Broncos know they need quarterback fix
The Denver Broncos went thought quarterback hell in 2017. First-time head coach Vance Joseph was stuck going with a trio of underwhelming starters, playing Paxton Lynch, Brock Osweiler and Trevor Siemian.
At the NFL Combine on Wednesday morning, Joseph stepped to the podium and told a group of national reporters that playing three quarterbacks isn’t something he wants to experience again. While the statement is incredibly obvious, it points to another fact. Denver has to get the quarterback room right, or significant changes are coming.
General manager John Elway tried to address the issue after Peyton Manning retired by drafting Lynch in the first round, but he’s on the verge of being a colossal bust. Elway now has the fifth-overall pick in a draft loaded with prospects that fit Denver’s need, ranging from Josh Allen and Josh Rosen to Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold.
In that vein, Elway shouldn’t blink the rest of the week at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Darnold won’t be throwing (he will throw at his Pro Day at USC), but the others will, giving the Broncos something to use as a tool moving forward. The interviews will be equally important with Rosen and Mayfield — especially the latter — for Denver to determine who is the right man for it.
If the Broncos are going to get out of the AFC West basement, they should consider moving up a few spots in the draft as well. The Cleveland Browns and New York Giants are very likely to take quarterbacks at the first and second-overall selections, but the Indianapolis Colts sit third. The Colts don’t need a signal-caller (assuming Andrew Luck’s arm isn’t falling off) and could be willing to move back a few spots for a second-day pick. Denver would essentially make sure that the New York Jets, or even the Arizona Cardinals, don’t leapfrog it.
This is a crucial year for both Elway and Joseph, who could be facing a pink slip with another poor campaign. The Broncos have not reached the playoffs in each of the past two years with the roster getting older and the glare from the fanbase growing harsher. Another season without much progress would be a crushing blow to both, and almost certainly force Joseph onto the unemployment line.
With two months until the draft, the Broncos have plenty of time to go through all the scenarios and figure out the best course of action.
Regardless of their decision, it’s clear that without a new quarterback, nothing meaningful is changing, leaving them with the reality of finding an answer at the league’s most important position.
