Russell Wilson’s benching by Sean Payton made it very evident that he is looking for a replacement quarterback to lead the Denver Broncos in the future. “How is he going to find one?” is still the key question.
In the 2024 NFL Draft, the Broncos are currently scheduled to select 12th overall. Additionally, their pay exceeds the salary cap by $20 million. Therefore, it seems quite improbable that a quarterback with a high cap hit or a free agent would be acquired by trade. Overall, the draft is unquestionably the best option for a number of reasons.
However, at choice number twelve, what kind of prospect can the Broncos hope to find? Selecting Jayden Daniels, Caleb Williams, or Drake Maye—the trio of prospects thought to be the greatest quarterbacks available and certain Top 5 locks—at that point would be far too late. Still, some fans want the Broncos to play with maximum aggression. Their ideal course of action is a daring move up to take one of the top three spots. However, how feasible would such project be?
The Chicago Bears, Washington Commanders and New England Patriots all need quarterbacks. Unless you are operating under the belief that the Bears will choose to retain Justin Field and perhaps trade the #1 pick to the highest bidder. There are also several teams picking behind those spots who could realistically take a quarterback as well. Not to mention the Broncos lack draft capital when compared to those ahead of them.
In comparison to almost every other team, the team is operating at a three-year disadvantage of first and second-round draft selections following the Wilson and Payton trades. I don’t think the Broncos are in a position to be handing up top picks worth multiple more drafts, given the roster’s numerous weaknesses now. However, maybe the Broncos’ management is ready to make the move for a quarterback who can transform the team.
The team does have a proverbial wildcard in Patrick Surtain II. Undoubtedly the best player on the Broncos, some fans have discussed him as a player to be traded in a catapult move up into the Top 3 of this year’s draft. I get the idea, but I’m not sure how keen the decision makers in Dove Valley are on moving him. And in my opinion, trading one of the league’s best defensive players isn’t an apt solution to the Broncos quarterback problem.
My first suspicion is that the Broncos will wait and watch how things play out at the position. The Broncos should have access to a number of prospects when they select, including Michael Penix Jr., Bo Nix, and J.J. McCarthy, who just declared today. While each of them has shortcomings, Payton, George Paton, and the Broncos scouting staff will all find a number of things to like about them.
Perhaps, just possibly, they will have strong feelings for one of those three and choose to go with the twelfth option. If not, they might even attempt to trade down, obtain additional selections, and increase their armory of draft choices while still having a decent chance of obtaining one of them. The least desirable choice would be to completely pass on a first-round quarterback selection and instead take a chance on a Day 2 potential to compete with a seasoned player.
What will it be then, Broncos Country? In the 2024 NFL Draft, should the Broncos be patient or aggressive in their search for a franchise signal caller? Although we don’t know what will happen, it will be interesting to watch how everything turns out.
