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Jeff Legwold, ESPN Senior Writer
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — It turned out all of those conversations the Denver Broncos had in recent weeks with the New York Jets weren’t just about quarterback Zach Wilson.
The Broncos stayed busy on Day 3 of the draft Saturday as they acquired defensive end John Franklin-Myers from the Jets, sources told ESPN. The Broncos sent the Jets a sixth-round pick in 2026.
Franklin-Myers, who was the Los Angeles Rams ‘ fourth-round selection in the 2018 draft and joined the Jets in 2019 after the Rams had waived him, will quickly be in the mix to start at defensive end in the Broncos’ 3-4 look, opposite of Zach Allen.
Franklin-Myers was slated to be in the third year of a four-year, $55 million extension he signed in 2021. He was scheduled to make $29 million over the next two years.
The Jets decided to move on from Franklin-Myers after acquiring pass rusher Haason Reddick in a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles. Three weeks ago, the Jets gave Franklin-Myers permission to speak with teams about a trade, a source told ESPN.
The Broncos showed immediate interest. The Broncos and Franklin-Myers came to a contract agreement relatively quickly — a two-year deal, $15 million contract that includes $10 million fully guaranteed, a source told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. At that point, the Jets and Broncos agreed on trade compensation.
But the trade almost got blown up Friday night when the Jets traded a 2024 fifth-round pick to the Carolina Panthers to move up in the third round for wide receiver Malachi Corley. That fifth rounder, a source said, was supposed to go to Denver as part of the package for Franklin-Myers. The two teams had to re-start negotiations, eventually settling on a 2026 sixth-round pick going to Denver.
This was a money-saving and cap-clearing move by the Jets. After inheriting Reddick’s $15 million salary for 2024, they didn’t want to pay Franklin-Myers’ $13.3 million salary. From a cap perspective, the Jets cleared $7.3 million and will get stuck with a $9.1 million dead charge this year.
Franklin-Myers was one of the Jets’ best linemen. He was a three-year starter who played every down, outside and inside, and recorded 13.5 sacks over the last three years. As a rookie Franklin-Myers played on a Super Bowl team for the Rams.
Payton and general manager George Paton have lamented since the Broncos’ 8-9 finish this past season about the team’s need to defend the run better. The Broncos finished 30th in the league in run defense last season and were 20th in the league in sacks per pass attempt.
The Broncos surrendered at least 170 yards rushing in six games last season, including 350 yards rushing in a Week 2 loss in Miami.
ESPN’s Rich Cimini contributed to this report.