Pro Duck Troy Franklin moved closer to a regular role in the Denver Broncos offense Wednesday when the team traded away second-year receiver Devaughn Vele to the New Orleans Saints for a fourth and seventh-round draft pick.
Franklin becomes WR3 in the Denver attack, catching passes from former Oregon teammate Bo Nix. In last year's 10-7 campaign Vele was targeted 56 times and caught 41 passes for 475 yards and three touchdowns, third on the team behind veterans Courland Sutton and Marvin Mims.
As a rookie Franklin caught just 28 passes, but he's hauled in seven in two preseason games out of nine total targets.