NFL rumors: How Raiders helped derail Broncos’ Ashton Jeanty trade efforts

Maybe the Las Vegas Raiders didn’t get the quarterback they wanted. And perhaps they might have been happier with Cam Ward or Abdul Carter. But here is how the Raiders helped derail efforts by the Broncos to trade up and get Ashton Jeanty.

The Broncos' plans were revealed, according to espn.com.

“Yes, the Broncos considered moving up in the first round for running back Ashton Jeanty,” Jeremy Fowler wrote. “They called around to teams picking in the top 10. But the price simply would have been “too heavy” for Denver's liking, per a source. And the team eyeing Jeanty (the Raiders at No. 6) was a division rival, thus not a likely trade partner.”

So the Broncos would have needed to acquire a top-five pick. That might have been in play once the Browns moved there, but the asking price apparently scared off the Broncos.

Raiders RB Ashton Jeanty may make Broncos pay

Maybe the Broncos should have paid up, if you listen to ESPN’s Matt Miller.

“Jeanty was the No. 3 player on my board, which represents a great value for the Raiders at this spot,” Miller wrote. “He is the last of the true blue-chip players in this class, and he will get an abundance of carries under head coach Pete Carroll, who won a Super Bowl in Seattle with a great power running back and stout defense. Jeanty has Rookie of the Year potential thanks to his awesome all-around game.”

Part of the reason the Raiders liked Jeanty came from his ability to get yards after contact.

“Jeanty's ability to break tackles is his superpower, and his core strength is excellent,” ESPN’s Steve Muench wrote. “Jeanty stiff-arms and sheds defenders who fail to wrap up his legs. He is a patient runner who presses the line of scrimmage, gets linebackers to commit, makes a cut, and then explodes upfield. He might not have elite speed, but his burst jumps out on tape. He catches the ball in stride and is productive after the catch.”

And Jeanty might turn into a throwback runner. He became the first running back selected as a Heisman Trophy finalist since 2017. And he’s coming into the league after Saquon Barkley played a huge role in leading the Eagles to the Super Bowl win. Jeanty thinks the timing is right, according to espn.com.

“It's a great time to be coming into this league,” Jeanty said. “I can see the value of running backs is definitely going to go back up. Definitely coming back in at a perfect time.”