With the Super Bowl over, get ready for what could be a blockbuster #DraftSzn in Denver Broncos HQ. Head coach Sean Payton spent a lot of time making the rounds at Radio Row last week, and of course, much of the debate revolved around the Broncos’ quarterback problem.
We learned how much Payton emphasizes and cherishes his quarterback’s ability to be a “quick processor,” and we also learned that the Broncos have not fully ruled out the idea of working things out with Russell Wilson.
Payton discussed the Big Three quarterbacks in the 2024 selection class with the hosts who interviewed him. Sitting at No. 12 in the first round, Payton’s best chance of getting one is to locate a willing trade partner in the top three and put together a deal that they can’t refuse.
That’s how Trevor Sikkema of Pro Football Focus sees things unfolding for Payton, with the Washington Commanders trading out of the No. 2 overall pick to let the Broncos to choose North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye. First, consider the compensation.
Commanders will receive: a 2024 first-round pick (No. 12), a 2025 first-round pick, a 2025 second-round pick, and a 2026 first-round pick.
The Broncos will earn a first-round pick in 2024.
I feel the market for quarterbacks in this draft will be quite hot, and we’ll see this confirmed after free agency.
The Falcons, Raiders, Broncos, and Vikings will all look to trade up for a quarterback. Here, I have an ambitious Sean Payton moving from No. 12 to No. 2 by foregoing the same compensation deal that the 49ers provided to move Trey Lance from No. 12 to No. 3 in 2021.
Broncos Country cringes at the prospect of giving up first-round picks in each of the next two years, especially after not having a Day 1 pick since 2021. However, Super Bowl LVIII demonstrated that the NFL is an all-or-nothing league.
A team either has a franchise quarterback and everything is possible. Or it doesn’t, and nothing can save that club from a dismal finish in the rankings.
The question for Payton’s Broncos is not what they are willing to give up to climb up to second place; rather, what are they unwilling to give up? Especially if it meant resolving the quarterback issue and giving the Broncos a better chance of winning the World Championship.
Patrick Mahomes isn’t leaving anytime soon. I have a 2-year-old son. The 28-year-old Mahomes might play long into my son’s early high school years.
That exemplifies the AFC West’s arms race, in which the Broncos now lack firepower. That race also includes the Las Vegas Raiders.
Payton is going to manoeuvre this summer, and it will be costly. But he knows he is not immune to the consequences of NFL head coaches failing to move the needle, so he needs to take his shot now.
Maye would be a great fit for the Broncos. Based on scouting reports, it’s unclear how well he’d fulfill Payton’s “quick processor” requirement, but his talent and football IQ are undeniably high. There’s a reason why Maye is often regarded as QB2 in this class.
A recent rumour claims that Maye’s stock is declining, but I’ll believe it when I see it. He’s a legitimate top-5 talent, which provides the Broncos a target zone if they want to sign him.
Time will tell if PFF’s newest mock draft foreshadows the Broncos’ future. For now, all we can do is hurry up and wait.
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