Denver Broncos: When should John Elway draft a new QB?

Final Thoughts

The Broncos bought themselves some time when they hired on Case Keenum for two years of work. They took pressure off of themselves to have to take someone in a given draft until the class of 2020 (at least), but 2020 should be considered a pretty hard deadline to draft someone in the first round again.

By that time, Bradley Chubb will be entering his third NFL season and Von Miller will be over the age of 30. The Broncos’ window will have to be considered a ‘new’ one but they can create new windows as long as the insane young talent they brought in in 2018 continues developing at an appropriate rate.

Drafting someone in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft at quarterback is not out of the question, but the Broncos might be much better off taking a different position player in the first round next offseason and pursuing a Cousins/RG3 type of strategy over the span of two years, taking two quarterbacks who can potentially develop into starters.

Elway should draft someone in 2019, but he should not feel obligated to do so in the first round. The Broncos have Keenum for one more season, and therefore some flexibility. The player drafted in 2019 should get a chance to put some things on tape — potentially with a new head coach — and determine whether the franchise needs to go all-in on someone in the stellar 2020 class or simply cash in on that classes stellar depth.

Though many fans were not happy with Elway passing on Josh Rosen or even Josh Allen in 2018, it may turn out to be one of the best decisions he has made considering how well the rest of the draft went and how promising this team’s core looks moving forward.

It’s time to trust the process.