Several teams have already made big splashes under center this offseason, but the Broncos have been mostly quiet. That could change soon.
Denver “isn’t sitting still at the position,” Albert Breer of SI.com writes. Breer lays out details of the Broncos’ pursuits we haven’t heard before, including the previously unreported full offer they made for Matthew Stafford. The Broncos apparently did in fact offer the ninth overall pick to the Lions, but they wanted a second-rounder back in return which quelled those talks.
Breer thinks they’ll add competition for Drew Lock in one form or another, and he mentions the Panthers’ Teddy Bridgewater as a potential option. As he points out, new Broncos GM George Paton was in Minnesota when the Vikings drafted Bridgewater in the first-round. On that note, Breer has some interesting thoughts on the makeup of Denver’s new front office.
The fact that the team isn’t committing to Lock is “a pretty decent sign that John Elway has truly moved into the background,” Breer writes. He also thinks Denver’s lack of real interest in Sam Darnold is a telling sign that Elway isn’t calling the shots, since Elway was infatuated with Darnold coming out of college in 2018.
The team hired Paton to be GM earlier this offseason, with Elway getting elevated to President of Football Operations. At the time there were murmurs about how much power Elway would actually be ceding and how much he would still control the organization, but it sounds like he truly has relinquished the reins.
They should move up to 4 with ATL and take Lance. His skill set with all that speed on offense would be fun to watch. Fant, Sutton, Jeudy, Gordon, Hamler…not many rookies step into that kind of skill position talent.
Atlanta could get the help on defense they desperately need (Surtain?) at a better value and net an extra 1 fir next season. Makes too much sense.
Lance is entirely too raw to be worth a trade up to four. You would trade up that high because there is so done you’ll never see in another draft, not just because you need a quarterback and you want one that year.
I really like the kid and his skill set. Agreed number 4 might be a tad rich but there’s no guarantee you’ll be in a better position to get a better player next season. If Lance played this year and lit it up anything like he lit up 2019 the Jets or Niners would already have dibs on him.
Denver needs to go with a vet for competition for Lock, not another project like Lock or more raw than Lock. Bridgewater and Minshew make sense. Need to trade back and get more picks and draft Zaven Collins whose a beast at middle linebacker that’s big enough and fast enough to cover the Tight ends in the division without all of the off field concerns that Parsons has.
Don’t forget Patrick. The Broncos have plenty of weapons. They just need someone who can get the ball to them.
It can’t be easy being a GM when the franchise is engaged in ownership battles so some of the Elway bashing isn’t justified. I don’t think he will be upset spending more time on his golf game now that Patton is in house.
Denver is much better off trading down and picking a QB next year than they are trading up for a second tier QB this year. They could benefit from some defensive help, especially at MLB/ILB, and could possibly need a replacement for Von Miller next year. Trading up for a QB that will need more time to acclimate to the professional level will not get them any further than Lock will this year. If they insist on drafting one, Trask may be available and I’m not sure that he would be worse than Lance or Fields as is. I would not advocate forcing a move for one, though, just because you need a quarterback.
Denver needs to keep in mind that draft position does not dictate success-just because these guys are taken at three or four does not mean they will be better than anyone else. Denver’s offensive staff also does not give me any confidence that they can develop a quarterback on their own. If you pick a QB that did not start in a pro style offense at all, you need a good staff to develop him, and I don’t think Mike Shula is that guy. Denver should trade down or pick some defensive reinforcements before trading up to pick a consolidation quarterback.
Lance is green but he’s not second tier. I believe when it’s all said and done he will be viewed as the second best QB in this draft. Maybe even the best. He played only one season but it was one of the most incredible performances seen. He played in a pro style offense where he made checks at the LOS and showed high FB IQ. He’s a film junky and gym rat. He’s big, fast, athletic as hell, and has a cannon. There are done accuracy concerns but many star QBs had the same concerns – Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, Ben Roethlisberger to name a few. He has some Allen to his game actually. I believe he will be a very good QB but it may take a year or two.
As you said before, the lack of play last year prevents any sort of solid take on how far Lance has to develop. Only part of looking at a QB is his own inherent physical talent. Another part is his experience, and his competition. Lance offers a lot, but there really are even fewer guarantees about him than there about most first prospects because of his lack of tape last year and his competitive field. These are not doubts, necessarily, but they are questions.
Lance may pan out, and even excel, but right now he is a project and Denver just got done with a project of their own. The Broncos may be able or even need to give a rookie some rope, but trading up to repeat the experience of the last two years is not good for them. And, again, I personally don’t have extreme confidence in their offensive staff to develop a project QB. Only a few coaches can do that, and Mike Shula and Pat Shurmur are not on that list. Denver can trade down, fill their other areas of need, and offer a better all around team next year if they pull for a major quarterback upgrade. Next year their record figures to be better no matter who starts at QB (the injured players being healthy this year making a difference if nothing else), and if they want to move up, they’ll need the extra firepower that moving down in the draft will bring.
Lance offers potential, not solid data. The Broncos would be better off getting an unquestionably top tier talent next year than betting that Lance is as good as he looks right now. Plus, who knows, they may make a move for Rodgers if he becomes available next year. It’s better I think to keep their options open then it is to commit to an uncertainty this year by moving up for a second tier QB (and by that I mean any QB that is not Trevor Lawrence). I know that draft stick does not equate to pro success, and where a player goes dictates mostly how he turns out. But the pros outweigh the cons of trading up to select a position instead of trading up to select a player.
Most Broncos sports writers hate Lock and want to see him gone. I wonder where they will hide when Broncos trade him to a team with a good O Line and he takes them to the playoffs.
The most liked player in sports is always the backup QB.
The Broncos’ line was actually not bad last year. The right tackle position and one of the spots inside could use help, but they’re not as bad as they were two years ago. Munchak already had a major impact, or so it seems, on Garrett Bolles, and hopefully for Denver that continues.
Lock’s problems are not really protection related. They’re mechanical and mostly mental. He forces way, way too many throws and doesn’t set his feet when pressured. He also doesn’t give up on busted plays. I do not believe that the line was the source for Lock’s problems.
I think best case is they draft fields or lance though I think fields has better opportunity to be better
Lance is so much better than Fields
Are you Mrs. Lance?
If anyone studies the film on Lock, it shows improvement. It shows the ability to learn from earlier mistakes. If the Bronco’s bend to the stupid press, they may regret it. Instead, trade down & acquire more quality picks to build up the roster.
Why did Herbert succeed & Darnold fail? Why did Wentz succeed early, but falter late? Why did Tannehill fail in Miami, but succeed in TN? Answer: Quality of roster.
I’d also add quality of coaches and stability.
The problem I see with the Broncos grabbing Lance is that he may be learning a new system six months after he learns their current system as I can easily see Fangio and his staff being fired for missing the playoffs again. Plus, Paten probably wants his own guy on the sideline.
Coaching instability can hurt a young QB.
Give Lock a full year of training under the same staff and he will be much improved this year. Use the draft to fill the few holes that exist and get a Bridgewater or Minshew to back up and bingo, the playoffs.
Raw, yes but what about that QB out of Texas Tech a few years ago who sat for almost a full year because he wasn’t ready. Forgot his name. I think he has kind of turned out ok.
Yes, he played a ton in college, much more than Lance but Lance looks like a fine prospect. Agree though he’s not ready as a rookie to play.