Ask Aric: Should the Broncos trade back from No. 15?

[Miles]

If the Broncos don't take a wide receiver in Round 1, who are some WRs you'd like the Broncos to draft in Round 2? – Hunter W.


I wrote about some Day 2 options a few days ago, but there are plenty of other receivers who merit consideration. Justin Jefferson, Tee Higgins, Laviska Shenault Jr., Denzel Mims and Jalen Reagor are all guys that could be available in the second round for the Broncos, depending on how the board falls. Jefferson and Higgins may require the Broncos to trade up, but I think it's a decently safe bet that some collection of Mims, Reagor, Brandon Aiyuk and K.J. Hamler are there at No. 46 when Denver picks. I worry a bit about picking Shenault given his injury situation and the lack of pre-draft visits. In a deep class, Denver's decision must be related to value. If the Broncos think the difference between Ruggs and Mims/Reagor isn't that high, then wait until the second round to pick a receiver. Their grades on these players will be pivotal to determine when to strike. One more note: It certainly wouldn't surprise me to see Denver pick two receivers over the team's first five picks.


Are the Broncos going to pick up a cornerback, like maybe Prince Amukamara or even Dre Kirkpatrick? – Roy W.


Although the Broncos have A.J. Bouye and Bryce Callahan slotted in as their top two corners, it wouldn't shock me if Denver brings in another veteran at some point before the season. From a cap space perspective, it remains possible. According to OverTheCap.com, the Broncos still have north of $17.5M of cap space this year. After factoring in an estimated $9.9M to sign their draft picks — a figure also from OverTheCap.com — the Broncos should still have around $7M to work with. That means they could bring in a veteran corner like Amukamara or Kirkpatrick on a short-term deal. Amukamara has familiarity with Vic Fangio's system from their time together in Chicago, but if he hasn't signed with the Broncos yet, I'm guessing that wouldn't happen until after the draft. Whether it's through the draft or the latter stages of free agency, I agree that the Broncos would be wise to add another piece to the cornerback room. If either of these two players did join the Broncos, it would likely push Callahan into the slot corner role.


Is Bradley Chubb expected to return Week 1 next year? – William H.


We've gotten no information that would suggest otherwise. Since partially tearing his ACL in Week 4 of 2019, Chubb has attacked his rehab and is doing well. At the Combine in late February, Fangio said he would be "shocked" if Chubb wasn't "as good as new." Fangio said he didn't expect to see Chubb on the field during OTAs, and we likely would see him rejoin his teammates for the first time in training camp. It's unlikely that Chubb will miss much on-field work during the offseason program, as it remains delayed indefinitely. During this time, however, Chubb is still able to go to UCHealth Training Center to rehab. He said during a recent Instagram Live that he had been rehabbing every day.