4 quarterbacks the Broncos can draft to replace Russell Wilson

Ever since Peyton Manning rode off into the sunset with a Lombardi Trophy held high, the Denver Broncos have been searching for their next franchise quarterback. They thought they found their man in 2022 when they made a high-profile trade for Russell Wilson, who has a Super Bowl of his own — which he secured against Denver.

After a 4-11 campaign, Wilson has put up decent numbers this year but the Broncos are again struggling. Currently sitting at 7-8, they've reportedly decided to move on from Wilson who will be benched to close out the season. That means Jarrett Stidham will take over but he's not likely to be the answer.

That's why it makes sense to see who could be available in the 2024 NFL Draft. With that being said, here are three potential fits for Sean Payton and the Denver offense.

4. J.J. McCarthy, Michigan

Sitting roughly in the middle of the first-round makes it tough to land a sure-fire star quarterback. While Payton has made it no secret that he loves Caleb Williams, the Chicago Bears are unlikely to move out of the No. 1 spot. That's why we focus on players who they have a better shot at landing.

First up is J.J. McCarthy from Michigan. He's been solid throughout his career with 5,865 yards passing while throwing 46 touchdowns and just 11 picks. What makes him a prospect to watch is his accuracy from the pocket.

McCarthy is known for being able to make the big-time throws we see on Sundays. It takes more than pure arm talent to succeed in the NFL but he's someone to watch, especially if Payton believes he can help him develop.

3. Bo Nix, Oregon

There was a time when the idea of Bo Nix as a Round 1 prospect would have been laughable. The veteran seems to have been in the NCAA forever, starting with Auburn back in 2019. He was there for three seasons and was very underwhelming. He then headed to Oregon before the 2022 campaign and completely turned his image around over the past two seasons.

Nix proved to be a dual threat during his first campaign with Oregon. He completed 71.9 percent of his attempts for 3,593 yards with 29 touchdowns and seven picks. He added another 14 touchdowns as a runner while going for 510 yards. For good measure, he even had two receptions for 18 yards and a touchdown as well.

This year, he was even better. Nix threw for 4,145 yards with an insane 40-to-3 touchdown-to-interception ratio while completing 77.2 percent of his passes. He was also vastly improved under pressure, which was a concern at one point in his career.

The development shown by Nix has been fun to watch and it's just another reason to consider him in the NFL Draft. He's proven he can handle adversity and criticism from the outside and still find a way to come out on top.

2. Michael Penix, Jr., Washington

If we thought Bo Nix was around for a long time, he has nothing on Michael Penix. The former Indiana starting quarterback spent four seasons with the Hoosiers from 2018-2021. He had some good moments for them but was never a star. He finished with 4,197 yards passing and just 29 touchdowns against 15 picks.

He then transferred to Washington where the light bulb went off. All the potential we saw during his days in Indiana finally turned into production. Penix went for 8,859 yards with 64 touchdowns and just 17 picks in two years for the Huskies.

One thing that could hurt Penix is his throwing motion, which is considered unorthodox. Still, he can push it downfield with the best of them and has one of the strongest arms in this class. He's also mobile even though he doesn't take off and run a lot but instead looks to keep the play alive and find the open wideout.

Sean Payton would surely love to work with someone who can throw the ball the way Penix does and the Broncos would potentially be able to land him without having to move up. That would be ideal for them since they do need to add talent to the roster.

1. Jayden Daniels, LSU

Even with Caleb Williams and Drake Maye likely out of reach for the Broncos, this is still a class with enough talent that they can find a potential starter. Arguably the best possibility for them would be Jayden Daniels from LSU. They might still have to move up for Daniels but it's not going to be as steep of a price as if they were to target the No. 1 or No. 2 pick for Williams or Maye.

Daniels is another dual-threat who showed massive improvement throughout his collegiate career. He began at Arizona State where he was unable to recapture the magic he had during his freshman season. He then transferred to LSU where his career took off.

Despite facing off against superior defenses in the SEC, Daniels saw his numbers go through the roof. This year, he had 3,812 yards with 40 touchdowns and just four picks. He also ran for 1,134 yards and 10 more touchdowns.

Daniels was awarded the 2023 Heisman Trophy for his outstanding season and continues to climb up draft boards. Landing him would give Denver someone who can really challenge defenses due to his accuracy as well as his ability to take over a game with his legs.

The question would come down to the cost to move up for Daniels. Denver gave up a lot for Russell Wilson in 2022 and Sean Payton in 2023. They need an infusion of youth which is why they might prefer to hold onto their picks. But it's hard to watch Daniels and not think he's worth a splash.

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