{"id":868582,"date":"2026-04-17T18:51:21","date_gmt":"2026-04-17T18:51:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/868582\/"},"modified":"2026-04-17T18:51:21","modified_gmt":"2026-04-17T18:51:21","slug":"broncos-gm-george-paton-sends-strong-signal-on-draft-trade","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/868582\/","title":{"rendered":"Broncos GM George Paton Sends Strong Signal on Draft Trade"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>\t\t\t\t<img width=\"780\" height=\"520\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2201964517.jpg\" class=\"attachment-featured-image size-featured-image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\"   decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\"\/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tGetty\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA &#8211; FEBRUARY 25: General manager George Paton of the Denver Broncos speaks to the media during the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center on February 25, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana.  (Photo by Stacy Revere\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/sports\/nfl\/denver-broncos\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Denver Broncos<\/a> may not be planning a blockbuster jump into the first-round. However, general manager <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/George_Paton_(American_football_executive)\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">George Paton<\/a> made one thing clear: <a href=\"https:\/\/broncoswire.usatoday.com\/story\/sports\/nfl\/broncos\/2026\/04\/17\/nfl-draft-broncos-could-trade-up\/89649292007\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">movement<\/a> is still very much on the table.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou never say never, but it\u2019s unlikely,\u201d Paton <a href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/nfl\/broncos\/onsi\/george-paton-wont-rule-out-broncos-trading-up-2026-draft\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">said<\/a> of a move into Round 1. \u201cIt would cost quite a haul for us to get up there\u2026 but we could certainly move up in the second.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>That message has been echoed in recent reporting and social media chatter. The focus has shifted away from a first-round splash and toward a more realistic scenario, with Denver getting aggressive on Day 2.<\/p>\n<p>With seven total picks and flexibility across the board, the Broncos appear to be positioning themselves for a strategic move rather than an all-in gamble.<\/p>\n<p>Broncos Eyeing Second-Round Move, Not First Round Splash<\/p>\n<p>While the idea of Denver climbing back into the first round has generated buzz, Paton\u2019s comments poured some cold water on that possibility.<\/p>\n<p>The cost, simply put, would be too steep.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Moving from No. 62 into the first round would likely require sacrificing a significant portion of this year\u2019s draft capital, along with future assets. For a team that just traded a first round pick for <a class=\"wpil_keyword_link\" title=\"Jaylen Waddle\" href=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/nfl\/player\/jaylen-waddle\/\" data-wpil-keyword-link=\"linked\" data-wpil-monitor-id=\"229123\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Jaylen Waddle<\/a>, that\u2019s a price the Broncos don\u2019t seem eager to pay.<\/p>\n<p>Instead, the second round has emerged as the sweet spot.<\/p>\n<p>Paton didn\u2019t hesitate to leave the door open there, and multiple reports have reinforced that sentiment. Denver holds two fourth-round picks, giving them potential ammunition to package a deal and move up from No. 62 if a targeted prospect begins to slip.<\/p>\n<p>Recent social media reports have backed that up as well, noting that while a first-round trade is \u201cunlikely,\u201d moving up in the second round is very much in play.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s a more calculated approach and one that allows Denver to stay aggressive without overextending.<\/p>\n<p>Broncos Trust Its Draft Track Record in the 60s<\/p>\n<p>Another key factor behind the Broncos\u2019 approach is their recent success picking in this exact range.<\/p>\n<p>Over the past few years, Denver has consistently found impact players in the early-to-mid 60s. Star pass rusher Nik Bonitto, wide receiver <a class=\"wpil_keyword_link\" href=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/nfl\/player\/marvin-mims\/\" title=\"Marvin Mims\" data-wpil-keyword-link=\"linked\" data-wpil-monitor-id=\"229124\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Marvin Mims<\/a> Jr., and running back <a class=\"wpil_keyword_link\" title=\"RJ Harvey\" href=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/nfl\/player\/rj-harvey\/\" data-wpil-keyword-link=\"linked\" data-wpil-monitor-id=\"229122\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">RJ Harvey<\/a> were all selected in similar spots and quickly became contributors.<\/p>\n<p>That track record matters.<\/p>\n<p>Even when those picks were questioned at the time, the Broncos trusted their process, and it has paid off in a major way.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOur process has worked, and it continues to evolve,\u201d Paton said. \u201cWe feel like we have six players we\u2019re kind of focused on that could be there at 62.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>That confidence gives Denver flexibility. They don\u2019t need to force a move.<\/p>\n<p>But if the right opportunity presents itself, especially in the second round, they\u2019ve made it clear they won\u2019t hesitate to act.<\/p>\n<p>As draft night approaches, the Broncos may not be chasing headlines with a first-round trade.<\/p>\n<p>But don\u2019t mistake that for inactivity.<\/p>\n<p>All signs point to a team ready to make a move when the moment is right.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\n\t\t\tMore Heavy on Broncos\n\t\t<\/p>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\tLoading more stories\n\t\t<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Getty INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA &#8211; FEBRUARY 25: General manager George Paton of the Denver Broncos speaks to the media&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":868583,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[2062],"tags":[232,231,258,2426,7,6],"class_list":{"0":"post-868582","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-denver-broncos","8":"tag-broncos","9":"tag-denver","10":"tag-denver-broncos","11":"tag-denverbroncos","12":"tag-football","13":"tag-nfl"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nfl\/116421558032173416","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/868582","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=868582"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/868582\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/868583"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=868582"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=868582"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=868582"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}