Denver Broncos: 5 moves in 2021 the team may live to regret
5 moves in 2021 the Denver Broncos may live to regret
1. Not drafting a quarterback
Sitting at pick number nine overall, there were many articles written and many videos made, many tweets sent out discussing the possibility of any of the top prospects at the quarterback position falling into George Paton’s lap.
After the San Francisco 49ers traded up to the third overall pick, the chances of the Denver Broncos getting one of the top four QBs in this class seemed rather slim, though there was always a chance one of Mac Jones, Justin Fields, or Trey Lance could be there depending on what the San Francisco 49ers decided to do.
The day before the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft, the Broncos traded for veteran Teddy Bridgewater and the Panthers absorbed a significant chunk of his contract to facilitate the trade.
That trade didn’t seem like it would prevent the Broncos from going quarterback in round one, but in hindsight, perhaps it did.
The Broncos landed Patrick Surtain II with the 9th overall pick, a shocking selection considering they had just made moves in free agency to land Ronald Darby and Kyle Fuller.
To many fans, Surtain felt like overkill, and even if he becomes a star, a lot of fans in Broncos Country will have one eye on how things play out with Justin Fields in Chicago after the Bears moved up to the 11th overall spot to get him.
There will also have to be one eye on how Mac Jones fares with the New England Patriots, who took him 15th overall. He played well enough to get Cam Newton cut and usher in the new era of Patriots football immediately.
Although the Bears’ front office and coaching staff may have moved up for Fields out of desperation, it could be a job-saving move for both GM Ryan Pace and head coach Matt Nagy.
For the Patriots, Jones was a tailor-made fit for Josh McDaniels’ offense from the beginning, but George Paton never got the chance (despite two Alabama pro days) to go and see Jones firsthand.
Time will tell if the Broncos made the right or wrong choice passing on both of these guys for Surtain, but even if Surtain turns out to be a perennial All-Pro, if either Justin Fields or Mac Jones becomes an All-Pro quarterback, it will be a decision the Denver Broncos may live to regret.