The Denver Broncos have a glaring need at quarterback, but they won’t commit to taking one next Thursday night.
On Thursday, a reporter asked head coach Sean Payton and general manager George Paton if they feel they “have to” select a quarterback with the No. 12 pick. Payton said it will depend on how the first 11 picks unfold.
“You’d say, ‘Man, it sure looks like we have to draft a quarterback.’ And yet it’s got to be the right fit, the right one,” Payton said. “If we had tip sheets as to who everyone else was taking, it would be easier to answer that question. And so, that’s the puzzle here.”
Paton concurred that they don’t want to “force” the pick.
“Otherwise we’ll be in this position next year and the years after,” Paton said. “You want to get the right player at 12. Our first pick, we’ve got to hit on. Whether it’s a quarterback, whether it’s a tackle or receiver, you name it. We need to get an impact player.”
Paton called it a “good quarterback class,” believing there are seven or eight prospects he likes.
“We think we can get a quarterback early,” he said. “We think there’s going to be quarterbacks throughout the draft that are interesting to us.”
Two years ago, the Broncos went all-in on Russell Wilson. They’re back to the drawing board after releasing the 35-year-old.
It seems highly improbable that Denver will begin the 2024 season with Jarrett Stidham and Ben DiNucci as its only quarterbacks. The free-agent market is already tapped out on capable starters, so it’d be surprising if the Broncos left Detroit without a new signal-caller next week.