Bogus rumors about Broncos QB interest running rampant

Especially at this time of year, be careful about what rumors you see and believe all over the internet. They call it "lying season" in the NFL for a reason, and when it comes to rumors you hear about the Denver Broncos, the NFL Draft, and especially the quarterback position: It's probably best not to believe anything.

There have been multiple reports floating around out there about Broncos head coach Sean Payton being "enamored" with Michigan quarterback JJ McCarthy. While it's possible that the Broncos and Sean Payton do love McCarthy, reports and rumors like this are not to be taken seriously at this point.

There are plenty of reasons to connect JJ McCarthy to the Denver Broncos, but when you see reports like this coming out, it's not the best idea to just take them at face value. The Denver Broncos aren't going to be showing their hand to anybody. Unless there's a "mole" in the front office giving out information to the public, nobody outside of Denver is likely to find out which QB Sean Payton prefers until after the NFL Draft is done.

There are tea leaves to read into, breadcrumbs to follow, but think about it.

This early on in the process, what's the benefit of Sean Payton revealing which player he likes the most? The Broncos have just gone through pre-draft meetings and analyzed the tape of each quarterback in the draft. We're only a couple of days removed from the Broncos having their formal interviews with these players, getting to meet them in person for the very first time.

There is a long way to go before the Broncos and head coach Sean Payton make any sort of determination about these guys.

Keep in mind that last year, Payton assembled nearly an entire coaching staff without a word of it leaking to the media. Perhaps there were people who knew that information and simply withheld it, but there was no indication of what the Broncos were going to do with their coaching staff beyond interviews that had been reported.

The quarterback situation in Denver is way too delicate to be leaking information, unless it's deliberate misinformation. If the Broncos truly love a quarterback, they are going to have to get ready to play a game of poker and find a way to disguise their interest as best they possibly can.

Perhaps over the next couple of weeks, we'll hear about the Broncos being "enamored" with even more quarterbacks.

To be fair, reports did surface in previous years regarding Sean Payton's interest in specific quarterbacks during the NFL Draft process, but those reports came about when the Saints either had no shot of getting certain players, or they came out after the draft process ended.

We're probably going to see Sean Payton and Broncos GM George Paton along with QBs coach Davis Webb and offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi start making the rounds at pro days across the country. Some of these prospects will make their way to Denver for official visits, while the Broncos will then fly all over the place to do private workouts for some.

We're just about two months out from the 2024 NFL Draft. Be careful what you believe that gets floated out there this time of year.