Broncos general manager John Elway had a tentative trade agreement with the Jets on Day 2 of the NFL Draft last month, according to a report from Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News.
Denver agreed to trade up from pick No. 83 to pick No. 79 if Temple center Matt Hennessy was still available when New York when on the clock.
One pick before the Jets, the Falcons selected Hennessy so the Broncos’ tentative agreement with New York was called off. The Jets kept the pick and used it to select defensive lineman Jabari Zuniga.
With their No. 83 pick, Denver selected LSU center Lloyd Cushenberry. The Broncos were in need of a center after Connor McGovern signed with New York during NFL free agency in March.
Cushenberry wasn’t Denver’s top choice at center but the team was still happy to land him.
“Cushenberry is a guy that is very solid center,” Broncos general manager John Elway said during a post-draft Zoom conference call. “He played in the SEC and had a great career down there, so we’re excited about Lloyd.”
