Josh Allen was close to becoming Denver Broncos' QB before Buffalo Bills drafted him

Josh Allen could have been a Denver Bronco.

At least, according to former Broncos' general manager and Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway.

Elway sat down with fellow HOFer Shannon Sharpe on Sharpe’s Club Shay Shay podcast and reflected on the 2018 draft process, during which Denver had a shot at the former University of Wyoming QB.

What went down

Before the Bills moved up to select Allen with the No. 7 overall pick, Denver held the No. 5 overall selection, and according to Elway, he was very interested in selecting the unicorn gunslinger. Failing to do so stands as one of Elway’s biggest regrets from his time as Broncos GM.

“I really liked him,” said Elway, who stepped down as GM in 2021. “The problem is, the way that I worked, I wanted buy-in from the coaching staff. And I couldn’t get the buy-in from the coaching staff. I couldn’t get everybody on the same page with it.”

At the time, Vance Joseph was entering his second and final season as Denver’s head coach.

MORE: Josh Allen makes NFL history by surpassing Patrick Mahomes

"I really liked Josh Allen. I wanted buy-in from the coaching staff, and I couldn't get the buy-in. ... That's the one regret as a GM." - @johnelway pic.twitter.com/n4LvFBQWzw
— Club Shay Shay (@ClubShayShay) January 3, 2026

“When (Allen) was coming out, he wasn’t perfect. He was very, very raw, and his accuracy was the biggest question,” added Elway. “I loved him. And I say I regret it because I didn’t overrule everybody and say, ‘I’m taking him. Now it’s up to you to make him good.'”

Rather than take Allen, the Broncos went a different route, selecting edge rusher Bradley Chubb at No. 5. Chubb, who was traded to the Miami Dolphins in 2022, has since gone on to be a productive player, but a long list of injuries has hampered his availability.

“I just couldn’t get the buy-in, even though I liked him,” said Elway. “The one regret I have, that we’ve talked about, is that I didn’t overrule and say, ‘I’m taking him.’ Now, again, you have to have the right coaches. That’s why if you don’t have buy-in on that offensive side —.”

Josh Allen is selected as the number seven overall pick to the Buffalo Bills in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft at AT&T Stadium. | Matthew Emmons-Imagn Images

Things worked out

Many GMs, both former and current, across the league have likely kicked themselves over the years after failing to identify the top-tier talent that Allen possessed during the pre-draft process. He was one of the most doubted players selected in the 2018 draft, but has since gone on to enjoy a record-breaking career with the Bills.

While Elway’s regret comes as no surprise, his willingness to air things out in a public forum was a bit of a shock. Particularly with the former GM basically blaming the team’s former coaching staff for the Broncos' failure to land the reigning league MVP.

Nevertheless, the Bills and Broncos find themselves in similar positions eight years later, with Denver set to enter the upcoming postseason as a division champion and the Bills also sitting as a Super Bowl contender with the playoffs right around the corner.

It’s good to see things (eventually) worked out for both sides.

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