The Denver Broncos biggest question mark heading into the offseason yet again comes at the quarterback position. The Russell Wilson experiment is likely coming to an end. It did put a temporary bandage on the revolving door that is the Broncos quarterback room, but it has run its course now.
So what comes next for the Broncos? They could go after a veteran in free agency like Kirk Cousins or Baker Mayfield. They may look in-house and give Jarrett Stidham the starting role. We’ve also heard rumors that they’ll trade up into the top 3, as high as number 1, to get one of the big three QB prospects, Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, or Jayden Daniels.
No matter what the Broncos decide to do, Sean Payton will have the biggest say in the decision. Well, it turns out none of those previously mentioned options may be needed to get the QB that Payton wants.
Minnesota Vikings announcer Paul Allen has heard that Payton is quite high on Michigan's J.J. McCarthy. So it turns out the Broncos may be able to stay put at pick number 12 in the upcoming draft and get their guy.
Can McCarthy be the answer for the Broncos?
If Payton is right about McCarthy and his ability to be a successful QB in the NFL, this is the perfect scenario for the Broncos. This would mean the Broncos don’t need to mortgage their future draft picks in order to trade up while also not giving big money away to a free agent.
They would have the draft picks and the available money, while McCarthy is on a rookie deal, to build a well rounded team. It wouldn’t be a quick fix, but definitely a step in the right direction of creating a contender in Denver for the first time since 2015.
The issue is that McCarthy is one of the most polarizing prospects in the entire draft. It’s weird to think the quarterback of the team that just won the College Football National Championship has so many doubters. The main argument is that McCarthy isn’t the main reason for Michigan’s success. They relied heavily on their run game while having one of the best, if not the best, defenses in all of college football.
Many are focused on the traits that McCarthy brings to the table, hoping that the wrinkles get ironed out as he begins his NFL career. If there was a list of coaches you would want to help mold you into a good NFL QB, Sean Payton would be near the top of the list. Payton has done it before with Drew Brees, and maybe he views McCarthy as the next Brees.