The 2001 Broncos-Falcons Pick Swap: Three Sevenths for a Future Fourth
Denver traded three seventh-round picks to Atlanta for a 2002 fourth-rounder. Atlanta's best result was guard Kynan Forney, a rare late-round starter who gave the Falcons years of value.
Denver Broncos Received
- pick 2002 4th round pick (112th overall subsequently traded, Dave Zastudil )
Atlanta Falcons Received
- pick 2001 7th round pick (215th overall, Corey Hall), 2001 7th round pick (219th overall, Kynan Forney) and 2001 7th round pick (226th overall, Ronald Flemons)
Trade Summary
Denver Broncos received 2002 4th round pick (112th overall subsequently traded, Dave Zastudil). Atlanta Falcons received 2001 7th round pick (215th overall, Corey Hall), 2001 7th round pick (219th overall, Kynan Forney) and 2001 7th round pick (226th overall, Ronald Flemons). The final review favors Denver Broncos because that return produced stronger practical football value.
Trade Analysis
What the Trade Actually Did
Denver consolidated three seventh-round picks in the 2001 draft -- Nos. 215, 219 and 226 -- into Atlanta's fourth-round pick in 2002. The Falcons used the three selections on defensive back Corey Hall, guard Kynan Forney and defensive end Ronald Flemons. Denver's future fourth-rounder became No. 112 in 2002 and was later moved again before Baltimore selected punter Dave Zastudil.
Why Atlanta's Volume Paid Off
Most seventh-round selections never become durable NFL starters, which is why three of them can reasonably be exchanged for one future fourth. Atlanta nevertheless found a meaningful exception in Forney. He became a multi-year starter on the Falcons' offensive line and gave the club far more practical value than a normal pick at No. 219 would be expected to produce.
Hall and Flemons added depth, but Forney is the reason the Falcons' side aged well. The trade illustrates the upside of taking multiple low-cost swings when a roster has room for developmental players.
Denver's side was strategically understandable. A future fourth-round pick is normally more valuable than any one seventh-round selection, and the Broncos improved the quality of their draft capital by giving up quantity. The problem is that the later asset chain did not produce a comparable direct payoff for Denver.
Final Verdict
The Atlanta Falcons Win verdict is supported by what actually happened after the exchange. Denver made a reasonable process move, but Atlanta converted one of its three long-shot selections into a legitimate starting guard, giving the Falcons the strongest realized football value from the deal.