The 2024 NFL Draft is just about a month away. Let's make three bold predictions for the team as they likely look to take a quarterback. I don't think it's out of the question that the Denver Broncos trade up in the NFL Draft to select a QB. I don't think it's out of the question that they trade down or stay put either.
And that's the beauty of draft season. No one truly knows what's going to happen, not even NFL front offices. The only thing we seem to know for sure is that Caleb Williams is going first overall to the Chicago Bears, but beyond that, there's a ton of uncertainty. Sure, content creators and much of the NFL landscape have correctly identified various team needs, but beyond that, we have as much information as everyone else, which is not much.
Let's try to make three outrageous predictions for the Denver Broncos in the 2024 NFL Draft.
1. The Denver Broncos end up with a second-round selection
Last year, the Denver Broncos traded up into the second round to draft Marvin Mims Jr from Oklahoma. According to Pro Football Network, the Denver Broncos have the following picks in 2024:
Round 1, Pick 12
Round 3, Pick 76
Round 4, Pick 121 (from MIA)
Round 5, Pick 136 (from CLE through CAR)
Round 5, Pick 145 (from NYJ)
Round 5, Pick 147
Round 6, Pick 203 (from CLE through HOU)
Round 6, Pick 207 (from SF)
With just two picks in the top-100 and one in the top-75, it seems nearly impossible for the team to get into the second round. However, Denver does still have eight selections and they still do have players that could be moved to facilitate them getting into the second round. And usually in NFL Drafts, the second round is where great value lies, so I think Sean Payton and George Paton are going to find a way to again get a second-round pick.
Notably, this draft class is very deep at wide receiver and offensive tackle.
2. Denver Broncos don't draft a tight end
Is this bold? It should be. This doesn't seem to be the best of tight end classes, and with Georgia tight end Brock Bowers likely going inside the top-15, I don't believe that the Broncos will be able to come away with him. The next best tight end in this class seems to be Ja'Tavion Sanders from Texans, who is an excellent receiving threat.
If the Denver Broncos got themselves into the second round, he could be drafted there. Other names to watch out for include Dallin Holker and Cade Stover. As for the Broncos, they got virtually no production from their tight end room in 2023. Greg Dulcich played about two snaps in 2023, as he cannot get his hamstrings to stay healthy.
And when Adam Trautman took over the full TE1 duties, he gave the Broncos forgettable production as a receiving threat. If nothing else, Trautman knows the offense and has spent most of his career playing within Payton's scheme, so he's familiar with the system and can occasionally produce in the receiving game.
The Denver Broncos will not draft a tight end in 2023 and will instead add to their WR room and bank on Dulcich being able to stay healthy. Perhaps there will be a late-offseason tight end cut from some other team that the Broncos could spring on. Frankly, I am baffled that the team didn't address the TE room in free agency, but the way I see it now, the Broncos are going to just try to squeak by in 2024 and angle for 2025 to be their breakout year.
3. Denver Broncos trade UP into the top 5 and draft JJ McCarthy
Sean Payton had this to say on Monday:
Payton on trading up from No 12: “I think that’s realistic. What’s hard to predict though is what’s on the receiving end. I think it’s good to be Monti (Ossenfort) today at Arizona. It’s hard to predict what that cost is and yet I wouldn’t say it’s unrealistic.” #9sports
— MikeKlis9NEWS (@mikeklis9news) March 25, 2024
Payton is now on the record saying that he thinks it's realistic for the Denver Broncos to trade up from their 12th overall selection. To me, this could mean a lot, but it could also mean nothing at all. After all, we are in the "lying season" part of the offseason. I wouldn't put a ton of weight into what coaches and GMs say, as it's all a strategic game and no one wants to show their hand.
The Denver Broncos didn't seem to show any interest in Patrick Surtain II back in 2021 but ended up drafting him. Payton saying he thinks it's realistic for them to trade up could be him being truthful, but also just saying it could happen, maybe already knowing that he won't entertain trading up. Well, let's predict that the Denver Broncos do trade up into the top five and draft JJ McCarthy from Michigan.
This could force them to hop in front of the Minnesota Vikings, who could be eyeing a QB as well. The Vikes have two first-round picks in 2024, picks 11 and 23, while the Broncos just have pick 12, so the Vikings have the ammunition to trade up.
We'll see, but I don't believe that Sean Payton will be denied.