Malik Reed was an unexpected success story for the Denver Broncos.
After joining the team as an undrafted free agent out of Nevada in 2019, Reed initially made the 53-man roster as a backup rotational pass rusher. He went on to start eight games as a rookie as an injury fill-in.
Due to various injuries to Bradley Chubb and Von Miller (plus Miller’s mid-season trade last year), Reed later started 13 games both in 2020 and in 2021. Reed totaled 15 sacks in 45 games and he was an excellent rotational rusher who was capable of stepping up when called upon.
So why did the Broncos trade him?
While Reed was a productive pass rusher, he sometimes struggled to set the edge against the run, and Denver is arguably deeper at outside linebacker than any other position this year.
“I love Malik, everyone does. Great kid, really good player,” general manager George Paton said Tuesday. “We just had a log jam [at that position]. We had a lot of really talented outside backers that can rush.”
The Broncos moved Baron Browning from inside linebacker to the edge this spring and that position switch has looked like a smart decision. Denver later used a second-round pick to select Nik Bonitto in the draft, giving the team two excellent backups behind Chubb and new arrival Randy Gregory.
Reed was likely going to be fifth on the team’s pass-rush depth chart, with Jonathon Cooper and Aaron Patrick vying for backup reps as well. The OLB room was crowded, so the Broncos decided to swap Reed and a seventh-round pick for a sixth-round pick from the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Reed will get more playing time and Denver gets a higher pick.
“I thought it would be best to trade Malik and trade him to somewhere he was going to fit in at a really good organization,” Paton said. “We wouldn’t have just traded him anywhere. He wanted to go to Pittsburgh, and we found a home for him, and I think it’s a win-win for both sides.”
The Broncos still have plenty of pass rushers and Reed will now get more snaps than he would have in Denver. Everyone wins.
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