Why Trading Down Makes the Most Sense for Broncos in Draft

Should the Denver Broncos move down from 12th-overall in this year's draft?

The Denver Broncos have several holes on their roster, from quarterback to cornerback. With only two picks in this year’s draft's Top 100, Denver will have difficulty getting enough talent for their depleted team. 

The Broncos could maneuver a trade down from the 12th overall slot to acquire more draft picks to help shore up the roster. It might be in the Broncos' best interest. Let's examine why. 

Wealth of Talent at Need Positions

This year's draft class has a wealth of talent in various positions, especially at wide receiver and offensive line. Depending on how far Denver moves down the board, it could pick up multiple Day 2 picks, giving them more chances to add premium talent.

There’s plenty of top-tier talent throughout the first round, from offensive tackles to wide receivers and corners, all positions of need for Denver. The Broncos currently don’t possess a second-round pick, a spot where several starters are selected yearly. If Denver does move down, it could snag a quality offensive tackle or corner, depending on the board, and then fill another position of need in the second. 

Denver’s wide receiver room is shaky, with Jerry Jeudy being traded to the Cleveland Browns, Tim Patrick’s injury history, and Courtland Sutton’s status beyond 2024 up in the air. Assuming Denver trades down and acquires multiple picks, it may be willing to select multiple wideouts to fill its roster.

The Broncos' defensive line is also void of quality talent and is a spot where they’d be wise to spend multiple picks. With so many holes to fill, trading back can ensure that Denver can fill out the roster and possibly field a competitive team sooner rather than later.

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Building the Nest For a Future QB

Trading down also makes sense in terms of building a competitive roster to plug in a rookie quarterback. If Denver can’t find a way to select a first-round quarterback, then it should trade down and acquire draft capital for this year and next to build the nest for when it has a chance to draft a potentially franchise-changing guy.

The Kansas City Chiefs had a playoff-caliber roster when they drafted Patrick Mahomes, which made them Super Bowl contenders almost immediately. If Sean Payton doesn’t like his options at quarterback in this year's draft, expect him to take this season to build the roster and possibly pick up a veteran signal-caller to compete with Jarrett Stidham. 

The Broncos are at an interesting crossroads regarding their draft position. Denver can either give up draft picks to secure a top quarterback prospect or move back to build the nest for a future signal-caller. 

The Broncos' future is in Sean Payton’s hands. 

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