Report: Broncos Reaction to Jets Nixing Jerry Jeudy Trade over Madden Rating Revealed

New York Jets team owner Woody Johnson's questionable reasoning for nixing an offseason trade with the Denver Broncos for wide receiver Jerry Jeudy reportedly caught the Broncos by surprise.

The Athletic's Zack Rosenblatt, Dianna Russini and Michael Silver reported on Thursday that the trade for Jeudy was vetoed by Johnson because he believed the wideout's rating in EA Sports' Madden NFL 25 "wasn't high enough." During Thursday's episode of Scoop City, Silver revealed the Broncos were understandably flabbergasted by Johnson's thought process.

"In the Bronco building, they were obviously quite surprised," Silver said at the 5:00 mark. "They had felt that the Jets wanted to trade Allen Lazard and a pick. They didn't want Lazard, but it was gonna be like a third-day draft pick, and that part wasn't gonna be hard. ... So in the Bronco building, they were kind of like, 'Whoa, never heard that before.'"

Jeudy, who had disappointed in four seasons in Denver after being selected 15th overall in the 2020 NFL draft, was later traded to the Cleveland Browns in exchange for 2024 fifth- and sixth-round draft picks. In 14 games, the 25-year-old leads the Browns with 1,052 yards, the first time in his career that he surpassed the 1,000-yard mark.

Silver added that Johnson's decision-making didn't surprise many in New York, as his questionable leadership tactics have worn on the organization for quite some time.

"In the Jets building, it wasn't whimsical," Silver said. "It was much more of a sense among players and other employees who heard about it subsequently, that the way things function here are different."