The Denver Broncos did not land Jonathan Taylor ahead of the NFL's trade deadline on Tuesday, but they did acquire a linebacker from one of their division foes.
The Broncos sent a 2027 fourth-round pick and a 2028 fifth-round choice to the Los Angeles Chargers in exchange for linebacker Daiyan Henley. Playing in a contract year, Henley now goes from an 0-8 squad to a 7-2 contender.
Kay Adams, always a supporter of what the Broncos are building, discussed the move on the Up and Adams Show on Wednesday, saying the Broncos made one of their best moves before the deadline.
The Broncos trade for Daiyan Henley is one of the MOST IMPACTFUL moves of the deadline 💪@heykayadams pic.twitter.com/Qf5kbfWpzE
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) November 11, 2026
"The Broncos' intra-divisional trade, by the way,
for Daiyan Henley, we're not giving that enough love", said Adams on Up and Adams.
Adams discussed how the Broncos have given up the most yards receiving to running backs and the second-most to tight ends this season, areas where Henley will be dispatched to help out. The Chargers rank much better against both of those positions, largely thanks to Henley.
She also raised a great point about Henley being in the final year of his contract, and that should motivate him to show out for the Broncos. It's nice to see the Broncos make this move for this season, but re-signing Henley to a new deal in the offseason will be key. If not, they gave up two future draft picks for a 12-week rental (at best), which wouldn't be the worst thing in the world, but investing in Henley further because he played well over the second half of this season is what will really make this a solid transaction.
The Broncos have not been the daunting defense to face that they were last season and that could be due to a variety of factors. But it's hard to argue that getting a linebacker who can help the team improve in pass coverage won't make it a lot better.
This was a terrific move by the Broncos and though Henley doesn't carry the big name that someone like Taylor or Trey McBride does, this is the kind of sensible move the Broncos were looking for and needed to make ahead of the deadline.
This article originally appeared on Broncos Wire: Kay Adams ranks Daiyan Henley trade among most impactful deadline deals
