The Denver Broncos‘ roster building has certainly leaned heavily in recent years on the offensive side of the ball after John Elway really invested the majority of his top assets in the NFL Draft from 2011-2018 on the defensive side.
There was always a level of balance for Elway, but the Broncos’ top young assets heading into the 2021 offseason are mostly on the offensive side of the ball and many feel like new general manager George Paton needs to come in and invest heavily through the NFL Draft on defense.
With that being said, there are some obvious areas of need on the offensive side of the ball the Broncos have to address as early as 2021 to prepare not only for the present but looking ahead at life beyond certain players under contract for 2021.
Even though many expect the Broncos to go with a cornerback on top of the 2021 NFL Draft, there are a variety of offensive positions the team could (and should) seriously consider with their top pick (9th overall).
Let’s take a look at three.
Offensive positions for Broncos to consider with top pick
3. Quarterback
The Denver Broncos’ comments about Drew Lock, the most recent ones we have, seem to indicate the team believes that the 2020 season was essentially a rookie year and that they still believe he can develop.
How likely are the Broncos to pursue a quarterback in the 2021 NFL Draft?
The honest answer is that no one really knows.
In order for the Broncos to spend their top pick on a quarterback in the 2021 NFL Draft, it would require new general manager George Paton doing two things.
First of all, he would have to determine that Lock is no longer a viable option for the team moving forward. Drafting a quarterback would signify the end of Lock’s time in Denver and would represent the beginning of a much bigger rebuilding process.
Second, Paton would need to fall in love with one of these young prospects (realistically one of Justin Fields, Trey Lance, or Mac Jones) in addition to deciding that Lock is not the guy.
Will both of those things happen?
Because a new quarterback coming in through the draft would likely be a precursor to a new offensive system being put into place as early as 2022, the timing just does not feel right.
If the Broncos decide to move on from Drew Lock and draft a quarterback because they are convinced the player has franchise QB potential, then they have to do what they have to do. Still, drafting a player in 2021 when the offense and coaching staff would almost unquestionably change in 2022 doesn’t seem like the likeliest of scenarios.
At this point, however, it cannot be ruled out.