Nothing should be off the table in Broncos pursuit to find a franchise QB

There is nothing more important in sports than having a franchise quarterback, and for that reason, the Denver Broncos need to do everything they possibly can to acquire one. Frankly, I don't know how you can watch the NFL playoffs each year and not want the Broncos to move mountains in their quest to find a franchise passer.

The playoffs are almost always all first-round pick quarterbacks. This year, like always, the teams with the first-round QBs go the farthest in the postseason. It's not a coincidence. Sure, the Denver Broncos can perhaps find a decent enough QB in the second or third round, but if they want to get serious about winning again, they need to target someone in the first round.

QBs who get drafted in the first round, and who are unquestionably first-round prospects, are those type of prospects for a reason. The team swung and missed on Russell Wilson, and I do give them a ton of credit for trying. Russell Wilson is a Super Bowl-winning passer, so I don't totally fault George Paton for making a move like that.

It didn't work out. The Broncos should turn the page on the Russell Wilson era and turn their attention to the 2024 NFL Draft. Recently, I have seen people within Broncos Country begin to debate the QB issue as it pertains to the draft. This tidbit from Cecil Lammey seemed to spark the debate:

Lammey indicates that he is hearing that Sean Payton could make a huge move for a quarterback. Well, the Broncos do have their own first-round pick in 2024 and have their first-round picks every year after that thus far. They do not have a second-round pick this year and do not exactly have many enticing tradeable players to move up the draft board.

I think the only two players who could be used in a potential trade up the draft board would be Patrick Surtain II and Quinn Meinerz. But my point here is that the Denver Broncos will continue to swim within the irrelevant middle of teams in the NFL if they do not make an aggressive move to get a QB. Look across the NFL at the best QBs; their teams were aggressive in drafting them or took a huge risk when they drafted them.

It's not a coincidence either. The Broncos are not going to win a Super Bowl if they try to make a third-round pick work. And I know I might sound silly speaking in absolutes like this, but I am also watching every single playoff game and looking at what ultimately decides these games.

It's the quarterback.

So in my opinion, the Denver Broncos need to do whatever it takes to get the QB. If that means packaging Surtain in a trade to move up the draft board, and if that means also trading more first-round picks, so be it. Having the QB figured out makes life much easier. I guarantee you the Broncos would prefer to have a franchise QB and a bad cornerback room instead of no franchise QB and a very good CB room.

This is not a dig at Surtain or any other player who could be traded; to me, it's the cold, hard, truth.