Should the Broncos trade up to take a quarterback in the draft?
Mar 2, 2024, 8:18 AM | Updated: 6:38 pm
With the NFL Scouting Combine underway, the Denver Broncos have been busy interviewing and analyzing potential draft candidates from this year’s upcoming draft class. The team has been focusing on the quarterback position, which is their most-significant need.
Mike Klis has reported that the Broncos have met with the “Big Three” quarterbacks in this year’s draft. Caleb Williams, Drake Maye and Jayden Daniels.
Denver Broncos meet with “Big Three” quarterbacks at NFL Combine | https://t.co/hx2N6FCV6F https://t.co/1N4wUVGBmi
— MikeKlis9NEWS (@mikeklis9news) February 29, 2024
The Broncos have also met with less-touted prospects like J.J. McCarthy, Michael Penix Jr, and Bo Nix George Paton and Sean Payton want to evaluate all their options. Of the 45 formal interviews that teams get to conduct at the combine, the Broncos have used eight of those on quarterbacks.
Payton has a goal this offseason to find the perfect quarterback, and he’s made his expectations very clear. It’s also been made clear that for Payton to draft a quarterback this year, he needs to “fall in love” with them.
The Broncos have the 12th-overall pick in the upcoming NFL Draft. If they wish to select any of the three highest-rated quarterbacks, the “Big Three,” they will need to trade up by giving away significant resources. Last week, Paton acknowledged that it would be a difficult task to move up to the first-overall pick in the draft.
Meanwhile, they interviewed all three top quarterbacks. They may be willing to go all in if it’s the right fit for Payton. Regardless, they took time to meet with them, and it shows that a big trade-up into the top three picks may be in the cards for the Broncos.
If the Broncos decide not to move up into the top three picks, they should consider trading up a few picks for several other quarterbacks who will be available in the top ten.
Payton needs to find his preferred quarterback and go all in once he does. While it’s difficult to predict who he will choose as “his guy,” it’s worth noting that all the prospects have spoken highly of Payton throughout the combine. During one interview, former LSU quarterback Daniels even referred to him as “the guru.”
Jayden Daniels on meeting at the #NFLCombine with the Broncos and Sean Payton, who he calls “the guru”: pic.twitter.com/vozC6QuH6h
— Andrew Mason (@MaseDenver) March 1, 2024
The Broncos need a quarterback, and it’s crucial that they take a chance on a rookie and develop them into a franchise quarterback. Since most of the quarterbacks are expected to be picked within the top 10 in the draft, it’s not worth the risk to wait and see if anyone drops back. If Payton wants to secure a talented quarterback, the team must trade up and make it happen.
It is unacceptable for the Broncos to go another year without finding a long-term solution at quarterback. If Paton fails to acquire the quarterback that Payton wants, he may be at risk of losing his job soon. The Broncos have endured a difficult couple of years, and they must start seeing positive results; otherwise, further organizational changes will be necessary.
The decision to trade into the top three will come with a high cost for the Broncos. However, a crucial step must be taken to steer the franchise in the right direction. Acquiring a talented quarterback from Willams, Maye or Daniels will provide the much-needed stability at the quarterback position that the Broncos have been missing since 2015. Payton’s exceptional coaching skills can transform any one of these players into a franchise quarterback, which is crucial for the team’s long-term success.
