Broncos' 3 Options at Pick No. 9 in NFL Draft

There is a lot of speculation about what the Broncos will do with their No. 9 overall pick.

Pick 9 overall. For the second straight year, that is where the Denver Broncos will be drafting, and under GM George Paton, it isn't easy to get a read on what the team will do. 

However, the Broncos already have plenty of options on the table and could have even more in the coming weeks. Based on the latest chatter, let's preview what the Broncos could do. 

Trade it for a Veteran QB

Obviously, the big option on the table is trading that pick away in exchange for a veteran quarterback. Until Aaron Rodgers provides clarity on his future, Russell Wilson, or another veteran, the mythical QB swooping in a la Peyton Manning to save the Broncos is a long shot. 

But if Green Bay or Seattle acquiesces to trading a Pro Bowl quarterback, Denver will be more than willing to use pick No. 9 and others to land one of them. That's still a big if. 

Trade it (Up or Down)

With a veteran quarterback off the table, for now, the Broncos only have two options left and one of them would be to trade it to either move up or down. Paton values draft picks and believes that the more picks you have, the better. 

It's hard to see him using pick No. 9 to move up in this year's draft with that value. This class only has a few tier-one prospects, so unless one of the few falls down the board, which is doubtful, it's somewhat safe to rule out trading up. 

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Make the Pick at 9

Taking the plunge at pick 9 would depend on how the board falls. This year, many draft analysts view the value of prospects from the 5-to-15 spots to be relatively even. So if the Broncos love a prospect, then they should take him at pick 9, even if it may be slightly early.

The quality of prospects is solid in that second tier; that's where the Broncos would be picking from at No. 9 overall. So, if a team sitting back offers a trade to move up, it wouldn't be shocking to see Paton take that deal. 

But, of course, it depends on the value in return. Paton won't just accept anything and it would have to be something worth it to give up potentially on prospects the Broncos like at pick 9. 

Bottom Line

So what are the Broncos going to do with their first-round pick? Well, based on the chatter and buzz, it could be anything. 

However, word on the street is that another team will be picking at No. 9 overall instead of the Broncos. That would either be by trade for a veteran quarterback or moving down in an attempt to stockpile 2023 draft pick value in return and give Paton more darts to throw. 

Buckle up because there are still roughly two months until the draft, and many variables are still in play that could change the game. 

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