PFF Draws Out 'Worst-Case Scenario' for Broncos' 2024 NFL Draft

What needs to happen for the Denver Broncos during their upcoming NFL Draft?

It's projecting to be a pretty critical NFL Draft ahead for the Denver Broncos this spring. Going into their second season under head coach Sean Payton, it seems both sides of the ball will be going under a bit of a retool, with big names Russell Wilson and Justin Simmons recently reported on their way out of the Mile High.

The table is set for some rejuvenated, young talent to join the fold in Denver, but there are times when the draft doesn't always go as well as predicted. Pro Football Focus dove into the worst-possible scenario for each NFL team this offseason and showcased a scary hypothetical for the Broncos.

PFF's Gordon McGuinness detailed the worst scenario for Denver as going empty-handed at the quarterback position:

Worst-case scenario: 

Failing to find a solution at quarterback

The Broncos will cut Russell Wilson when the new league year begins, so we now officially know that the team is looking for a new starting quarterback.

The Broncos are another potential fit for a player like Kirk Cousins, who they could look to pair with a young quarterback, but they could also just draft someone with the 12th overall pick.

J.J. McCarthy is the fourth quarterback on

PFF’s big board

. If they want him under center for 2024, the only scenario they would have to worry about would be the Minnesota Vikings, potentially drafting the former Michigan star right before them.

As PFF notes, the Minnesota Vikings could be a potential threat in Denver's pursuit of finding a franchise quarterback. They sit just one pick ahead of the Broncos and could be a prime suitor to select their future signal caller at 11th overall. 

Combine this with the possibility of another team jumping ahead and trading up being in play, as well as a few other QB-hungry teams also picking before the Broncos, and it makes for a situation that could end up ugly real quickly, depending on the moves that take place.

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Of course, the Broncos could fork over some assets of their own in a trade-up to secure a quarterback they have their eyes on, but they're a team that lacks existing draft capital anyway, already without their second-round pick. It may not be the most realistic move for Denver to act on a blockbuster, considering they're stuck in a bit of a hole as is.

In the end, things may come down to the board falling in favor of the Broncos and allowing Sean Payton to land his quarterback to build this new offensive unit with. With just under two months to go until the first round kicks off, the Broncos have loads of time to unravel and scout out who the ultimate man for the job will be moving forward.

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