Friday Faceoff: What should the Broncos do at the NFL trade deadline? Buy, sell or stand pat?

Paul Klee, sports editor

Answer: Buy

Unless there’s a development plan with Nikola Jokic or Nathan MacKinnon coming down the pike, wait ’till next year is no way to do business in professional sports.

Do you see a 23-year-old Joker or Nate Dawg on the Broncos’ roster?

There’s no time like the present for the Broncos. It should not depend on Sunday’s result at Baltimore, either. The Broncos can beat the Ravens, whose right-side offensive line is begging for a big game from Jonathan Cooper and his pass-rushing buddy, Nik Bonnito.

The Broncos will get to Lamar Jackson.

Question is: Can they bring down the most elusive runner in the NFL?

Before the trade deadline rolls around at 2 p.m. Tuesday, the Broncos should go get Bo Nix one or two new toys for the holidays: a running back who can catch passes and turn 3 yards into 13, and/or a tight end who provides Nix with a reliable target on third down.

Denver is in the No. 5 spot of the AFC despite its 28th-ranked conversion rate on third down. How high could the Broncos climb when third-and-6 is a fun challenge instead of a brutal distance?

Denver lately has an eye for good fits. It recognized Justin Simmons was no big whoop and upgraded with Brandon Jones at safety. It scored John Franklin-Myers from the scrap heap.

Call the Jaguars, who are 2-6 and could shop tight end Evan Engram (114 catches in 2023) and running back Travis Etienne (93 catches across ’22 and ’23).

Send a message the old Broncos are back. And the old Broncos never waited ’till next year.

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Chris Schmaedeke, digital sports editor

Answer: Stand pat

Stay the course, Sean Payton and George Paton. Please stay the course.

The Broncos are riding high into a matchup with the Baltimore Ravens with a 5-3 record and dreams of the playoffs. So, it would make sense to make a splash on Tuesday during the NFL trade deadline.

Actually, it doesn’t make sense.

The Broncos are building towards something much bigger than this season. There is no need to mortgage future draft picks to secure the No. 7 seed and a trip to Houston where the Broncos would be big underdogs to the Texans.

Payton and Paton clearly believe in rookie quarterback Bo Nix. This whole season hinged on him from the time he was named the starter. Nix has had his ups and downs but is coming off an October where he was named NFL offensive rookie of the month.

Nix is not the only young player contributing to the Broncos’ 5-3 start. Receivers Troy Franklin and Devaughn Vele have been integral parts of the Broncos’ offense. If running back Audric Estime could hold until the ball, he would be part of that group as well.

On Denver’s dominant defense, young players Riley Moss and P.J. Locke are part of a secondary that has been better than anyone thought before the season.

But this doesn’t mean the Broncos should sell, either. Keep this team together. Don’t trade Courtland Sutton. He is creating a connection with Nix. Don’t break that up now.

Band-Aids are not needed in Denver. This is a long-term project that is a bit ahead of schedule. Let’s see where this team goes before making any drastic changes.