Latest Broncos mock draft would be a franchise-altering one

NFL.com's Chad Reuter put together a three-round mock draft, and for the Denver Broncos, their first-round pick could end up being a franchise-altering move. Getting the QB right fixes almost everything in the NFL. The Chiefs just won the Super Bowl with the worst group of wide receivers in the NFL this year.

The San Francisco 49ers got to the Super Bowl with a below-average offensive line and no viable CB2, and their efficient QB was a big reason why. Lately within Broncos Country, I have noticed debates as to whether or not the team should trade stud CB Patrick Surtain II in the quest to find a franchise QB.

Some Broncos fans are vehemently against the move, but why? If Surtain can help the Broncos shoot up the draft board for a franchise QB, wouldn't that be the entire idea? I promise you, if the Broncos do have to trade PS2 this season but also land a franchise QB, you'll forget that PS2 was even on the team.

Well, in a recent mock draft for NFL.com, Chad Reuter had the Denver Broncos making a huge move up the draft board for UNC's Drake Maye, perhaps the most complete QB in this year's draft. Here is what Reuter said about the move:

"With Harrison off the board, the Cardinals acquire a 2025 first-round pick, along with a third-rounder this year, to swap places with Denver. Head coach Sean Payton gets his new quarterback."

- Chad Reuter, NFL.com

So, the Denver Broncos trade up to the fourth spot with the Arizona Cardinals. To do this, Reuter traded the 12th overall pick, a 2025 first-rounder, and a third-rounder this year. Frankly, I think that'd be an amazing deal for Denver to make, and I don't think it'd be enough for them to move up, but Reuter is a connected person, so his word is reliable.

Anyway, the Broncos would get Drake Maye, but hardly have any draft capital left in 2024, which is fine. The team would get a high-end QB prospect in Drake Maye, who possesses an insane arm, elite mobility, and exceptional size. I have personally seen people here and there put Justin Herbert and Drake Maye in the same sentence, but the comparison to an NFL passer with Maye can surely vary from person to person.

The Denver Broncos need to come away with a QB in 2024, and I don't think they have another choice here. The Chiefs moved up nearly 20 spots in 2017 to draft Patrick Mahomes, and that worked out for them. Sean Payton is hopefully eye-balling a top QB prospect and putting together a hypothetical trade package to move up.

The Broncos do pick outside the top-10, but it's not a low first-round pick, so if there is a team willing to move down, I think Denver could put together a strong enough offer.