Denver sent wide receiver Jabar Gaffney to Washington for…
Denver sent wide receiver Jabar Gaffney to Washington for defensive lineman Jeremy Jarmon in a straight player swap on July 27, 2011. Jarmon had only a brief Denver tenure and did not match the immediate production Gaffney delivered in Washington. With no additional consideration involved, the Broncos clearly received the weaker realized return from the exchange.
Denver Broncos Received
- player Jeremy Jarmon
Washington Commanders Received
- player Jabar Gaffney
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
Washington acquired veteran wide receiver Jabar Gaffney from Denver on July 27, 2011, sending defensive lineman Jeremy Jarmon to the Broncos. NFL reporting, the league transaction log, and Denver's trade history all support a simple player-for-player exchange. There was no draft pick or other consideration attached to either side, so the hindsight evaluation can stay focused on what Gaffney and Jarmon actually provided after the move.
Denver Broncos Return
Jarmon represented a younger defensive-line option for Denver, but his time with the Broncos was brief. The trade did not produce a lasting starter or a meaningful multi-year contributor for the club. That matters because Denver gave up a receiver who still had productive football left, making Jarmon's limited impact an especially thin return even though the original cost did not involve draft capital.
Washington Commanders Return
Gaffney immediately became a significant part of Washington's passing game. In 2011 he produced a career-high 947 receiving yards and five touchdowns, giving the offense exactly the kind of veteran production a one-for-one roster trade is designed to uncover. His Washington tenure was not long, but the first-season payoff was substantial enough to create clear separation from what Denver received.
Value in Hindsight
This trade is a strong example of immediate realized value outweighing theoretical roster fit. Washington did not need Gaffney to become a long-term star to win the deal; one highly productive season was already far more than Denver extracted from Jarmon. Because neither side added picks or conditions, there is no hidden asset value that narrows the gap.
Final Verdict
Washington earns a B+ and Denver a D. Gaffney's 2011 production gave Washington a meaningful offensive return at minimal acquisition cost, while Jarmon never established comparable value for the Broncos. The difference is large enough for a Washington Commanders Win without overstating the trade as a franchise-altering event.