Though the Denver Broncos’ season finale is meaningless in terms of the playoffs, the team’s draft position is up in the air.
The Broncos will face the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday in the final game of the year and neither team will be going to the postseason. It will be the fifth year in a row that the Broncos have missed out on the playoffs.
Sitting at 5-10, the Broncos could also end up with one of the league’s worst records and have a chance at one of the top picks in the draft. A lot of things will need to happen for that to take place, and that will be covered here.
For the Broncos, it has been an extremely disappointing season based on the expectations that many had coming into the season. But with the way the NFL works, a team can quickly turn around its fortunes by taking advantage of some early draft picks, providing those picks work out.
Since the merger in 1970, the Broncos have had a top 10 pick just six times. There is a decent chance that 2021 will be No. 7. However, with a win over the Raiders on Sunday and a 6-10 finish, they would be more likely to finish outside the top `10.
How many teams are in the mix?
The Jacksonville Jaguars have clinched the No.1 overall pick and the New York Jets will choose second. After that, there are 13 teams that sit with records between 4-11 and 6-9. The Broncos are one of those 13 teams, so their draft position could be anywhere from pick No. 5 to No. 15.