Suffice it to say the Denver Broncos haven’t been able to find a franchise quarterback since Peyton Manning. Even then, he was no longer in his prime and defense carried a large load during his final season. While general manager John Elway is trying his best to find one, he hasn’t changed his outlook on what it takes to be a star quarterback. This outdated philosophy has hindered the Broncos for far too long. Now, according to some analysts, there are reasons to believe that the Broncos won’t even draft a quarterback with their tenth pick.
Why The Denver Broncos May Not Select A Quarterback With First Round Pick in 2019 NFL Draft
In his time in the front office, Elway has signed, traded for or drafted 15 quarterbacks. Outside of Manning, none have amounted to much. With another tenth pick in the impending draft, there have been significant mentions of Missouri’s Drew Lock. However, in what may seem controversial at first glance, some analysts believe the Broncos will not select a quarterback.
They Already Have Joe Flacco
… Which to most, isn’t that comforting a thought. Sayre Bedinger of Predominantly Orange pointed out that Joe Flacco has been a strong performer in playoffs strong performer in the playoffs, has had more consistent good streaks than past Broncos quarterbacks and overall has better traits.
Furthermore, as Predominantly Orange’s Andrew Wade says, the combination of Courtland Sutton’s hands and Emmanuel Sanders’ speed, Flacco might actually be successful.
Elway defended his decision by reminding us that Flacco is “coming into the prime of his career”. When you think of quarterbacks like Tom Brady who is still thriving at 40, it makes it easier to believe that Flacco may still have some steam left in him. How much steam, we just don’t know.
Elway Picks The Best Player Available
Elway has always been clear on his preferences – filling the team’s biggest needs in free agency and drafting the best player available when the time comes.
He proved last season that he won’t pick a quarterback just because everyone thinks it’s what he should do. In 2018, he had done a lot of research on Josh Rosen and Josh Allen. And when those two were still available, he chose to grab the best player on the board with outside linebacker Bradley Chubb instead.
The 2019 Quarterback Class Isn’t That Strong
We saw five first-round quarterbacks in 2018. Two of them stunned fans, and will undoubtedly have long-running success. The caliber of talent this season can’t really compare to that of last season. It’s widely believed amongst those in the know that no quarterback in this class will rank ahead of the top four of the 2018 class.
The majority of the first-round talent on the defensive side of the ball. When the Broncos are on the clock at pick 10, they’re likely to select a defensive end or linebacker with a much higher grade than any quarterback that is still available.
The Broncos Are Still A Defense-Heavy Team
One of the few things Elway did right was build a dominant defense post Super Bowl 48. The offense was historically good in 2013, but the defense let them down. Elway swore defense would never be weak again. In the five years after the Super Bowl, Denver’s defensive ranking was 3, 1, 3, 4 and 22.
It’s clear Elway is a man on a mission. He dispensed of Vance Joseph and hired Vic Fangio, the man who constructed a top-notch Chicago Bears defensive unit (1st in points, 3rd in yards). He spent big money on cornerbacks Bryce Callahan and Kareem Jackson in an effort to make Broncos defense great again.
The defensive draft class is overflowing with talent. Some feel that a middle linebacker in the form of Devin White or Devin Bush is exactly what Denver needs. If the Broncos can have a stellar defense again, they can really focus on strengthening their weaknesses on the offensive side.
For this coming season, it doesn’t look like Denver will be home to any star quarterback. If they can compensate for such a lack by drafting players of a high grade in other positions, the team can still scrape by and perhaps make the playoffs.
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