Five Denver storylines before the critical day
There’s so much uncertainty about what the Broncos will do in the first round of the NFL Draft that someone could develop a migraine thinking about the various scenarios.
From the Broncos potentially adding to their offensive line to addressing the need for an explosive running back, here are five storylines to watch out for during the draft, which starts on Thursday night.
Trade up, trade down, or stand pat
This is one of the biggest questions for the Broncos. Head coach Sean Payton is known for being aggressive and trading up in the draft. Meanwhile, general manager George Paton doesn’t mind trading back to acquire more assets.
Even if the Broncos want to move up, it might be hard for them to beat out teams like the New York Giants and Minnesota Vikings —two teams that could use a quarterback. But say the Vikings traded up to No. 3, and the Giants decided to draft a wide receiver or offensive tackle with the sixth pick: Denver could stay at No. 12 and see if J.J. Mccarthy falls. Or it could try to acquire the No. 8 pick from the Falcons without giving up multiple firstrounders.
Paton said the Broncos have received calls from other teams, asking if they wanted to move back. This could be a more reasonable move since Denver would obtain more picks and potentially be in the mix for quarterbacks Bo Nix and Michael Penix Jr.
How does trade for Wilson impact the team’s draft plans?
The Broncos acquired another veteran quarterback, but not the one most fans would expect. Denver traded for New York Jets signal caller Zach Wilson, who will join a quarterback room featuring Jarrett Stidham and Ben Dinucci.
Acquiring Wilson is an inexpensive move with potential gain if the franchise can help revive the former BYU star’s career. But it shouldn’t stop the team from pursuing a quarterback during the draft. If the Broncos want to be aggressive in their pursuit of a rookie quarterback or trade back to nab one, they still can.
Stidham and Wilson do not seem like long-term answers, leaving room for a rookie to come in and compete for the starter job right away. But at the least, the Broncos have some kind of insurance at quarterback if they have to wait until 2025 to address the future of the most important position on the roster.