The moment of truth has arrived for the Denver Broncos: will head coach Sean Payton take a quarterback in the 2024 NFL draft?
After a peek at the Broncos’ depth chart at QB, all signs point to Payton doing so. Despite winning the 2010 Super Bowl with the New Orleans Saints, Troy Renck of The Denver Post put all the pressure on Payton heading into round one.
“Easy for me to say when this is Payton’s legacy at stake,” Renck wrote in his April 24 column. “He is not going to the Hall of Fame without reviving the Broncos franchise. And that is not happening in the current AFC landscape without a good quarterback.”
Those were harsh words, yet patience has run thin in Broncos Country. Denver has missed the postseason in eight consecutive years and has endured seven straight losing campaigns.
Renck believes the “easy move” is to stick with the No. 12 pick and select Oregon star Bo Nix.
“He is experienced, having played at Auburn with Bo Jackson (I kid because I care). He is athletic, mobile and has the arm strength to complete the type of routes Payton’s offense demands,” Renck wrote before continuing:
“The problem with Nix is simple: His ceiling. He feels like an NFL starter, not a top-15 player at the position. Can Payton help him exceed expectations? Yes. And he must for this move to work.”
Renck again asserts that if Payton nails the QB selection, “it will create a seismic shift towards relevance.”
Former NFL Executive: Payton Wanted Patrick Mahomes in 2017 NFL Draft
Payton has yet to develop a young quarterback coming into the league, but he came close during his Saints tenure.
Former Cleveland Browns general manager Michael Lombardi remarked that Payton missed out on drafting Mahomes in the 2017 NFL draft.
“Some of these teams see some things in the quarterbacks that they can make them better players,” Lombardi said on the April 24 episode of “The Pat McAfee Show.” “Remember, Sean Payton wanted to draft Mahomes, he lost out. Think about how the league would have been dramatically different had the Saints made that trade and not the Chiefs.”
Missing out on the three-time Super Bowl champ has to be on Payton’s mind entering draft day. Regardless of what happens in Payton’s second draft with Denver, Lombardi trusts the veteran coach’s instincts.
“Let’s just say that Sean Payton has really done a good job in his career of evaluating quarterbacks when he was with Bill Parcells in Dallas. He wanted Tony Romo, so they signed him as a college-free agent,” Lombardi said.
Broncos Considering Moves Up or Down the Board in 1st Round: Report
The Broncos are about to embark on its most important NFL draft in recent memory. Renck might be correct in his assessment that all the pressure will be on Payton.
Payton has tirelessly worked on reshaping the organization to his liking since his arrival. Denver could be active throughout the first round of the draft, according to Ed Werder of ESPN.
“The #Broncos have engaged with potential trade partners, considering moves both up the board or back tonight,” Werder posted to X on April 25.
Werder mentioned that Payton made four draft-day trades in the first round with the Saints. All trades were made to acquire a higher draft pick and Payton twice made trades to obtain a first-rounder.
Broncos Country should grab the popcorn and gear up for an active night with Payton at the helm.
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