After a relatively quiet free agency that saw more notable departures than arrivals, the Broncos are shifting their focus toward the 2024 NFL Draft, which kicks off in roughly three weeks.
The Broncos are heavily tied to the quarterback position entering the draft, especially after they did not add a single quarterback to their roster during free agency. Let's take a look at the Broncos' current quarterback room, and how it shapes up entering the draft.
Starter: Jarrett Stidham
Stidham is slated to enter 2024 as the Broncos' starter, following being the Broncos' starter for the final two games of the 2023 season. Stidham went 1-1 as the Broncos' starter and kept the Broncos in the playoff hunt until the final seconds of Week 17. Stidham was respectable as the Broncos' starter, throwing two touchdowns, one interception, and completing 60 percent of his passes.
Stidham is set to get the most extensive run of his career this year, and should he succeed, could become a multi-year solution for the Broncos at quarterback. However, the most likely outcome for Stidham is that the veteran is met by a rookie quarterback by the time he arrives at camp in August, and is entered into some level of a quarterback competition in camp.
Another possibility is that if the Broncos don't select a quarterback, veteran quarterbacks are released by teams that drafted quarterbacks and the Broncos are able to bring in a fairly notable veteran quarterback, maybe a Davis Mills, to compete with Stidham.
Backup: Ben DiNucci
Ben DiNucci, once of internet fame, is back with the Broncos for a second season after being on the team's practice squad for the 2023 season. DiNucci first broke into the league with the Cowboys a few years back in 2020 and got some playing time after Dak Prescott went down.
DiNucci hasn't gotten into a game since his three appearances in 2020, and his 2020 workload did not exactly yield success. DiNucci completed only 55 percent of his passes, posted a QBR of just 10.2, and his quarterback rating sat at 67.9. DiNucci enters 2024 as the Broncos' backup, and should something happen to Jarrett Stidham, the Broncos would be in some deep trouble.
Ultimately, this is a spot the Broncos can upgrade by adding a starter above Stidham, making him the backup again. The unfortunate truth for DiNucci is that his body of work in the NFL doesn't even equate to being a backup. He is more than fine as a third quarterback, but as a backup who is one injury away from being a Sunday starter, DiNucci will be one of the weaker backups in the NFL.
Overall Outlook
It is not good, folks. The Broncos have one of the worst quarterback rooms in football, and notable smoke around them going with a position other than quarterback in the first round makes you worry even more. The Broncos need to address the quarterback position in some way. As the Broncos have seen for so many years now with the likes of Pat Mahomes and Tom Brady, a quarterback can elevate an entire roster, and also bring one down.