Denver Broncos–New York Giants Trade History

Denver traded fullback Joe Dawkins to New York on September 4, 1974, for the 1975 third-round pick used on Mike Franckowiak. Dawkins immediately became the Giants' leading rusher, totaling 561 rushing yards and 332 receiving yards in 1974, then started 12 more games in 1975. Franckowiak produced little offensive value for Denver, making New York the clear winner.

Denver acquired linebacker Rob Spicer from the New York Giants on July 29, 1975 for an unidentified draft choice. Spicer had played 13 games with four starts for the Jets as a rookie in 1973, but his Denver stay lasted only three weeks: the Broncos cut him on August 19 before the 1975 regular season, leaving Denver with no regular-season production from the trade.

Denver ultimately acquired veteran defender Henry Reed from New York on August 13, 1975 after an earlier Reed-for-Greg Marx exchange was voided when Marx failed the Giants' physical. Contemporary reporting says Denver then compensated New York with an undisclosed future draft choice. Reed was waived by the Broncos on September 2 and never appeared in a regular-season game for Denver, leaving the club with no realized on-field return.

Denver acquired Craig Morton from the Giants for quarterback Steve Ramsey and a 1978 fifth-round pick. Morton immediately stabilized the Broncos, won major AFC player honors in 1977 and led the franchise to its first Super Bowl appearance. The timing and magnitude of that impact make the trade one of Denver’s most important quarterback moves.

Denver Broncos received Emery Moorehead in the exchange with New York Giants. Moorehead remained on Denver's roster for all 16 games in 1980, although he did not become a receiving contributor for the Broncos. The club at least received a full season of roster service. The C- grade reflects the direct value Denver Broncos realized from the deal, while the Denver Broncos Win call weighs actual regular-season service and clearly connected draft value rather than name recognition alone.

Denver acquired quarterback Scott Brunner from New York for the Broncos' 1984 fourth-round pick, No. 105. Brunner was placed on injured reserve before the 1984 regular season and never appeared in a regular-season game for Denver. The Broncos later traded him to Green Bay for a 1986 sixth-round pick, recouping some asset value after receiving no on-field return.

Denver acquired former All-Pro cornerback Mark Haynes from New York on April 29, 1986, for three draft choices: 1986 Nos. 51 and 139 plus a 1987 second-rounder at No. 55. Haynes gave Denver four seasons and 27 starts, including strong work on Super Bowl teams. The Giants, however, turned the top 1986 pick into linebacker Pepper Johnson, a long-term starter and two-time champion, giving New York the better return.

Denver sent wide receiver Arthur Marshall to the Giants in April 1994 and received the 218th pick, which became center Tom Nalen. Marshall's New York stay produced little, while Nalen became a five-time Pro Bowler and a central lineman for Denver's championship teams. Turning a fringe veteran into a franchise-level center makes this one of the clearest late-round wins.

New York acquired wide receiver Arthur Marshall from Denver on April 25, 1994, sending the Broncos the 218th pick in that year’s draft. Marshall gave the Giants three seasons of rotational receiving and return work. Denver used No. 218 on center Tom Nalen, who became a five-time Pro Bowler, two-time first-team All-Pro and cornerstone of two Super Bowl champions.

Denver Broncos received 2019 7th round pick (220th overall subsequently traded, Cullen Gillaspia) from New York Giants in the 2018-04-23 trade. Denver received the conditional 2019 seventh-round pick at No. 220 and later moved that asset in downstream trade activity. New York Giants's return was Riley Dixon. New York acquired Riley Dixon, who punted every game for the Giants from 2018 through 2021. Those realized outcomes, rather than the labels on the assets alone, drive the hindsight grade.

Denver received a 2021 seventh-round pick that became No. 239 Jonathon Cooper. Cooper developed into a multi-year Broncos starter and productive pass rusher, turning a late-round selection into substantial roster value well beyond the usual expectation for that draft slot. That outcome supports an A- grade for Denver Broncos within the final Denver Broncos Win verdict.

New York moved from No. 76 to No. 71 on April 30, 2021, sending Denver picks No. 76 and No. 164 to draft UCF cornerback Aaron Robinson. Robinson appeared in 11 games for the Giants across 2021-22, recording 28 tackles and four passes defended before injuries derailed his tenure. The trade-up therefore produced only a brief defensive contribution from a third-round selection.

Denver sent pick No. 71 to the Giants for No. 76 and No. 164. New York used No. 71 on cornerback Aaron Robinson, whose career was derailed by injuries after limited playing time. Denver used No. 164 on safety Jamar Johnson and, more importantly, retained No. 76 as valuable currency for a second trade later that night. Even without crediting the later players directly here, Denver preserved far more value than New York realized from Robinson.