Broncos GM George Paton getting a close look at strong QB prospect

Denver Broncos; Nevada Wolf Pack quarterback Carson Strong (12) throws against the San Diego State Aztecs during the second half at Dignity Health Sports Park. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Denver Broncos; Nevada Wolf Pack quarterback Carson Strong (12) throws against the San Diego State Aztecs during the second half at Dignity Health Sports Park. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports /
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Denver Broncos general manager George Paton is getting a close look at a strong quarterback prospect in the 2022 NFL Draft class.

The Denver Broncos have been making preparations to make a run at a quarterback in the 2022 offseason, should the opportunity present itself.

General manager George Paton made the biggest move of any GM in the league at the NFL’s annual trade deadline when he sent star pass rusher Von Miller to the Los Angeles Rams for second-and-third-round picks in the 2022 NFL Draft.

Armed with 11 selections in the 2022 Draft, Paton has the ultimate flexibility at this point to trade for a veteran or move up to secure a player he loves in the 2022 class.

George Paton scouting the potential future franchise QB for the Broncos?

Only time will tell what Paton’s strategy is at this point, but it’s fair to say he’s keeping an open mind. Dating back to his first offseason as an NFL general manager, Paton was thorough in his pursuit of a potential franchise QB, looking into the price to potentially acquire Matthew Stafford from the Lions before he was traded to the Rams.

Not only that, but he personally attended the pro days of Zach Wilson, Trey Lance, and Justin Fields before making the decision to ultimately stick with Drew Lock and acquire Teddy Bridgewater in a trade.

Paton’s preference has always been to scout guys in person and as a former scout, that makes sense. Go with what has always worked for you.

According to Mike Klis of 9News in Denver, Paton’s next QB on the docket is Nevada star QB Carson Strong, one of the more interesting studies in the 2022 NFL Draft class.

Strong is not known for having the greatest mobility, but he might have the best arm in the class and certainly throws a pretty deep ball.

The 6-foot-4 signal caller has completed nearly 70 percent of his passes over his last 20 games, and has thrown 59 touchdowns compared to just 12 interceptions going into Nevada’s game in Fort Collins against the CSU Rams.

Of course, there are a number of intriguing prospects to watch in this game overall, including one of the most slept-on tight end prospects in the country, Colorado State’s Trey McBride.

No matter who has the ball in this game, it should be a fun evaluation for NFL Draft fans.

For Broncos fans, it’s a chance to get another really good look at Carson Strong, a player who is not getting a lot of first-round hype as we get closer and closer to NFL Draft season. Perhaps NFL teams dislike his lack of mobility that much, or perhaps teams just aren’t quite sold on him overall.

Whatever the case may be, Strong has a good chance to be off the board in the top 40-50 picks and if the Broncos aren’t able to get a star veteran QB in a trade, trading down to accumulate picks and taking a player like Carson Strong might be a “chess while everyone else is playing checkers” type of move.