Sean Payton on Broncos Trade Rumors: 'Not Looking to Do Business' with Any Players

Amid rumors that the Denver Broncos could look to tear down their roster ahead of the Oct. 31 trade deadline, head coach Sean Payton dismissed the notion they are going to be actively selling.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Payton said the Broncos are "not looking to do business with any of our players" before the deadline.

"That doesn't prevent teams from calling at times," he added. "We just—you pick the phone up, but that's kind of where it's at."

Payton announced last week Denver was planning to release linebacker Randy Gregory, who signed a five-year, $70 million deal as a free agent in March 2022, to get some of the younger players on the roster.

Gregory was later traded to the San Francisco 49ers, with the Broncos picking up most of his remaining salary for this season.

On Sunday, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported the Broncos have received calls from opposing teams about multiple players on their roster and they "could be active" ahead of the trade deadline.

Wide receivers Jerry Jeudy and Courtland Sutton were cited by Schefter as players who will garner attention on the trade market.

Per NFL.com's Ian Rapoport, Frank Clark has drawn interest around the league and would only cost a team his $1.21 million base salary for the remainder of the season if a deal materializes.

Payton's first season in Denver is off to a horrendous start. The team has lost four of its first five games. The defense is on pace to be one of the worst in NFL history. They are allowing a league-high 36.2 points and 450.6 yards per game.

The Broncos offense has been significantly better with Payton at the helm. They rank 10th in points per game. Russell Wilson isn't back to his peak levels from his time with the Seattle Seahawks, but he's thrown for 1,210 yards, 11 touchdowns and is completing 66.9 percent of his attempts.

Denver's schedule lines up well for the trade deadline if it wants to be a seller. After an Oct. 29 game against the Kansas City Chiefs, the Broncos have a bye before returning to play in Week 10 against the Buffalo Bills on Monday Night Football.