Denver Broncos: The main reason why team should go WR in first round

With the 2020 NFL draft less than two weeks away, teams have narrowed down the players they are considering with their first-round pick.

Looking at mock drafts, draft analysts have the Denver Broncos selecting a wide receiver in most cases but defensive lineman Javon Kinlaw is becoming a popular pick and you’ll even find some that have the Broncos selecting LSU cornerback Kristian Fulton.

But the team needs to take a wide receiver in the first round, and there should be little doubt about that.

Listening to fans of the Broncos and local radio stations, arguments are being made that the Broncos already have a No.1 wide receiver, so why waste a first-round pick on another? Other arguments state that adding a wide receiver in the first round could actually stunt the growth of last year’s first-round pick, Noah Fant.

These arguments suggest that the Broncos already have enough talent on offense, but looking at the wide receiver depth chart, that’s just not true.

The team could get a massive upgrade over the likes of DaeSean Hamilton or Tim Patrick, but that’s not even the biggest reason why the team should take a wide receiver first.

So what is?

Late last season, the Broncos decided to mortgage their future on the arm of second-round pick Drew Lock. While the games Lock has played have created plenty of reason for hope, the Broncos have only seen him play in five regular-season games.

With that in mind, why wouldn’t you want to provide him with as much talent around him as possible?

The Broncos brought in Melvin Gordon, an experienced running back who can also help in the passing game. They also added offensive lineman Graham Glasgow.

Lock has a strong arm and can improvise and make throws that a lot of guys can’t make. Many fans have yet to even see that come out, but giving him an explosive wide receiver opposite Courtland Sutton could help bring that out.

That’s not Patrick and it’s probably not Hamilton. Both of those guys can fill a complementary role, but in a draft that includes CeeDee Lamb, Jerry Jeudy and Henry Ruggs, you simply can’t pass on that kind of talent.

Now, if the Broncos go on the clock at No. 15 and all three of those players have been selected, then a guy like Kinlaw should be considered. But even then, trading back in the round and drafting a guy like Justin Jefferson or even Laviska Shenault is not a bad option.

The Broncos need to provide Lock with the kind of options that can help him succeed for many years to come, not mediocre options for reasons such as the team “already has a No. 1 option” or because it will slow down another player on the roster.

That’s silly.