At this point, the Denver Broncos need to focus on the 2024 NFL Draft to rebuild their franchise. Using their own picks, let's put together a mock draft for the team. The Denver Broncos just might be 1-7 by the time they hit their bye week, and the sad part is, the offense is playing reasonably well and Russell Wilson is still one of the most efficient QBs in the league this year.
For years, the Denver Broncos had a strong defense and inept offense, and now, all of a sudden, when Sean Payton comes in and fixes the offense, the defense not only regresses but is genuinely one of the worst units the league has seen in years. The Denver Broncos truly feel cursed, don't they?
At this point, they need to do something they have not yet done but should have done years ago, and that's doing a rebuild. So, the 2024 NFL Draft would be a good place for them to start said rebuild.
Way too early 2024 NFL mock draft for the Denver Broncos
If Caleb Williams was not projected to declare for 2024, Drake Maye would easily be the best QB prospect in this draft and would have likely been the top QB prospect in this year's draft as well. Maye is 6'5", 220 pounds, and has a rocket for an arm. He can make all the throws on the field and would instantly have one of the strongest arms in the NFL.
And he's even mobile, too. Him being so big, you'd think that he could not move, but Maye feels like a genuinely complete QB prospect with few flaws. He's probably starting Week 1 in 2024 for the Denver Broncos, so Russell Wilson would need to be cut or traded.
Way too early 2024 NFL mock draft for the Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos currently do not have a second-round pick or a high third-round pick, but I would expect that to change in the coming weeks. Right now, after their first-round pick, they don't select until the 82nd overall selection, so a lot of talent left the board. Kris Jenkins is a senior DT from Michigan with seven tackles for loss and three sacks over his career.
The Denver Broncos' DL is getting totally butchered this year, so adding any type of talent on the DL is smart. Jenkins is 6'3", 275lbs, so he's a bit lean.
Denver Broncos' center Lloyd Cushenberry is a free agent at the end of the year, and I really do not think they bring him back unless it's on a pretty cheap deal. The team needs to invest a ton of resources into their defense, so just resetting the situation at center with Bryce Foster makes sense to me. He's currently a redshirt sophomore. Foster was also starting as a true freshman and is a massive center at 6'5", 330lbs.
Way too early 2024 NFL mock draft for the Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos need to add more consistent talent to their WR room, so I nabbed up Ladd McConkey, a junior from Georgia. He plays in the SEC, so he's playing against the top defensive talent in the nation. In 2022, he caught 58 passes for 762 yards and seven touchdowns. This year, he's played in just two games and has caught five passes for 49 yards. McConkey feels like a true slot receiver at the next level.
The Denver Broncos have experience with Iowa tight ends, and there is no secret that the school knows how to develop them. All of George Kittle, TJ Hockenson, Noah Fant, and Sam La Porta went to Iowa. It's smart for the Denver Broncos to add someone to the TE room. Greg Dulcich cannot stay healthy, and Adam Trautman is just a guy. Lachey is a junior with 662 yards and four touchdowns over his career.
You could argue that the Denver Broncos should address cornerback much earlier, but I think Sean Payton is going to invest a lot of cap space into the defense this coming offseason. He'll supplement the rebuilding of the defense in the NFL Draft, so in this mock, the Broncos select Daequan Hardy, a senior with five career sacks. He likely translates to a slot cornerback at the next level.
Right now, Denver does have a first-round pick but does not have much else. I'd expect them to trade several veteran players in the coming weeks and should find themselves with at least 10 selections, ideally.