of certain teams,” Payton said on Thursday. “So within a three-day period, (general manager) George (Paton) and I had gotten calls from two serious teams and a third, and all coincidentally on the same player. … The next morning he and I sat down and said, ‘No, obviously we value this player.’ Then the following day it picked up, it became more serious.
“[He has] all the things that we look for: discipline, structure, smart, tough, talented. That’s why this one was difficult. Certainly New Orleans was looking. Just talking with (Saints general manager) Mickey (Loomis), they felt they were missing a bigger receiver. They knew we had a number of big receivers. It kind of went in the beginning of the week as just discussion. Then two teams really came back more than serious about this trade.
“There is a point at some point where you’re looking at the roster, you’re looking at your depth and towards the end it was something we felt was going to be best for the club. He was fantastic when we visited with him. He’s going to be a real good player for them.”