Who will be the next quarterback of the Denver Broncos?
That is the million-dollar question at the moment and right now, there are way too many possibilities and there are not many signs that definitively point to any of them. One thing seems certain, it won't be Russell Wilson.
As the Broncos comb through the many options in free agency, the draft or even through a trade, the name that seems to be gaining a lot of "buzz" within Broncos Country is Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy.
This has caused many Broncos fans to either rally some support for this potential pick or complain at length about what a bad pick it would be. Just check out some of the comments in this Twitter thread.
The main knock on McCarthy is that he was carried to success by a great team at Michigan and a great head coach, Jim Harbaugh, who now leads the Chargers. There are questions about how good his arm is but you can nitpick any QB in this draft.
When I watch McCarthy, I see a poised, confident passer who is an elite athlete and can make some incredible plays with his arm. In addition, he is a quarterback who can threaten a defense with his legs.
Sean Payton is determined to get this position right this offseason and that is going to require him finding a player who he is supremely confident can run his offense the way he wants it ran, something Wilson apparently could not do.
If McCarthy is the team's first-round pick, he might not start in Week 1 as a rookie. That is where Jarrett Stidham or perhaps another veteran signed as a free agent would come in as that player would be expected to bridge. the gap until McCarthy was ready to start.
McCarthy has met with the Broncos at this year's scouting combine. The Broncos clearly have some interest in him as a potential future quarterback, but the team may still have to make a trade up in the first round to ensure it could get him.
Some see McCarthy as a first-round pick, other analysts have had him as late as the third round. But when you like a guy, you go and get your guy. The Broncos currently sit at No. 12 in the first round. The Atlanta Falcons at No. 8 would be one team the Broncos would need to watch out for, as they could be looking for a quarterback as well. They will also need to be wary of the Las Vegas Raiders, who sit at No. 13 but have been connected to McCarthy as well.
For what it's worth, taking mock drafts compiled by over 50 different sites since the offseason began, Oregon's Bo Nix is still the player most mocked to the Broncos in the first round, according to NFL Mock Draft Database.
But if the Broncos do in fact draft a quarterback in the first round, J.J. McCarthy is starting to look like he could be that guy.