5 Big Takeaways From Broncos' Pre-Draft Press Conference

What did we learn from the Denver Broncos' annual press conference ahead of the NFL draft?

Denver Broncos general manager George Paton and head coach Sean Payton. / Gabriel Christus/Denver Broncos

The Denver Broncos are gearing up for the 2024 NFL draft. Every draft is important, but this year is monumental for the rebuilding Broncos, who, as it stands, are without a franchise quarterback.

The absence of a bonafide quarterback — the most crucial cornerstone piece on any competitive NFL roster — is conspicuous and amounts to a four-alarm situation for the Broncos. Sitting on eight total selections, including the No. 12 overall pick, head coach Sean Payton and GM George Paton held court with local media on Thursday for their annual pre-draft press conference.

With the draft set to launch on next Thursday, April 25, what did we learn? Here are my key takeaways.

Broncos Like '7 or 8' QBs

As many as six quarterbacks could hear their name called in the first round of this year's draft. According to Paton, the Broncos like "seven or eight" QBs in this draft class, though he stopped well short of revealing any hints on the team's board or rankings.

“I’m not going to talk about our board right now," Paton said. "I do think that it’s a good quarterback class. [There are] seven, eight quarterbacks that we like [and] that we think can play in the league one day. I’m not going to get into how we have them rated or the Top 10.  I’m not going to go there, but it is a good quarterback class. It’s been fun getting to know them, seven or eight of them. We think that we can take a quarterback early; we think [we can get one in] the mid-rounds. We think that there are going to be quarterbacks throughout the draft that are interesting to us."

Paton closed that particular remark by hinting that there's at least one quarterback the Broncos find "interesting" who won't be drafted in Round 1. The most likely candidate is South Carolina's Spencer Rattler, but Tulane's Michael Pratt and Tennessee's Joe Milton III are among that next cluster of quarterbacks currently viewed as Day 2 prospects.

It could be that the board doesn't fall fortuitously, and the Broncos opt to draft a "value" position at No. 12, like edge rusher, offensive tackle, or cornerback. In such an event, Rattler, Pratt, and Milton would become the top candidates for Denver to target with its next selection in Round 3.

If the Broncos didn't take a QB at No. 12, and Rattler was the apple of Payton and Paton's eye on Day 2, it wouldn't be surprising to see them trade up into the second round to ensure landing him. Payton's history in the draft is replete with trade-ups.

It's also possible that Oregon's Bo Nix and/or Washington's Michael Penix Jr. fall out of the first round, at which point, I could see the Broncos also trying to maneuver up from pick No. 76 to land them. For now, the only safe bet is that USC's Caleb Williams, LSU's Jayden Daniels, UNC's Drake Maye, and Michigan's J.J. McCarthy will not make it out of Round 1, let alone the top 10.

Alas, sitting at No. 12 puts Denver just outside the comfortable striking distance of any of the 'Big 4' QBs.

Broncos Open to a Reasonable Reach on a QB

Some fans quickly get into pearl-clutching posture when even the slightest mention of a "reach" in the draft is floated. And yet, teams reach on propsects each and ever year, especially at quarterback and any of the other three value positions.

A "reach" in the draft means taking a player higher than what the team originally had him ranked on its big board. So, if, say, a quarterback like Nix is ranked on Denver's big board as the 29th-best player, and he's the highest-rated player at his position when the Broncos go on the clock at No. 12, drafting the Oregon product there would technically be a "reach."

But there are a multitude of factors that go into a team's decision to draft a player slightly higher than he may be ranked on the big board. To that end, Paton revealed that the Broncos are open to reaching on a quarterback, but only if it's "within reason."

“We are going through all sorts of clusters throughout the draft," Paton said. "We may have a guy in pod two—so to speak—who is No. 1 and another guy who is No. 7. The other guy may be an edge player, so we value him more. To answer your question: If it is within reason [the team would reach]. Now you don’t want the huge reach, but if they are in similar graded areas or pods, then you take the value position. Whether it’s quarterback, whether it’s edge or cornerback, you know what they are. They are a premium. You can’t reach too much for those guys.”

There is a limit to have far the Broncos will reach on a given player. But, suffice it to say, when it comes to any of the four big value positions, a team will budget a little more room in that reach window if it's for a quarterback.

That's even more true for a quarterback-desperate team like the Broncos.

