The Broncos unorthodox draft strategy is starting to come into focus

The Denver Broncos are putting the final touches on their draft board. Before you know it, the 2023 NFL Draft will be here – and it’s a great opportunity for the Broncos to strengthen their squad for this season and the future.

I like the time right before the draft. All the work is done, and it’s time to see how things shake out when teams are on the clock.

I also like contemplating life and sports when driving around with the top down on my old Jeep TJ! The following is a result of those trips during the week.

Buckle up, let’s take a ride through my thoughts.

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Another Draft

We discussed this topic on “Orange and Blue Today” on Friday, but I wanted to expand on my thoughts here. After the NFL combine, teams begin to host players at their facility to gain further evaluation on a prospect. Each team gets only 30 of these visits, so they can signal what players a team is looking at and what positions they are prioritizing.

So far, the Broncos have hosted some players who are day three picks. This leads some to wonder why Denver is looking at late-round or perhaps even undrafted free agents as prospects to bring into UC Health Training Center. The reasoning may surprise some; the Broncos are trying to sell themselves to the player – not the other way around as most would assume.

Priority free agents sign quickly after the draft. Within minutes of the draft ending, and usually before the final picks have been made, you’ll hear about “Team X” signing “Player Y” to a free-agent contract. This whirlwind of activity is put in place when agents deduce their player is not going to get drafted. Most players near the end of the draft will already have a list of teams ready to sign with if they’re not picked. That’s why these free agent contracts are announced so quickly. Teams will also have a list of players and their signing bonuses ready to go as the draft is wrapping up.

why are the #Broncos having top-30 visits with players who are late round picks or UDFAs? @MaseDenver @CecilLammey have your answer on "Orange and Blue Today" 330p M-F pic.twitter.com/nPLkDrrnPo

— Denver Sports (@DenverSportsCom) April 1, 2023

The Broncos don’t have many picks because of the trades for quarterback Russell Wilson and head coach Sean Payton. However, they should look at these potential UDFAs as another draft. Unlike the regular draft, this process requires both sides to agree – you don’t just get to pick someone. That’s why this dance is being done now with some of the Broncos’ top-30 visits. Bring a player to your building, tell them about what their potential role could be, and get ready to work hard to sign them if they’re not drafted. The Broncos have all the money in the world, so signing bonuses for these players (which doesn’t count against the cap) will be no problem.

Over their history, the Broncos have always found talent via the UDFA class. There’s always a player that makes the 53-man roster, and many will be kept on the practice squad for further development. With the Broncos money woes behind them, and with Payton hunting for talent that fits his plan for the team, don’t be surprised if the Broncos get two or three players good enough to crack the final roster coming out of training camp. The draft is critically important, but in the Broncos situation the draft after the draft holds a significant amount of priority for their 2023 vision.

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What Have You Done for Me Lately?

They call the NFL “not for long” because of the nature of the business. Brandon Stokley calls the NFL a ‘what have you done for me lately’ league because players must constantly perform at the expected level or teams start to consider other options. Why don’t we hold franchises to the same expectations?

I think of this when thinking of how much the Broncos have stunk over the last six seasons. Their standard has been playoff-level football most every year of my life, but during the last six seasons the Broncos have been among the worst in the league. I also think about this when considering what’s going on with the Baltimore Ravens and superstar QB Lamar Jackson. He’s asked for a trade, but no team is offering anything for him as of yet. Things have fallen apart between the two sides, but I look at the Ravens and their lack of putting proper talent around Jackson during his time as the starter.

Yes, now reports are surfacing that the Ravens have reached out to Broncos GM George Paton about WR Courtland Sutton or WR Jerry Jeudy, but is Jackson even going to be there in 2023 if they were to trade for a Broncos’ wideout? Many think Jackson is just a running quarterback and not as developed as a passer as he needs to be. To that I say, look at what the Philadelphia Eagles did with QB Jalen Hurts.

Rewind about 16 months ago, and there were serious concerns about Hurts as a franchise quarterback. Eagles’ GM Howie Roseman made a blockbuster trade for WR A.J. Brown and in 2022 we saw Hurts make great strides as a passer. The Eagles have their quarterback of the future, while the Ravens (who have not done what they need to when it comes to surrounding Jackson with talent) are not convinced about their quarterback.

