The Broncos may want to move down in the draft — but they may not have a trade partner to do it
Apr 17, 2024, 6:45 PM
For the Denver Broncos, moving down in the NFL Draft to select Oregon quarterback Bo Nix might be the best play.
It would give them a viable quarterback prospect who appears to fit what Sean Payton seeks from the position — and allow them to add draft capital while selecting Nix in a spot that better reflects the risk-reward ratio of his candidacy than No. 12.
There’s just one problem:
If the Broncos are on the clock at No. 12 and looking to make a move down, their phone might not ring with suitors that offer a reasonable deal.
“Let’s say (J.J) McCarthy’s gone and you’re staring there at Bo Nix — seems to be one that’s popular there, obviously (Michael) Penix (Jr.) would still be on the board. If you want to take a quarterback, I think at that point in time you could probably afford to move back a little bit and see whatever else you can accumulate and make that pick,” NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah said on a Zoom conference with national media Wednesday afternoon.
“The challenge is going to be (that) I don’t know who at that point in time is coming up, unless it’s someone that’s coming up to position themselves to get a tackle, assuming the Raiders could be a tackle team and the Saints right there are a tackle team.”
The Las Vegas Raiders and New Orleans Saints hold the two picks immediately behind Denver, at the No. 13 and 14 spots, respectively.
“So, maybe you get somebody,” Jeremiah said. “Maybe if the Bengals wanted to jump up there for a tackle, maybe you get the Rams who wanted to move up there for a tackle.”
But that’s a lot to pin on “maybes.”
“I think they could be in a position where they might not be able to get out,” Jeremiah said. “That might be what they want to do. I just don’t know if they’ll be able to find a partner there.”
For the Broncos, moving down from No. 12 “might be what they want to do,” @nflnetwork’s Daniel Jeremiah (@MoveTheSticks) told me on a Zoom conference today. “I just don’t know if they’ll be able to find a partner there.” pic.twitter.com/v8ojaKZ6SL
— Andrew Mason (@MaseDenver) April 17, 2024
Jeremiah had the Broncos taking Georgia tight end Brock Bowers in his most recent mock draft, which was posted March 19.
Jeremiah’s final pre-draft mock drops next Wednesday.
