After an underwhelming two-year experiment with Russell Wilson at QB for the Broncos, his stint in Denver is at an end. Although this year, under Sean Payton, he showed statistical improvements in most categories, his performances often fell short when it mattered most. Now, with Wilson set to hit the most lucrative years of the contract extension he signed with the Broncos, the team chose to cut their losses before he costs them even more.
The Broncos now find themselves in a spot that fans of the team have gotten frighteningly comfortable with. QB limbo. The cursed place between not having a QB good enough to compete for a ring, but not losing enough to be in the driver’s seat to pick their quarterback of the future. It seemed like the Broncos would be bad enough to deserve a top pick after starting the year a disheartening 1-5, but then behind a defense producing turnovers at a historic rate, and Wilson playing his best stretch of football in Denver, making the playoffs seemed not only possible, but probable. However, that success didn’t last as the team, especially the QB play, regressed at the worst possible time. They finished a dismal 2-6, only beating the Herbert-less Chargers on the way to another mediocre season. On the bright side, 8-9 is the best record the Broncos have had since Super Bowl 50.
Now, the Broncos seemingly have several paths forward after moving on from Mr. Limited. They could stick with Jarrett Stidham, who in very limited action played pretty comparable to Russ. They could also try to sign a veteran on a cheap salary since their cap limitations prevent them from trying to pay for one of the good, but not great options. Signing Jacoby Brissett, Tyrod Taylor, Jameis Winston, and Drew Lock are all possibilities this offseason. As much as it would be fun to see Lock return, signing a veteran to start might look like the Broncos are giving up on the season before it begins. That might be just what the team needs to secure a top pick and find a quarterback of the future.
Recently, the prospect of trading up for a Top 3 pick has become popular across most of the NFL world, with many journalists and analysts giving their input on who should trade up and what the package should be. The most common proposal is one with the Chicago Bears. Although their QB situation is far from settled, they’re in a far better spot than the New England Patriots and Washington Commanders currently are. Justin Fields has shown a lot of potential and the Bears could build around him with the haul they would get from trading the #1 pick. A Broncos trade for the top pick would involve a war chest of picks and possibly one of the best cornerbacks in the league, Patrick Surtain II. Now, I have no idea who out of Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, and Jayden Daniels will succeed, and who will bust, but for such a steep package it better be someone Sean Payton wants to make his adopted son.
Finally, the Broncos could stay put at pick 12 and pick one of the second-tier QBs like Michael Penix, Bo Nix, or JJ McCarthy. Each of these players has bigger concerns than the previous three, and I’m hesitant to hitch the Broncos for another four years unless again Payton is convinced one of them is his guy. This is a deep draft class with lots of potential changemakers who could be on the team for a decade. Although, even if the Broncos pick a QB at 12, they will likely pick up a veteran to start in front of them during the season. Unless we’re talking about the football messiah that is CJ Stroud, it seems like the best QBs today had some time on the bench to learn before taking over. Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, and Jordan Love all come to mind.
I have little to no idea about how to evaluate a college QB for NFL success, and I don’t think many professionals do either. That’s the chaotic fun about drafting a new QB. If the Broncos decide that this year is the time to believe in one, hopefully, they’re right. No matter what the Broncos do, I hope it gets them closer to their fourth Lombardi trophy, or at least out of the dumpster they’ve been in since I was a freshman in high school.
Photo Credits: The New York Times
