SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 11: Stefon Diggs #14 of the Minnesota Vikings reacts to a play during the first half of the NFC Divisional Round Playoff game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium on January 11, 2020 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

If the Minnesota Vikings decide to trade star wide receiver Stefon Diggs in 2020, the Denver Broncos would be a logical trade partner.

The Minnesota Vikings are up tight against the salary cap in 2020, and one player who has already been the subject of trade rumors is wide receiver Stefon Diggs. Could the Denver Broncos be a suitor if he’s on the block?

It would certainly make some sense.

Wide receiver is one of the Broncos’ top needs heading into the 2020 offseason. This year’s draft class is exceptional at the receiver position and the team figures to add at least one in the top 100 picks, but certainly more if they don’t sign or trade for anyone in the next couple of months.

Diggs is a player who, if he should become available, the Broncos would undoubtedly have interest at the right price. What is that price going to be? For a player of Diggs’ caliber, age, and pedigree, the price would probably be at least a second-round pick.

A recent post from the Star Tribune in Minneapolis indicated that the ‘smart money’ is on Diggs not being with the Vikings at the start of the 2020 season.

What makes the Broncos a good fit for him?

Pat Shurmur connection

Pat Shurmur worked with the Minnesota Vikings before and during Diggs’ breakout with the team in 2017. Diggs is coming off of back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons without Shurmur on the Vikings’ staff, but before Shurmur left, Diggs established himself as a star playmaker and the two were together for the ‘Minneapolis Miracle’ play in the playoffs that 2017 season.

In Shurmur’s final season with the Vikings, Diggs caught nine touchdown passes in 16 games (including playoffs) and earned himself a five-year contract the following offseason.

Diggs has proven himself to be an effective playmaker in Shurmur’s offense, and was incredibly effective as the clear number two to Adam Thielen in Shurmur’s offense that year.

He’s given Vic Fangio fits

If you’re an offensive player who can get the better of a Vic Fangio defense, you probably have the respect of Fangio.

Fangio’s defenses in Chicago had a ton of trouble containing Diggs, and he had at least one touchdown in six of the seven games he played against Fangio’s defenses while in Chicago. He then exploded against Denver this past season with five receptions for 121 yards and another touchdown.

Simply put, Diggs has torched Fangio’s defense through the years, and if you can’t figure out a way to beat ’em, it might be worth trading a top 50 pick to get him on your team.

He’s what the Broncos need

Diggs is a speedy receiver and downfield playmaker who can give defenses fits. He’s an established big-play threat who could take pressure off of Courtland Sutton and create offense on his own.

Diggs will always have my respect for the tremendous job he did as a young rookie in 2015 with the Vikings against the No Fly Zone. He was one of the only players I can remember who actually got the better of Denver’s secondary that year, catching six passes for 87 yards in his NFL debut.

This guy has never been in a moment that was too big for him.

His contract, age

As far as wide receiver contracts go, Diggs’ is very palatable, especially in a trade.

He’s got base salaries of $10.9 million in 2020 and then $11.4 million in each of the next three seasons. Trading a top 50 pick for a player with one or two years left on their contract is not an attractive option, but trading for a guy who is under contract for four more years?

You’re not likely to draft someone in the second round with a better instant value than Stefon Diggs.

He’s also just 26 years old.

Many in Broncos Country — including myself — have scoffed at the idea of acquiring a receiver by any means other than the NFL Draft, but Diggs is the type of player who has history with the offensive coordinator, has torched one of the best defensive minds in the game, and has a team-friendly contract for a player of his age and caliber.

This is a trade the Broncos should seriously consider.