Broncos Journal: Denver should bring thank-you card to Jets on Sunday for gift-wrapping DL John Franklin-Myers

WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W. Va. — Why bother putting a card in the mail when you can just deliver a thank-you message in person?

That’s what the Broncos should do Sunday at MetLife Stadium. Tell the New York Jets thank you. If they spend a few extra bucks on one of those 3D pop-up cards, all the better.

Thanks for the high-quality defensive lineman — among the scarcest resources in football — for the bargain-basement price.

Thanks for helping transform a defensive front that last year was among the NFL’s worst and, through three games this year, is a disruptive group.

Thanks for not only the player but for the ripple effect he’s had on Zach Allen, D.J. Jones, Jonathon Cooper, Baron Browning, Nik Bonitto and others.

Thanks for John Franklin-Myers.

“I’ve always said that our rushers were underrated,” defensive coordinator Vance Joseph said. “Once we get a lead and having ‘JFM’ inside pushing the pocket with Zach, you’ll see ‘Coop’ and those guys come alive and I believe that. They’re a lot better than people think they are. It comes with having a lead. It comes with getting people down and getting multiple chances to rush the passer.

“Those guys will play well.”

They have so far, but it didn’t have to be this way, necessarily.

Franklin-Myers was a productive player for the Jets for the past four years. A consistent pressure-generator on talented defensive fronts. The Jets, though, decided to try to upgrade and swung an offseason trade for Haason Reddick. That put them in a position where they had to dump JFM’s salary from their books. The Broncos, sensing opportunity, pounced. Franklin-Myers and his agent, Cliff Brady, spent a couple of weeks sifting through their options once the Jets informed them of an impending trade. They liked what the Broncos had to offer. On the third day of April’s draft, the teams agreed: Franklin-Myers for a 2026 sixth-round pick.

The Broncos and Franklin-Myers worked out a new contract at two years and $15 million that came with a $4 million signing bonus and cap numbers of $5 million this year and $10 million next year.

A steal for the Broncos. A tough pill to swallow for New York, even at the time of the trade.

“That was a tough one,” New York general manager Joe Douglas said in April. “When we made the trade for Haason, we knew it was going to be next to impossible to keep JFM at his salary. Talked to JFM and talked to Cliff, they were great. We opened it up to let them explore an opportunity, a trade, elsewhere. … That’s a difficult one because I can’t tell you how much I love JFM as a person and as a player.”

The other problem for the Jets: Reddick wanted an extension, didn’t get one and has yet to report to the team’s facility all these months later.

Franklin-Myers deserves a real share of the credit for the transformation Denver’s defense has made so far this season. It’s an open question about when — or if — Reddick plays for New York.

Maybe offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, quarterback Aaron Rodgers and Gang Green will get the best of the Broncos on Sunday anyway. They’ve got a variety of offensive weaponry led by the future Hall of Fame quarterback, two good running backs — including Broncos shredder Breece Hall, who has long touchdown runs each of the past two seasons and last year rushed for 177 in a win at Empower Field — receiver Garrett Wilson and others.

Franklin-Myers is looking forward to the challenge, though he did his best to downplay the reunion this week at The Greenbrier.

“Man, it’s going to be another week,” Franklin-Myers said. “One of those chances to go out there and be dominant. Put on a dominant performance. Play physical, run to the ball, play with the effort and physicality that I always do. Except I know the guys.”