Broncos Have NFL's 'Worst QB Situation,' Expected to Trade Up

The Denver Broncos have a woefully thin quarterback room. Will Sean Payton remedy that on Draft Day?

Jan 7, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Jarrett Stidham (4) takes the field / Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

Now that St. Patrick’s Day and Easter are out of the way, the anticipation for the NFL draft continues to grow in Broncos Country. The first round of the draft is just a few weeks away, beginning on Thursday, April 25.

As the Senior Bowl, Shrine Bowl, NFL Combine, and College Pro Days are just about in the books, Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton’s staff is combing over potential prospects who can help accelerate this team’s redemption in 2024 and beyond.

In the weeks leading up to the NFL draft, you’ve likely heard the term ‘the season of lies,’ and it’s for good reason as all 32 franchises attempt to hoodwink and bamboozle each other to gain an upper hand at the end of April. The Broncos currently hold the No.12 overall pick and NFL Network’s contingent of league experts believe that Denver is the team that needs to trade up in Round 1 the most. Chad Reuter writes:

“After the disaster that was the Russell Wilson era, and after watching their AFC West-rival Kansas City Chiefs win their second straight Super Bowl, the Broncos are looking for good news. Moving up into the top five from their No. 12 spot will likely cost Denver multiple 2025 selections, due to the Broncos' lack of capital in this year's draft (just two of the team's eight picks are in the top 100), but acquiring one of the top four quarterbacks gives the team direction -- and its fans something to believe in.”

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The Broncos are currently on a seven-year losing streak and haven’t reached the playoffs since winning Super Bowl 50 in 2015. Countless quarterbacks have ridden Denver’s disastrous carousel just as the numerous head coaches who failed to right the wrongs of an organization that has seemingly gotten comfortable dwelling in the pits of NFL misery.

Payton’s current QB room consists of Jarett Stidham and Ben DiNucci, as the Broncos are on the hook for Wilson’s $37.8 million salary in the wake of his release. The $85 million in dead-cap money that’ll be absorbed by the Broncos over the next two seasons left the team idle in free agency at the QB position. Jeff Chadiha writes:

“The Broncos have arguably the worst quarterback situation in the NFL, and they didn’t have the resources to fix it when free agency started. The only real shot at improving that room now is a bold draft trade that puts them in position to select one of the top four prospects in the class. Denver might find a solid option where it currently sits -- at 12th overall -- but the potential stars will be long gone by then (a group that includes Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye and J.J. McCarthy). The Broncos already reside in a conference and division featuring stellar quarterback play. To go into next season without real hope at the position doesn’t make much sense.”

Outside of the top-3, there are other teams in the market for a first-round quarterback, including the New York Giants (No. 6), Minnesota Vikings (No. 11, No. 23), and Las Vegas Raiders (No. 13), who also made the NFL Network’s list of teams looking to move up in Round 1. 

Interestingly enough, NFL Network’s David Carr and Maurice Jones-Drew had the Broncos tied with two other teams, indicating that there’s a highly competitive and desperate market for the quarterback position.  

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