Sources - Broncos acquire Jets DE John Franklin-Myers - ESPN

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — It turned out all of those conversations the Denver Broncos had in recent weeks with the New York Jets weren't just about quarterback Zach Wilson.

The Broncos stayed busy on Day 3 of the draft Saturday as they acquired defensive end John Franklin-Myers from the Jets, sources told ESPN. The Broncos sent the Jets a sixth-round pick in 2026.

Franklin-Myers, who was the Los Angeles Rams' fourth-round selection in the 2018 draft and joined the Jets in 2019 after the Rams had waived him, will quickly be in the mix to start at defensive end in the Broncos' 3-4 look, opposite of Zach Allen.

Franklin-Myers was slated to be in the third year of a four-year, $55 million extension he signed in 2021. He was scheduled to make $29 million over the next two years.

The Jets decided to move on from Franklin-Myers after acquiring pass-rusher Haason Reddick in a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles. Three weeks ago, the Jets gave Franklin-Myers permission to speak with teams about a trade, a source told ESPN.

The Broncos showed immediate interest. The Broncos and Franklin-Myers came to a contract agreement relatively quickly — a two-year deal, $15 million contract that includes $10 million fully guaranteed, a source told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.

The deal almost got blown up Friday night when the Jets traded a draft pick that was supposed to be included in the package to Denver, a source said. The Jets were prepared to send Franklin-Myers and a 2024 fifth-rounder to Denver, which had agreed to send an undisclosed draft pick to the Jets to complete the trade.

As it turned out, the Jets used that fifth-rounder on Friday night, sending it to the Carolina Panthers to trade up in the third round for wide receiver Malachi Corley. At