Anthony Davis

Denver acquired 2010 1st round pick (13th overall subsequently traded, Brandon Graham) and 2010 4th round pick (113th overall subsequently traded, Aaron Hernandez) from San Francisco 49ers in exchange for 2010 1st round pick (11th overall, Anthony Davis). This was primarily a draft-position exchange, with Denver reshaping its pick stack rather than adding an established player. The grades stay conservative because the historical value depends on how the selected players developed after the swap.

Denver moved Jay Cutler and a fifth-round pick to Chicago after the quarterback relationship deteriorated, receiving Kyle Orton and a package that included two first-round picks and a third-rounder. Denver wrung strong value from an untenable quarterback situation. Cutler gave Chicago legitimate starting-caliber play but never became the franchise-elevating answer the Bears hoped for, while Denver extracted Kyle Orton and multiple premium picks from a broken relationship. The Broncos did not perfectly convert every asset, but the trade return itself was substantial enough to favor Denver in hindsight.