To QB Or Not To QB? That Is The Question For The Broncos

Here we stand. The highest ever draft pick for the Orange and Blue. A new head coach in John Fox. The Duke finding his way home to salvage the day. Timothy Tebow. Defensive retooling. The seemingly Mile High list of open items reminds me of a movie title…’Things to do in Denver when you’re Drafting’…or something like that!

Opinions have been submitted from the day the draft order was announced. After months of talk, speculation, joy, fear and loathing, the general consensus is-(drum roll please)- there is no consensus! Among the fans, that may hold true but among the Bronco brass, there may be a different take. Months of mock drafts, due diligence and player workouts have come down to this. But what exactly will ‘this’ be?

Is this the start of something new- say, for instance, a quarterback? Or is this the beginning of the end of- say, for instance, a quarterback? We are Broncomaniacs and thus forever bound to the unmatched, iconic play of the Duke and his current office has only enhanced the chatter regarding how we should spend our golden pick. Although defense is a priority, the rarity of picking this high has folks seriously revisiting their thoughts.

Many fans question the long term viability of Kyle Orton, while others contend and debate regarding Tim Tebow’s future. Yet others subscribe to the third school of thought that the Duke and company have recently alluded to in the form of carefully worded messages. Similar to the word of the day on Sesame Street, ‘smokescreen’ has been the catch phrase of late circling Dove Valley. While fan and pundit alike debate the viability of Elway and company’s research into this year’s quarterback class, the reality that a genuine interest may be prevalent has emerged.

We must remember that Elway, being a Hall of Fame quarterback, will always value stability and keep an eye on the position. Elway has stated his intentions of not missing a potential superstar at the quarterback position due to mere overlook. Although most fans do not want to hear talk of another passer being brought into camp, and especially one that may be drafted so high, the fact remains that Tebow, Orton and Brady Quinn may not comfort Elway similar to the Jay Cutler situation with former coach Josh McDaniels. And given the sheer depth of the defensive positions that we are in need of, there may be no rush to draft a lineman so high.

The impact reality surrounding defensive linemen is eerily similar to that of the quarterback. It is a definitive hit or miss. In the same light that a great college quarterback dissects a defense, the same holds true for a huge tackle overpowering his way through university talent. Why spend the number two pick on a defensive lineman when the gulf between the top tier is not that wide? For every Marcell Dareus at the front end, there is a Muhammad Wilkerson at the back. Considering that the last great defensive tackles drafted in the first round were fifteen plus years apart (Warren Sapp and Ndamakong Suh), the picture becomes clearer that a monster DT drafted in the first round is not necessarily a sure fire way to success.

So, here we stand. Although most mock draft boards have us selecting Marcell Dareus, the stud defensive tackle from Alabama, that may be the smokescreen offered up by the Bronco brass in order to sway focus from their true want. As we have never picked this high, the opportunity to draft a potential Hall of Fame quarterback is something that must be causing lack of sleep in Dove Valley. As a fan, I’ve always dreamed of a situation like this, complete with the opportunity to select a superstar quarterback this early. It’s sad that the timing and team conditions may not be perfect for such a selection but that is why I pose the question to the John, John and the X-man- QB or not QB…that is the Question!

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