The Denver Broncos reached the conclusion that it needed to part with receiver Devaughn Vele because the team is “deeper than our prior teams.”
The Broncos look to build on last year’s playoff run, led by second-year quarterback Bo Nix. On Aug. 20, the team traded one of Nix’s targets to the New Orleans Saints, where Payton spent 16 seasons and won a Super Bowl in 2010, for a 2026 fourth-round pick and a 2027 seventh-round choice.
Vele, a seventh-round selection out of Utah in the 2024 NFL Draft, showed potential as a rookie with the Broncos. He appeared in 13 games with seven starts, catching 41 passes for 475 yards and three touchdowns. Two of his three scores came against the Kansas City Chiefs. Vele averaged 11.6 yards per catch, demonstrating efficiency and the ability to stretch the field.
GettyINGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 19: Devaughn Vele #17 of the Denver Broncos celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Los Angeles Chargers during the second quarter in the game at SoFi Stadium on December 19, 2024 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Handful of NFL Teams Showed Interest in Devaughn Vele
Broncos head coach Sean Payton shared Aug. 21, a day after the trade, that trading Vele was “best for the club.” Payton said the Broncos needed to narrow down the receiver room and there was significant interest in Vele.
“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. “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.
GettyDENVER, COLORADO – AUGUST 16: Head coach Sean Payton of the Denver Broncos watches warm ups before the NFL Preseason 2025 game between Arizona Cardinals and Denver Broncos at Empower Field At Mile High on August 16, 2025 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Tafoya/Getty Images)
“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.”
Denver Broncos Need to Go from 11 to 6 Receivers
With cutdown day next week, the Broncos have 11 receivers on the preseason roster, including a 2024 fourth-round pick from Oregon in Troy Franklin, Nix’s former college teammate. The team also drafted Illinois’ Pat Bryant in the third-round of this year’s draft.
Payton spoke earlier this summer of the tough decisions he and the front office would have to make when trimming down the position, and on Aug. 21, said they have to get down to six receivers somehow.
“Certainly, all of that,” Payton said when asked if the progression of the receiver room influenced the trade. “When you guys factor in where Troy is at, where Pat is at, where (receiver Trent) Sherfield‘s at… We can keep six receivers; we’re probably only going to get five to the game.
“Look, he (Vele) may have been going to the game, but there would have been discussion as to out of the six, how are we looking at our game-day (actives)? I said this a few weeks ago, I think we have a few players here that may end up playing for other teams and here’s one.”
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