Chris Harris Jr. Loves Idea of Broncos Taking QB With 12th Pick
The Denver Broncos are coming off their second straight underwhelming season despite all the hype that surrounded them in the offseason. The addition of head coach Sean Payton helped a little bit, but it wasn't enough to get the Broncos back into the playoffs.
Now heading into this offseason, Denver will be searching for a new quarterback. Russell Wilson is no longer going to be their starter, as the team wants to go in a different direction.
Payton likely wants a signal-caller that he can build with, which points at them possibly taking a quarterback in the upcoming draft. Denver holds the 12th pick this year, and there are plenty of solid options to choose from.
Broncos cornerback Chris Harris Jr. spoke with Patrick Chiotti about the 12th pick, and he loved the idea of drafting a quarterback. The two discussed the possibility of Denver selecting University of Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy.
"I like the pick man, definitely, but if we’re in a place where we’re Super Bowl or bust people might question that pick you know, just because it’s gonna take some time to develop this guy. He’s not gonna come out sparks on fire, so it depends on if the Dever Broncos can have patience. Have patience to let this guy develop, let this guy grow, and take us to the promise land later on in his career."
McCarthy is coming off leading Michigan to a National Championship, and his draft stock is as high as it ever will be. It remains to be seen if he will be taken in the first round, but he has the talent.
He played 15 games for the Wolverines this past season, throwing for 2991 yards and 22 touchdowns. McCarthy improved each season that he played at Michigan, giving potential NFL teams a glimpse into the type of player that they may be getting.
As Harris points out, normally rookie quarterbacks don't win the Super Bowl, so it would be a waiting game. But sometimes investing in a young quarterback can pay off extremely well.
"We just gotta be patient with him, and let this kid grow. And bring some studs, cause now we got a low price at quarterback right, so that means we can get tons of weapons and load them up around, so I think that’s the best strategy to go with."
The only downside to Denver drafting McCarthy would be that his former head coach at Michigan now is coaching with the AFC West division rival, Los Angeles Chargers. Jim Harbaugh likely knows all the strengths and weaknesses of McCarthy, which could cause some issues for Denver.
However, the Broncos wouldn't let that stop them from taking McCarthy if they like him out of college. The Broncos' situation remains unclear, but it seems that even the veteran players on the roster are fine with them going the rookie quarterback route.
Matt earned a Master of Science degree in Sport Management from Louisiana State University in 2021. He was born and raised in the Los Angeles area, covering all Southern California sports in his career.