Trading down for QB is difficult

Sean Payton doesn’t care about your in-theory NFL Draft strategies.

His approach has always been to target specific players and do what it takes to get them. He said this winter he’s “unconcerned” with what others deem good or poor value if the Broncos get the guy they want. Especially at the most important position in the game.

Here’s a popular idea: Trade down from No. 12, gain draft capital and still draft a quarterback early… just not that early. Most likely either Oregon’s Bo Nix or Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. Collect extra picks and $200 for passing “Go” while you’re at it.

Easy as that.

Payton poured cold water on that notion last month at the NFL’S spring ownership meetings.

“I think you tune out the stuff you read,” Payton said. “Just go back, we just saw the second run on the (2021) draft class that everyone loved all these prospects. Now they’re all with different teams. So you look closely. A lot of times, you’ll hear someone say, ‘Hey, they can always move back and pick up one of these other players.’ The reality of it is that one or maybe two of these guys will have a chance of success.

“Then you get those leap years where three or four do.”

This time of year it’s always worth wondering if a coach is actually dousing a fire or just kicking up a smokescreen.

Payton, though, has a point on this front. Trades are common in the draft. But trading down in the first round and hitting on a quarterback with a premium pick? That’s entirely uncommon.

The Post found two instances since the institution of the rookie wage scale in 2011 of a team trading down in the first round and then using that capital to take a quarterback. It happened slightly more often between 2000 and 2010, but without much more success.