The Denver Broncos attempted to trade up for Calvin Johnson — one of the best wide receivers in NFL history — ahead of the 2007 NFL draft.
Mike Klis (who wrote for the Denver Post at the time) reported that the Broncos twice tried to strike a deal with the Detroit Lions for the No. 2 overall pick in 2007. First, they offered running back Tatum Bell, offensive lineman George Foster, linebacker Al Wilson and the 21st overall pick in exchange for cornerback Dré Bly and the No. 2 pick. They didn’t end up swapping picks, but the Lions did agree to trade Bly for Bell and Foster.
After failing to sweeten the Bly trade, the Broncos later offered 2007 first-, second- and third-round picks, plus a 2008 first-round pick, according to Klis. Detroit turned down that offer, too.
Unable to strike a deal with the Lions, Denver apparently reached out to their division rival about the No. 1 overall pick as well. The Broncos had “verbally agreed” to trade with the then-Oakland Raiders to move up to No. 1 to select Johnson, according to KOA’s Benjamin Allbright. Late Raiders owner Al Davis backed out of that agreement, according to Allbright, and Oakland selected quarterback JaMarcus Russell instead.
Russell ended up becoming one of the biggest draft busts in NFL history, so the Raiders undoubtedly would have been better off accepting a big haul of picks in a trade with Denver — or just selecting Johnson themselves. Russell was out of the league after three seasons, Johnson had a Hall of Fame career with the Lions, and the Broncos ended up trading up to select pass rusher Jarvis Moss, another bust. It is perhaps no coincidence that coach Mike Shanahan lasted just one more season in Denver after that 2007 draft.
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