NFL Insider Sheds New Light on Broncos' Plan to Tackle QB Dilemma

Sean Payton and the Denver Broncos have a critical question to answer on their hands.

Feb 27, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton during the NFL Scouting / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

With less than a month to go until the NFL Draft kicks off, the Denver Broncos are still stuck with their looming quarterback question of who will be starting under center for the first year post-Russell Wilson.

The team decided to cut ties with their former signal caller at the beginning of the new league year, and all eyes have been directed toward who will be the next man for the job in the Mile High. Existing names on the roster, like Jarrett Stidham and Ben DiNucci, have gained some lingering consideration as an option, but it seems some new developments have thrown some cold water on that potential reality.

According to ESPN's Jordan Reid, league sources say it's hard to see Sean Payton entering next season with the current QB room the Broncos have on hand:

"No way Sean [Payton] goes into the year with that quarterback room." That's how an AFC executive summed up draft expectations for the Broncos, who are expected to address QB at some point over the course of seven rounds. But will it be early or down the board? Bo Nix has been a popular match for Denver this month, and considering the Broncos are without a second-round pick but do have six Day 3 selections, I could see them trading back from No. 12 before selecting their signal-caller of the future."

The wide speculation surrounding this team's draft selection taking place later this month is that a quarterback will likely be the primary focus, and this report seems to align with that sentiment. However, as Reid tells it, don't be shocked to see a trade down take place if the right value is there.

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It's hard to picture the Broncos being fortunate enough to secure one of the top talents in this draft, such as Drake Maye or Jayden Daniels, without a pricey move up themselves. Signal callers like Oregon's Bo Nix and Washington's Michael Penix are both guys who could be targeted later in the first round or further down, depending on how the board falls, so if Denver can reclaim some value in draft picks while sliding back a few selections, it's a move that's well within reason.

Outside of the quarterback position, there are several positions of need that the Broncos could benefit from addressing in the draft, which makes the idea of a trade-down much more appealing. However, if there's a prospect sitting at 12 that Denver has simply fallen in love with, it may lead them to hold onto their cards altogether.

The one thing remaining clear is that coach Payton will be anything but complacent in his search for a stable option under center. Whether we see a selection go down early or late during the draft at the end of this month, expect some fresh, young quarterback talent to be in the mix for Denver for the 2024-25 season.

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