Broncos’ Late Deal for Chargers Linebacker Daiyan Henley Falls Through

The NFL trade deadline delivered one final twist.

More than a day after Tuesday’s 4 p.m. deadline had passed, the Broncos revealed that their agreement to acquire Chargers linebacker Daiyan Henley had been scrapped.

“The proposed trade involving Chargers linebacker Daiyan Henley will not be finalized,” Denver said in a statement issued just after midnight Eastern on Thursday.

“We have great respect for Daiyan as a player and person, and we wish him all the best moving forward,” the club added.

Both teams indicated that the deal — which would have sent a 2027 fourth-round pick and a 2028 fifth-rounder to Los Angeles — was contingent on Henley passing a physical.

It remains unclear what ultimately derailed the transaction. Henley had been dealing with a shoulder issue in practice last week, yet he suited up for Sunday’s loss to the Texans.

He finished that outing with six tackles and an interception.

Henley, a third-round selection in 2023, has surpassed the 100-tackle mark in each of the past two seasons, peaking with a career-high 147 in 2024. He currently leads the Chargers with 51 tackles on the year.

Despite his productive track record, Henley has underwhelmed in the eyes of analysts this season, drawing a 50.6 grade from Pro Football Focus that ranks 67th among 79 linebackers.

Even so, he would have bolstered the defense of an AFC West-leading Broncos squad. Despite their 7-2 record, Denver has surrendered 355 yards per game, good for 26th in the league.

The collapsed Henley deal marked the second proposed trade to unravel after the deadline. Cincinnati, meanwhile, walked away from an arrangement with the Eagles for edge rusher Arnold Ebiketie, wary of the compensatory picks formula that would have cost them a third-round pick originally acquired when Trey Hendrickson departed for the Ravens in free agency.

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