Denver Broncos: What would be the cost to move up to No. 4 in the draft?
With the major actions of free agency mostly behind us, we now turn most of our attention to the NFL Draft.
The Denver Broncos are still a team rumored to be making a move for a quarterback in the first round, but the San Francisco 49ers may have torpedoed those plans with last week’s big trade.
The top three of the draft now seems to be set, with the expectation that all three teams will be selecting a quarterback.
It has been believed since the moment the Jacksonville Jaguars officially secured the No.1 overall pick, they would use it on Trevor Lawrence. At No. 2, it seems like the New York Jets would be crazy not to take BYU’s Zach Wilson. And at No. 3, the 49ers will likely take either Trey Lance or Justin Fields, but many analysts are leaning toward Lance.
All eyes now center on the Atlanta Falcons who hold the No. 4 pick. If the Broncos want to trade up to get a quarterback, this is the team they would need to do it with. However, the Falcons may be looking to secure a replacement for Matt Ryan and Fields, a Georgia native, makes a lot of sense with that pick.
So what would the Broncos need to give up in order to get that selection from Atlanta? Here’s an idea of what the teams that made blockbuster trades last week gave up.
In order to get the No. 3 overall pick from the Miami Dolphins, the Niners gave up their own first-round choice (No. 12), a third-round pick in this year’s draft and first-round choices in 2022 and 2023.
The Dolphins then turned around traded the No. 12 overall pick, a fourth-round pick in this year’s draft and a first-round choice next year to the Philadelphia Eagles for the No. 6 overall choice and a fifth-round pick this year.
In either case, the Broncos would likely be giving up multiple first-round picks in order to move up five spots in the draft.
More from Predominantly Orange
- Denver Broncos need to prioritize having CEO head coach
- Broncos chances of landing Sean Payton dwindling, but not gone
- Denver Broncos dream coaching staff for DeMeco Ryans
- Denver Broncos: “Sleeper” David Shaw checks every box
- The Broncos’ coaching search likely has not gone to plan
Would that be worth the cost?
It’s hard to say. I’m a believer in Fields, but I don’t know if I want hin that badly. As discussed here, the team has been constructed in a way this offseason that it can win with Drew Lock at quarterback.
Another train of thought would be to stay at No. 9 and see if Alabama’s Mac Jones falls there, something that is entirely possible. Still, I believe the best pick would be to take Micah Parsons out of Penn State.
If he is gone, George Paton could then trade down in an attempt to acquire additional picks.
Moving up to take one of the top four quarterbacks will be talked about for the next month, but the cost is a bit too rich. Paton should hold his ground and take the best potential fit at No. 9 or trade back.