ENGLEWOOD, Colo — It may not just be the draft where the Broncos pick up a quarterback this week.
The team may still add a veteran quarterback, either through trade or released/free agent signing, either in Day 2 or 3 of the draft or soon after Mr. Irrelevant is known. The Jets are trying to trade Zach Wilson. Ryan Tannehill is still a free agent. Those are just two possibilities, but there will be more available from teams who add a quarterback through the draft.
The Broncos, also, figure to add a quarterback in the draft. The anticipation will start with their No. 12 overall pick but they also have a third-round pick, an extra selection in the fifth round and two extra picks in the sixth round if they want to move up and get an extra draft pick in Day 2 (second and third rounds).
When next weekend is through, we may know more about what the Broncos really think about their current No. 1 quarterback, Jarrett Stidham. If head coach Sean Payton and general manager George Paton believe Stidham is worth a look as the Broncos’ starter in 2024, then the Broncos may go with best-player available with their No. 12 overall draft pick.
If they take a quarterback in the first round, it could mean, first, the Broncos may still like Stidham. But with just four starts in five NFL seasons, they may want to make sure he can beat out legitimate competition before he becomes the 2024 starter.
Here’s a look at 9 player candidates for the Broncos’ first-round selection that will occur Thursday night:
1. Bo Nix, QB, Oregon
A stay put at No. 12 or, even better, a trade back scenario pick. For all the draft analysis fatigue Nix has endured the past week or so — he has the greatest chance, according to betting lines, to fall to the second round — he still seems like a fit for Sean Payton's offense.
2. J.J. McCarthy, QB, Michigan
If the No. 11 Vikings – who can outbid the Broncos on any trade-up scenario – decide their QB is Drake Maye, then the Broncos could follow by trading up a couple spots for McCarthy.
3. Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU/Michael Penix Jr., QB, Washington
Daniels is unlikely to happen. This would be Payton and Paton pushing in all their chips to trade way up from No. 12 to the No. 2 or 3 spot to get Daniels. Such a move would require giving up a future first-round draft pick and then some. That doesn’t make sense for a team that’s already surrendered three first-round draft picks and three in the second round the past three years.
Still, many draftniks and QB analysts believe Daniels, last season’s Heisman Trophy winner who has elite passing and running skills, is the best quarterback in the draft. The No. 1 pick, though, appears to be locked in for Caleb Williams and the Bears. Daniels, thus, has value as the No. 2 pick.
Penix has the passing-from-the-pocket talent Payton may be looking for but his poor medical history (two season-ending knee surgeries, two season-ending shoulder surgeries) makes him a high risk, upper first-round candidate.
4. Dallas Turner, OLB, Alabama
If the Broncos get a decent veteran quarterback outside the draft, they may go with the best available player at a position of need. From the four core positions of quarterback, pass rusher, left tackle and cornerback, a No. 1-type pass rusher would be the Broncos’ next position of need, after quarterback.
Turner is widely considered the most dynamic edge player, so much so that he is expected to be gone by the No. 12 pick.
5. Jared Verse, OLB, Florida State
The Broncos had him in Monday for a top 30 visit – just as they had Nik Bonitto in for a top 30 visit before drafting him in 2022.
6. Laiatu Latu, OLB, UCLA
A more refined and accomplished pass rusher than Turner, Latu had 23.5 sacks the past two years to Turner’s 14.0. But Turner played only three seasons in college and is 21 years old while Latu was a five-year college player who is 23.
7. Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia
A down-the-field receiving threat is what the Broncos need from their tight end position after Greg Dulcich went down with hamstring injuries each of his past two seasons.
8. Terrion Arnold, cornerback, Alabama/Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo
I initially had Quinyan Mitchell here alone. But Arnold is better. He won't last much past the No. 12 pick so if the Broncos trade back they probably won't get him. Arnold is just 21 and is long and lean at 6-foot, 180. He ran a 4.5, 40 which is why some mockster have Mitchell as the better prospect. Arnold had five interceptions last season; Mitchell had five in 2022. Mitchell is a big, fast corner -- he's 6-foot, 195 and ran the 40 in 4.33. Mitchell had two pick sixes in 2022. Either one -- Arnold or Mitchell -- couild join Patrick Surtain II to give the Broncos potentially the best young cornerback duo in the NFL.
9. Amarius Mims, OT, Georgia
Only started eight games over his last two seasons at right tackle but he’s 6-foot-8, 340 pounds and only 21 years old. Could use some development so he might be a nice addition to established starters Garett Bolles and Mike McGlinchey. This would be a wait-til-2025 selection.
Bonus: Spencer Rattler, QB, South Carolina
If the Broncos don’t wind up with any of the top six quarterbacks in the first round, Rattler is considered the best of the rest.
Others: Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB, Alabama; Chop Robinson, OLB, Penn State; Xavier Worthy, WR, Texas; Byron Murphy, DT, Texas; Olumuyiwa Fashanu, OT, Penn State; J.C. Latham, OT, Alabama.
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