As is customary, the Senior Bowl practice week sparked a few fresh rumours, a couple of which were particularly concerning the Denver Broncos. For the first time, Pro Bowl cornerback Patrick Surtain II was mentioned as a legitimate trade piece that the Broncos could be prepared to deal in a Draft Day trade-up in exchange for one of the Big Three quarterbacks in the 2024 class.
However, the Broncos’ decision to move Surtain would be a last resort to sweeten an already heavily loaded trade package. Currently holding the No. 12 overall pick, if head coach Sean Payton truly wants one of the Big Three, it may come to that.
ESPN’s Bill Barnwell recently studied the Broncos’ circumstances to determine what a viable trade package with the Chicago Bears would look like to move up to first overall. Unsurprisingly, Barnwell concluded that include Surtain is Denver’s best option — and even then, like Bon Jovi, Payton and company would be praying because the Bears are unlikely to sell the pick.
The Broncos have already lost years of draft capital and are down many spots in this draft, so they virtually have to include players to jump from No. 12 to No. 1. The only guy who could tip the needle is star cornerback Pat Surtain II, who may appear to be a luxury in a zone-based defence like the Bears’.
Chicago may not want to pay two cornerbacks as much as Surtain and Jaylon Johnson will receive on their next contracts, but if Eberflus wants to field the NFL’s finest defence, adding a top-three cornerback won’t hurt.
Surtain, pick No. 12, and 2025 second- and third-round picks are proposed as a swap for the top pick.
The one advantage the Broncos would have in Barnwell’s proposed trade package is that the Bears chose to keep defensive-minded head coach Matt Eberflus. The allure of signing perhaps the NFL’s finest young cornerback would be enormous, especially if it included additional trade money.
However, in order for the Surtain arithmetic to work for Eberflus, the Bears would have to elect to give 2021 first-round pick Justin Fields one last shot at starting quarterback. And there’s no guarantee it will happen.
After all, the Bears fought hard to earn the No. 1 overall pick, and it’s a rare opportunity to select from the whole draft class, especially for a quarterback-needy team. If the Bears do not give up on Fields, the focus will shift to upgrading the roster with star players to help him win.
Adding Surtain to Chicago’s defence would undoubtedly aid in such an effort, and when combined with the draft money Barnwell included in his potential trade, Eberflus would have a few more quality darts to fire by 2025.
Still, Barnwell’s trade proposal appears to be weak on the first-round side of things. It’s difficult to picture Chicago moving out of first place without receiving at least a pair of first-round picks, even if an All-Pro player like Surtain was included as a sweetener.
Here’s a more reasonable trade package for Denver to consider with Chicago:
Surtain, pick No. 12, and a 2025 first- and third-round pick are proposed as part of the exchange for the top pick.
Perhaps next year’s second-rounder is essential, but if Denver is giving up its first-round pick in 2025, it may not be. To feel comfortable giving up that much draft capital, Payton and Broncos GM George Paton needed to be as certain as possible that the quarterback they were seeking was a lock to be a franchise player.
Following two offseasons in which the Broncos traded numerous first and second-round draft picks to obtain Russell Wilson and Payton’s coaching rights, many supporters are understandably hesitant to sell the farm again.
However, all of the Patrick Surtains, Von Millers, Justin Simmonses, and Courtland Suttons will not shift the needle for the Broncos. Without a true franchise quarterback, this team will remain in NFL purgatory, wandering aimlessly in the quarterback desert.
A true franchise quarterback is the tide that lifts all boats. Most Broncos fans may recall how Peyton Manning’s arrival transformed Demaryius Thomas, a previously average player, into a perennial Pro Bowler — and several of his offensive linemen.
Eric Decker went from having hardly more than 700 receiving yards over two years to a 1,000-yard receiver with double-digit touchdowns in just his first year with Manning. Julius Thomas went from being on the periphery of the squad to collecting 24 touchdown receptions in two years and earning back-to-back Pro Bowl selections.
The Houston Texans are a modern illustration of how a young franchise quarterback can not only float all boats around him, but also dramatically change the course of a previously struggling team. C.J. Stroud made Tank Dell and Nico Collins household names and led the Texans to the AFC South title and a playoff berth in Year 1.
If the Broncos give up on Wilson, Payton must get him – at almost any cost. Damn those torpedoes. The Broncos are out of options until they locate their franchise quarterback, and the odds are that player will not be available through NFL free agency.
There isn’t a free-agent franchise quarterback, after all. The Mannings of the world are the exceptions that demonstrate the norm.
However, USC’s Caleb Williams may be. UNC’s Drake Maye and LSU’s Jayden Daniels are also considered potential franchise players. If Barnwell’s trade proposal becomes a reality, the Broncos will have first dibs.
Williams would look great in orange and blue, and rumours out of Mobile say Payton adores him.
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