Broncos Land 'Intriguing' QB in Latest ESPN Draft Prediction
Over a seven-day stretch, 23 NFL quarterbacks have switched teams in free agency. Yet, the Denver Broncos are still standing pat as the QB carousel whizzes dizzily around.
Frugality might be the new buzzword around Broncos HQ, but in case you didn't get the memo, head coach Sean Payton still badly needs a new signal caller. It's not that hard to picture Jarrett Stidham keeping abreast of the proceedings, clad in shorts and shades as he sips on some poolside margaritas.
Stidham's contented offseason could be bound for a sobering wake-up call if the Broncos' designs come to fruition and a rookie quarterback is drafted on April 25. To that end, ESPN's Field Yates and the Sporting News' Vinnie Iyer put Stidham's future career trajectory on notice in their latest draft predictions.
Both analysts predict Oregon quarterback Bo Nix to be Denver's selection at No. 12 overall. Here's what Yates said about Nix-to-Denver.
Quarterbacks are flying off the board in this scenario, and with Denver not scheduled to pick again until the third round, it must act decisively to add one now. The Broncos have not addressed the quarterback spot in any way this offseason -- they are currently slated to start Jarrett Stidham -- and Nix's blend of accuracy, processing speed and mobility makes him an intriguing option. He was incredibly efficient last season at Oregon, completing 77.4% of his throws and tossing 45 touchdown passes to three interceptions. It has been a transformative offseason for the franchise, with Denver releasing quarterback Russell Wilson and safety Justin Simmons and trading receiver Jerry Jeudy. Nix would help get things back on track.
Nobody will be scratching their heads if Nix ultimately lands in the Mile High City. Drafting for need is an outdated taboo that has been consigned to the past.
That being said, given the constant buzz surrounding Michigan's J.J. McCarthy, Denver failing to trade up to acquire his services would be mildly surprising. The Broncos' newfound determination to take their medicine in order to pay off their previous indiscretions needs to be kept on track.
Consequently, the new organizational mission statement does heavily suggest that Payton and Co. will stubbornly hold onto all his precious draft capital moving forward.
With McCarthy's rising draft stock, the Minnesota Vikings, and now the New York Giants, are increasingly being linked to the 21-year-old Wolverine with every passing day. Funnily enough, Yates goes exactly in that direction when he looks into his own draft-day crystal ball, while Iyer foresees the Los Angeles Chargers staying at the No. 5 spot and selecting Notre Dame offensive tackle Joe Alt.
Alternatively, Yates' prediction that the Vikings trade up with the Chargers to secure McCarthy offers further evidence that they've identified their long-term replacement for the departed Kirk Cousins. The plot is indeed thickening, especially after Pro Football Focus weighed in with a scenario featuring the Vikings making a trade with the Arizona Cardinals to move up to No. 4 to get at McCarthy.
Jumping the Giants at No. 6 appears to be the order of the day, especially if McCarthy becomes a primary target for any team currently on the outside looking in. It all makes trading up for the Broncos nearly unworkable for a number of reasons.
There's the sheer cost of doing so, but also hashing out the finer details of a trade with a divisional rival is never easy. Any way you slice it, Nix's accurate passing and quick processor would offer plenty of upside for the needy Broncos, even if he's beginning to get cold residing in McCarthy's shadow.
Follow Mile High Huddle on X/Twitter and Facebook.
Subscribe to Mile High Huddle on YouTube for daily Broncos live-stream podcasts!
