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.
Offensive positions Broncos could consider with top 2021 pick
2. Running back
This might drive a lot of fans absolutely nuts, but running back might not be off the table with the Broncos’ top pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.
The 9th overall pick is very rich for a running back, so this might come if the team decides to trade down once or twice, but I don’t think the possibility can be ruled out.
Running back is a much bigger need for the Broncos in 2021 than anyone really cares to admit.
Melvin Gordon’s status with the team is up in the air as he faces a DUI charge and possible three-game suspension from the NFL. If convicted, the Broncos could decide to void the guarantees in his contract and move on entirely.
Phillip Lindsay is a restricted free agent. Although it would be unwise for the price (just over $3 million) the Broncos could decide to part ways with the Colorado kid and two-time 1,000-yard rusher.
Royce Freeman is in a contract year and has not shown the same type of upside as he did early on in his 2018 rookie season.
The Broncos’ offense under Pat Shurmur requires a back that can really help the team on all three downs, and it just so happens that this draft class has a wide variety of guys — especially at the top — who could be instant impact players in that regard.
Alabama’s Najee Harris, Clemson’s Travis Etienne, and North Carolina’s Javonte Williams and Michael Carter could be prioritized early.
Offensive positions Broncos could consider with top 2021 pick
1. Offensive Tackle
Perhaps the most likely offensive position the Denver Broncos could target with their top pick in the 2021 NFL Draft is the offensive tackle position.
Specifically, the Broncos need to look at the future with 2019 free agent pickup Ja’Wuan James.
Although James played sparingly in brief appearances during the 2019 campaign, he has really not played much football at all over the last two full seasons. James opted out of the 2020 season due to concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic and the NFL implemented a rule where player contracts would toll from 2020 to 2021.
That means that whatever James’ impact on the salary cap was in 2020 would toll to 2021 and beyond.
His contract makes it nearly impossible for the Broncos to move on in 2021, but it’s certainly not impossible beyond that.
Can the Broncos bank on a full season from James in 2021 or even close to it? They should give themselves every reason to move on in 2021 or at least sell high if possible.
This class of prospects has players like Oregon’s Penei Sewell, Northwestern’s Rashawn Slater, and Virginia Tech’s Christian Darrisaw who could all be options with the 9th overall pick.
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Especially after the impact we saw from young tackles in the NFL in 2020 (Jedrick Wills, Mekhi Becton, Tristan Wirfs, Austin Jackson) it wouldn’t be surprising if the Broncos felt like a right tackle of the future to pair with Garett Bolles was of critical importance in the 2021 NFL Draft.