Pros & Cons of Broncos Drafting a First-Round QB in 2023
It's unbelievable that a conversation about drafting a quarterback is on the table for Denver Broncos, but here we are. Denver made that big trade for Russell Wilson, but the acquisition has not panned out.
While Wilson isn't the only issue with the Broncos' offense, many of them fall at his feet. With what he gets paid, Wilson should be covering up some of the issues on the Broncos' offense.
Instead, he is adding to them and is essentially being turned into an overpaid game-managing quarterback. At times, there have been some promising signs of life from the veteran quarterback, but not enough to bet the team's long-term success on.
This leads to the conversation about whether the Broncos should look at a quarterback in the 2023 NFL draft. The current rumors around Wilson and his contract are that the Broncos could look at parting ways after the 2023 season with a post-June-1 cut. That helps spread the enormous dead-cap hit over two years instead of having it all on the books in one year.
With that as an option, Denver could target a quarterback in the 2023 class. It would give the rookie quarterback a redshirt season under Wilson for a year before becoming the starter in 2024, giving the Broncos a potential improvement at the backup spot for a year, with an option to take the reigns in 2024.
Of course, part of the risk here is that the prized quarterback NFL teams covet is USC's Caleb Williams, but he's not eligible for the draft until 2024. Denver can't make decisions in the present based on a potential home run in 2024.
There is no telling how the 2023 season will go, and to ensure Williams, Denver would have to get the first overall pick. If the Broncos wanted to go for that, they'd perhaps consider releasing Wilson this offseason and starting Brett Rypien for the 2023 campaign.
That's a different discussion for another time. The 2023 NFL draft has some options at quarterback that could be enticing for Denver.
The Most Intriguing 2023 QB
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What makes some of them even more enticing is these signal-callers would need a year as a redshirt before taking over as a starter. Florida's Anthony Richardson, who many are projecting as a late first-round pick at the moment, is the one that stands out. The Broncos now have a first-round selection, which is trending toward the late 20s, by way of the Bradley Chubb trade.
Richardson has a lot of technical issues that need to be coached up, but his highs are absolutely insane. He makes jaw-dropping plays and has shown he can carry a team on his back. But, of course, the question is whether he can do that at the NFL level.
If Denver were to take a quarterback in the 2023 draft, Richardson would be one of the better options. It would put the Broncos on a good timeline, with a new coaching staff that could be built (before the draft) with the possibility of developing a young quarterback for life after Wilson.
Taking someone like Richardson also wouldn't guarantee the Broncos would part ways with Wilson after the 2023 season. If Wilson were to take a step forward with his play under a new coaching staff, Denver could keep him around for another year and give Richardson additional time to develop behind Wilson.
There are reasons to avoid drafting a quarterback, but they're more superficial. GM George Paton is clearly on the hot seat, and while he gets 2023, most likely, 2024 is up in the air. So to save his job, Paton will sell out to build everything up around Wilson.
Wilson was Paton's first big maneuver with player personnel, and the early returns are why his seat is hot. Fixing that and not making everything the Broncos relinquished to acquire Seattle even more detrimental will be his focus.
There is also the issue of Wilson himself. It's clear how much of a voice he has, as he purportedly 'co-authored' the Broncos' playbook, along with having input on some personnel/coaching decisions. Wilson was acquired and garnered the big contract from Dever, and he isn't going to be okay with a young quarterback being drafted a year after he arrived. That could lead to issues behind the scenes in the locker room.
Bottom Line
While drafting a quarterback could be better for the Broncos in the long run with what they have seen from Wilson, it's unlikely to happen. The main decision-maker is out to save his job, and taking a bench player during the critical year isn't doing enough to build the roster for the season.
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