Latest Rodgers, Lamar and No. 1 pick buzz: What we’ve heard over the past week, from @DanGrazianoESPN and mehttps://t.co/2y0twEaFJF

— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) March 30, 2023

Paton has said the team has received phone calls about Sutton and Jeudy. Payton has said they’re not trading those two, and that his team is in the business of gathering talent. These statements give comfort to some who don’t want Sutton or Jeudy traded, but that’s not how this ‘what have you done for me lately’ league works.

Of course, the Broncos are not going to hang up the phone. Of course anyone like Payton or Paton who talk about Sutton or Jeudy are going to say they’re not interested in trading them. The reality of the situation is – things are still up in the air regarding the Broncos WR room. I’ll feel better about the Broncos keeping Sutton and/or Jeudy after the draft is over and teams pause their wheeling and dealing. Until then, nothing is guaranteed with that position.

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Never Gonna Get It

The Broncos are likely to pick a running back in the draft. When healthy, RB Javonte Williams could be among the best in the league. Until he’s healthy, it seems like the Broncos are content with leaning on free agent RB Samaje Perine. While Perine is starting, I believe the Broncos will have a rookie running back to bring some explosiveness to the field. Lord knows the Broncos have plenty of power in their backfield. It’s high time they find some speed and explosiveness at the position – likely in the draft.

Zach Charbonnet, from UCLA, is one of my favorite running backs in this draft class. I have heard from many in Broncos Country who would love Charbonnet to be picked up by the Broncos in the third round of the draft. I’m sorry to say to those fans, but there’s little chance Charbonnet is on the board at that time. Nicknamed “The Terminator” Charbonnet is likely to be a second-round pick, likely early on day twp of the draft. The Broncos don’t pick until the third round, and even though it’s early in that round they will have to be patient during the process. If they covet Charbonnet, they’ll have to move up to get him.

Paton is a UCLA alum, and I’m sure he’s loved Charbonnet since he entered the transfer portal in 2020 and landed with the Bruins. Charbonnet began his college career at Michigan, and he’s been on scout’s radar for quite some time. With production at two different stops, there is no doubt that Charbonnet has what it takes to be a Pro Bowl player in the NFL. I’m positive that Paton would love to add him to the room as any team will be lucky to land a player with an incredibly high floor at the position.

#UCLA RB Zach Charbonnet

6-foot, 214.

Downhill play-speed on tape. Can attack the edges on perimeter schemes. Runs through contact. Pass catching ability. Shows up in protection. I see three-down traits, here. pic.twitter.com/5yx2zu6TDE

— Matt Bowen (@MattBowen41) March 28, 2023

There is a bunch of positive momentum for Charbonnet’s pre-draft stock. I know April is the month of lies, but Charbonnet’s rise in the scouting community happened long ago. The things you’re hearing recently about his positive buzz is nothing more than others playing catch up. If you know ball, then you know Charbonnet is highly coveted in the NFL. This is a great class of running backs, and Charbonnet is one of the reasons why we should see more taken with premium picks than last year when there were zero first-round running backs (for the first time since 2014).

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Air Apparent

People are going to say I’m biased, but I loved the movie “Air.” It’s a movie about how Nike lured Michael Jordan to their company as a rookie back in 1984. I love Jordan, and I certainly love his shoes, so this movie was like a dream come true for a guy like me. However, I think a broader audience will love this story.

I’ve summed it up as a great sports movie that has more to do with business than sports. You don’t see Jordan in the movie, but the whole movie is based on him and his journey to the NBA as the no.3 overall pick. Jordan was not a fan of Nike, so CEO Phil Knight and company had to work especially hard just to get a meeting with the college superstar who was drafted by the Bulls. The story of how they put together a pitch for Jordan was fascinating.

Viola Davis as Jordan’s mother Deloris is one of the best performances you’ll see in a movie. To see the guidance of her son, and the way she dealt with company executives lurching around the family was fun to watch. Davis does a great job in this feel-good movie. Ben Affleck as Knight and Matt Damon as Sonny Vaccaro (a high school basketball expert and the one who believe Jordan could be the greatest of all time) also do outstanding work. This movie is well paced, has a great story, and it’s fun for the family – something you can’t say about a lot of movies these days.

Thanks to all of our VIP winners for hanging out with us last night at the early screening of #AIRMovie! pic.twitter.com/q1OqJ8xvtX

— Denver Sports (@DenverSportsCom) March 31, 2023

Are you excited to see this movie? Hit me up on social media and let me know!

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