One huge mistake the Denver Broncos must avoid in the 2024 NFL Draft is taking a defensive back in the first round, and this what-if scenario from Bleacher Report would be a true nightmare. There is just no argument in any realm of reality for the Broncos to take a DB in the first round. It'd be an inexcusable and unforgivable mistake by Sean Payton and George Paton.
Unfortunately, some mock drafts across the NFL landscape have mocked a CB to Denver in the first round over more urgent and valuable positions like QB, WR, DT, and EDGE. When building a successful, winning football team, the first and most important part of that is getting the QB right.
Frankly, there aren't many arguments for Denver to not come away with a QB in the first round. But heck, the board might fall a certain way, and if they can't get a QB at pick 12 for whatever reason, the next most important piece of a winning football team is to consistently get to the QB, so an EDGE rusher makes a ton of sense.
And as a team rebuilds its roster properly, CB isn't a position that needs a huge investment. With the NFL shifting more to offense, positions like WR and TE are becoming more valuable than CB, so to see mock drafts and what-if scenarios linking the Broncos and the CB position in the first round is quite depressing.
Here's Maurice Moton of Bleacher Report's reasoning:
"Even if the Minnesota Vikings pass on a quarterback at No. 11, the Denver Broncos might prefer a top defensive prospect rather than the fourth- or fifth-best quarterback at No. 12.Maurice Moton
While some Broncos fans may cringe at the idea of taking a defensive back over a quarterback or an edge-rusher in this spot, the team sent defensive backs coach and pass game coordinator Jim Leonhard to Cooper DeJean's pro day.
According to ESPN's Field Yates, multiple teams see DeJean as a safety rather than a cornerback.
"I think there's a chance that a lot of teams—as a matter of fact, many teams that I have spoken with continue to view him as a safety prospect," Yates said on First Draft (7:10 mark).
Because of DeJean's potential positional versatility, he can fill voids at cornerback and safety in Denver's secondary. That would make this an intriguing match, especially if the Iowa product hears his name called before cornerbacks Terrion Arnold and Quinyon Mitchell.
Going into the offseason, the Broncos needed help at cornerback, and they haven't addressed that issue. Denver also released safety Justin Simmons.
Assuming DeJean makes a full recovery from a broken fibula, Denver may see him as a do-it-all chess piece for its defense, which ranked 27th and 29th in scoring and total yards last season, respectively."
There is reason for Denver to add to their CB room, but they did do some work at safety this offseason, signing Brandon Jones and re-signing PJ Locke III. With Caden Sterns and JL Skinner in the picture, that room is all but solidified. The CB room has a plethora of young players in Patrick Surtain II, Ja'Quan McMillian, Riley Moss, and Damarri Mathis. Surtain and McMillian are solid in their spots, but the CB2 role is surely up for grabs.
Denver has had rumored interest in CBs Kristian Fulton and Levi Wallace this offseason. Fulton signed with the LA Chargers and there hasn't been any news regarding Wallace since he visited Denver. The Broncos don't have a first-round need for a CB at the moment, but adding a veteran like Wallace and drafting someone in the later rounds makes the most sense.
Taking a DB in the first round, especially someone like Cooper DeJean, who may not even be a cornerback at the next level, would be a huge nightmare.