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Pumping the Brakes on QB-or-Bust Predictions at 12

Some needy teams will absolutely embrace a QB-or-Bust mentality in the first round of the draft. The Broncos, publicly, aren't putting themselves in that group, but they're not that far removed.

Nobody believes the Broncos can be a competitive threat with Jarrett Stidham and Ben DiNucci as the top-two quarterbacks on the roster, even with Payton's competent leadership and coaching. Best-case scenario with Stidham as QB1? Another eight-win season.

That would be a miracle. So, yeah, the Broncos understand the dire need for an infusion of dynamic talent at quarterback. But at the same time, making the wrong decision on a highly-drafted QB can not only cost a head coach and GM his job, but it can set a franchise back years.

So the Broncos are trying to balance these factors — need vs. resources vs. BPA vs. risk vs. reward. Payton articulated the point quite well, without necessarily revealing anything to his NFL competitors ahead of the draft.

“Do we have to draft a quarterback? You would say, ‘Man, it sure looks like we have to draft a quarterback.’ And yet, it has to be the right fit and the right one," Payton said. "If we had the tip sheets as to who everyone else was taking, it would be easier to answer that question. That’s the puzzle here.”

For his part, Paton emphasized the risk aspect of reaching too far for a quarterback, and how that could impact the Broncos moving forward.

“What you don’t want to do here is force it," Paton said. "Otherwise, we will be in this position next year and the years after. You want to get the right player at No. 12. Our first pick we have to hit on, whether it’s a quarterback, whether it’s a tackle, a receiver or you name it. We need to get an impact player.”

Broncos Open to Trading Up for a Game-Changer

The Broncos may find themselves just outside the top 10 currently, but they're still within reasonable striking distance of a trade-up. However, this team hasn't made a first-round selection since taking Alabama cornerback Patrick Surtain II in 2021, due to the resources relinquished in the Russell Wilson and Payton trades in back-to-back years.

Having been rendered first-round spectators in each of the past two seasons, giving up 2024, 2025, and even 2026 picks to move into the top 5 of the draft would come with an immense risk. It would cost, probably, three first-rounders to move from 12 to, say, No. 4 or 5. Or, two first-rounders and a Surtain-level blue-chipper.

If the Broncos orchestrated such a trade to draft a quarterback and it didn't pan out, it could absolutely cripple the franchise. We're talking tectonic doomsday consequences that would likely lead to Paton being fired first, followed by Payton.

But there's also the 'no risk-it, no biscuit' philosophy and the crapshoot nature of the NFL draft. If there were such a prospect in this year's draft class, the Broncos would be open to risking said biscuit, but that player would have to be viewed as franchise-altering.

“I would just say if it’s a player that you think can change the landscape of your organization moving forward, like quarterback, then you do whatever it takes to get him," Paton said. "If there’s consensus in the building, a love in the building, you’re aggressive and you try to get him. It doesn’t mean you’re going to get him, but you try. So we’re open to everything. We’re wide open.”

Edge & CB 'Always' on the Table

The Broncos have a big quarterback hole, yes, but the frustrating tragedy of the team's situation is that there are many pressing needs across the roster. Tis ever thus to rebuilding teams. The Broncos could absolutely use an infusion of talent at outside linebacker, and you can never have too many cornerbacks.

There's also the obvious future need at offensive tackle, with Garett Bolles entering a contract year on the wrong side of 30. The Broncos have a lot of young talent at cornerback and edge, but with both positions being "value" positions, Paton and Payton will be prepared to pull the trigger in the draft if the right prospect is there.

“You’re always looking for corners and edge, value-type positions," Paton said. "We like our corner group. We have one of the best corners in the league. We like our nickel in ‘J-Mac’ [CB Ja’Quan McMillian]. We have two young outside guys, [CB] Riley [Moss], and [CB] Damarri [Mathis] and [CB] Tremon [Smith]. We have a good, young group. They’re younger, so we like the group, [but] you’re always looking to add at those type of positions. The outside ’backer group, we have three that are really talented: [OLB Nik] Bonitto, [OLB Baron] Browning and [OLB Jonathon] Cooper. We have a young [ILB] Drew Sanders, if he stays outside. So we like the group, but you’re always looking at those type of positions. They’re hard to find. If someone falls in your lap, you’re going to take them.”

Paton didn't mention offensive tackle in his remarks there because the question was about corners and edge players. But you can believe that the same arithmetic applies to offensive tackle.

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