Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton boasted about his attempts at misdirection this offseason. He expressed an apparent interest in a potential trade to move up in the first round of the 2024 draft.
That did not happen, and the Broncos selected Bo Nix with the No. 12 overall pick.
He will compete with Jarrett Stidham and Zach Wilson for the starting job. But during the draft, ESPN’s Adam Schefter shed light on the bit of failed negotiating by the Broncos.
“The New York Jets are at least scheduled to have the last pick in the draft, Mr. Irrelevant and that was a pick that the Jets did not want to trade,” Schefter said during ESPN’s draft coverage on April 27. “When they traded Zach Wilson to Denver, and they were discussing essentially what picks to involve, the Jets insisted on holding on to the pick that would become Mr. Irrelevant.”
The Broncos have four quarterbacks on their roster as it is. What figures to be a three-way battle with Nix, Stidham, and Wilson could also include Ben DiNucci. So it’s no guarantee the Broncos would have used the selection on a quarterback.
Still, being “Mr. Irrelevant” has become a badge of honor despite meaning the last draft pick.
Broncos Miss Out on Chance to Find Next Brock Purdy in Zach Wilson Trade
GettyBrock Purdy #13 of the San Francisco 49ers.
“The nickname and Mr. Irrelevant Week — a celebration and charity event — were created by former player Paul Salata to celebrate the underdog,” ESPN’s staff wrote on April 27. “There have been many Mr. Irrelevants since Kelvin Kirk became the first in 1976.”
New York selected Alabama safety Jaylen Key with the No. 257 overall pick. He is just the third safety to ever be taken in that slot.
Arguably the most famous of all is San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy.
Purdy stepped into a situation behind a former No. 3 overall pick in Trey Lance with the 49ers, who also had Jimmy Garoppolo on the roster. Injuries to both paved the way for Purdy to draw his first career start, a historic victory over Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
This past season, Purdy became the first Mr. Irrelevant to start a Super Bowl at quarterback. That only added to the mystique around his story and the selection itself.
Of course, not all Mr. Irrelevants have been as successful as Purdy.
Broncos’ Mr. Irrelevant Chad Kelly
Chad Kelly #12 of the Toronto Argonauts.
The Broncos sent the Jets a sixth-round pick (No. 203) in the trade for Wilson. They did get the No. 256 pick from the Jets, just one pick before Mr. Irrelevant, and used it to select center Nick Gargiulo.
It is unclear if the Broncos were asking for pick No. 257 in addition to what they already got or if this was simply the Jets keeping that pick out of their discussions and offering No. 256.
The last time Denver had the pick, they selected Chad Kelly out of Ole Miss.
He entered with modest expectations for his draft status given his bloodlines. But his troubled past followed him to the NFL. Kelly has not appeared in a game since 2018. He has been out of the league entirely since 2020, though he has found success playing in the CFL.
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