Maximizing value: How the Broncos will navigate a limited draft
Apr 28, 2023, 6:57 AM
The 2023 NFL Draft is underway and the Broncos don’t have a first- or second-round pick this year. Those were gone a long time ago when they traded all of them away for Russell Wilson and Sean Payton. But don’t be worried. They don’t necessarily need them.
This year’s draft is for building depth in position groups. The Broncos only have five draft picks and they’re all in the later rounds. They have the 67th, 68th, 108th, 139th and 195th picks. As Denver Sports analyst Cecil Lammey said, it’s all about the best player available this year. It’ll be a quiet draft for the Broncos this season.
With no first-round picks, it’s definitely not as exciting for Broncos fans. But it’s not a huge worry. Denver focused on picking up talent during free agency, spending most of their time and energy during that phase of the offseason. They signed close to $250 million in contracts and addressed a majority of the team’s weaknesses.
Payton and George Paton were dialed in during free agency because they knew that come draft time it was going to be a slow and painful process. With no picks until the third round, they understand that they can’t be focused on a position group or a particular player, it has to be the best player available at the time.
"Both of our mindsets is to draft the best player, no matter where we are in the draft."
GM George Paton, HC @SeanPayton approach 2023 #NFLDraft with aligned, clear vision of how to build Broncos » https://t.co/mNOMh99a32 pic.twitter.com/f2Z7M4GAOy
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) April 21, 2023
Don’t expect the Broncos to make any drastic moves during the draft because this year isn’t about drafting or developing young players. It’s about seeing if the Broncos can fix things within the trenches and get Russell Wilson back on track.
This is a must-win year for Wilson. If he can’t produce on the field, he’s gone. That’s why the Walton-Penner Family Ownership Group spent so much money during free agency. It’s a test to see whether Wilson is worth keeping around.
There’s been a lot of speculation about who the Broncos will pick in the third round and the conversations have been all over the place, ranging from centers, defensive line, corners and quarterbacks. While it’s going to surprise most people, quarterback Stetson Bennett is a likely pick in the third if he’s available.
Bennett played for Georgia the last four years. Last season, the quarterback ranked sixth in yards (4,127), tied for 18th in touchdowns (27) and fourth in QBR (87.8) in college football. He’s got NFL potential and having a backup plan for Wilson is something the Broncos need to consider if things don’t go his way this year. In the long term, Bennett is low risk and would benefit from sitting behind a Hall of Fame-worthy player and learning as much as he can.
It’s also important to note that the Broncos will have some flexibility here as they have the 67th and 68th picks in the draft. Giving them the option of possibly trading one of those picks away.
Here’s a long-shot idea; I could see the Broncos making a surprise move and trading away their third-round pick (67th) and Courtland Sutton (or another pick) to the Cardinals for DeAndre Hopkins. It’s a wild move, but I think it’s something that they should definitely be considering if it’s on the table.
The Broncos have been trying to ship off Sutton all offseason and have had no luck. Part of the reason is that he’s owed $18.5 million this year. It’s an expensive contract for an average player at best. If the Broncos decided to trade him to the Cardinals, the Walton-Penner group could also decide to pay some of his contract to sweeten the deal.
I have no problem with trading away picks and Sutton to get Wilson more weapons to work with. Hopkins is a five-time Pro Bowl receiver and having someone with that kind of experience and expertise is something any team can benefit from.
This year’s draft will be interesting, as it’s pretty hard to predict who will be available in the third round. It’s about getting the best player available and adding depth to the roster.
With the Broncos only having five picks this year, is it going to be a slow and painful process as Paton and Payton decide which five players will get that long-awaited phone call. Or will they make a last-minute trade made during this 2023 NFL Draft?
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