Picking No. 5 overall in this month’s NFL Draft, the Denver Broncos have a plethora of options open to them. By signing quarterback Case Keenum in free agency, adding a franchise-type player at that position might not be as much of a necessity.
With three of the first four picks ahead of Denver potentially going quarterback, this sets the team up well to add a top-end talent at another position should it decide to go in that direction. Then again, a potential trade down from No. 5 is reportedly in the cards here, too.
“I’ve heard if Denver doesn’t like the quarterback that’s there at 5, whoever that is, then it’ll actively look at trying to get more picks,” MMQB’s Albert Breer reported Thursday. “Two names that have been connected to the Broncos of late—Notre Dame G Quenton Nelson and Ohio State CB Denzel Ward—could be available further down the line.”
It seems highly unlikely that Nelson will be there much after five. But that’s just arguing semantics at this point. What we do know is teams such as the Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills and Arizona Cardinals later in the first round could be angling to move up for a quarterback. If one of them is smitten with a signal caller that Denver doesn’t necessarily like, a trade could very well be in the works here.
Having coached him in the Senior Bowl, Oklahoma’s Baker Mayfield has been most linked to the Broncos. Though, Josh Allen and his strong arm could also be attractive to a GM in John Elway who might see similarities between the Wyoming product and his own game as a player in Denver.
It’s one of the interesting dynamics to look at heading into this year’s draft. The teams selecting three through six could all be angling to trade down. That includes the Indianapolis Colts, who have already traded down from No. 3 overall to the sixth pick.