NFL Rumors: Broncos Exploring Tim Patrick, Samaje Perine Trades Before Cut Deadline

The Denver Broncos are reportedly expected to move on from a veteran running back ahead of Tuesday's roster cut deadline.

Per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Denver is "engaged" in trade conversations around Samaje Perine, who has been with the team since last season.

Additionally, the team appears set to move on from receiver Tim Patrick and could seek a trade in the coming days:

The Broncos have a full running back room heading into the 2024 season, so they're looking to make some room by trading Perine rather than releasing him.

Perine had a promising start to his career after being drafted by Washington in 2017, recording 603 rushing yards, 182 receiving yards and two total touchdowns in his initial year in the NFL.

After Adrian Peterson arrived in Washington in 2018, Perine saw his usage drop off and he had just 32 rushing yards that season.

Perine managed to find some success when he joined the Cincinnati Bengals in 2020, recording 301 yards and three touchdowns that season. He had 246 rushing yards, 196 receiving yards and two total touchdowns in 2021 before notching 394 rushing yards, 287 receiving yards and six total touchdowns in 2022.

Denver signed Perine to a two-year contract last offseason, and he picked up 238 rushing yards, a touchdown on the ground and 455 receiving yards—the third-most on the team— in 2023.

While his numbers were good last year, Denver returns its two leading rushers in Javonte Williams and Jaleel McLaughlin as well as a promising rookie in Audric Estime, who the Broncos landed in the fifth round.

After a solid year in 2023, the Broncos could get a decent return for Perine in a trade, which would likely be a favorable outcome for both sides.

Patrick, who was initially signed by the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2017, landed on Denver's practice squad later that year and has been with the Broncos since.

He had a slow start to his career, recording just 533 receiving yards and a touchdown over his first two seasons, but he started to develop well in recent seasons. In 2020, he had 742 receiving yards and six touchdowns before picking up 734 receiving yards and five touchdowns in 2021.

Unfortunately for Patrick, injuries have kept him sidelined for the past two years. He tore his ACL in practice in 2022 and tore his Achilles during practice ahead of the 2023 season.

If teams are confident Patrick will return to the player he was in 2021 now that he's back on the field, a trade could yield a decent haul for the Broncos.