The Denver Broncos have several needs going into the 2024 offseason. Their biggest problem is arguably at the quarterback position. With Russell Wilson no longer in the team's future plans, they will need to find a new player to take over the most important position in football. If the Broncos don’t attain a new signal-caller or make the wrong decision on who will be under center in 2024, their season will be over before it has even begun.
Quarterback isn’t the only position that Denver has to fill, though. The Broncos also need to add to their receiving corps, and they could use help on the defensive side of the ball as well.
The good news? Many impactful players at positions of need should be available when Denver is on the clock with the 12th overall pick. Let's take a look at some players who should be on the Broncos' big board in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Michael Penix Jr.
Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. is the best target for the Broncos who will realistically be available when the team is on the clock. Penix has elite arm talent and accuracy, and the Broncos would get a head start on the post-Russell Wilson era by securing his services. At Washington, Penix led one of the most prolific offenses in college football and should be able to help quickly turn around Denver’s offense.
Penix will likely fall in the draft due to his injury history, age and lack of demonstrated running ability. He will also likely be unfairly knocked for being a left-handed QB in a league where quarterbacks are predominantly right-handed.
The Huskies legend is a prototypical drop-back quarterback. While it is rare for him to break the pocket and make plays with his legs, he is lethal through the air. Penix has a cannon on his left shoulder, he processes the game well and knows where to go with the football. He has elite pocket presence and can make all of the throws required of an NFL quarterback. He can also make off-platform throws and create plays outside of the pocket.
Penix is one of the best deep-ball passers in this draft class. He can throw the ball 60+ yards downfield with ease, and has incredible touch to hit his receivers in stride and put the ball where only his guy can catch it. He also has the arm strength to put zip on the ball and make throws into tight windows, both over the middle of the field and to the sidelines.
Bo Nix
Bo Nix is a versatile athlete at the quarterback position. He came into college with immense hype and failed to live up to that level for several years.
Nix’s time at Auburn culminated with his entrance into the transfer portal, and he ended up at Oregon where he re-established himself as a viable first-round draft pick. Nix has a big arm and he can run. If Penix is gone, Nix could be an alternate option for Denver worth keeping an eye on.
Brian Thomas Jr.
If all of the top quarterbacks are taken before Denver is on the clock, the Broncos may want to pivot and use their first-round selection on a receiver with the potential to be an offensive cornerstone. Assuming that the top overall options at receiver are off the board when Denver is on the clock, Brian Thomas Jr. is the best player who is likely to still be available.
The speedster out of LSU would bring a unique skill to the Broncos' offense, adding a downfield element that would make their passing game more diverse and lethal. Thomas is an elite deep threat who has no problem getting behind a defense. His ability to stretch a defense vertically will put pressure on opponents to doubl- team him, opening up opportunities for other receivers and making life easier for Denver’s running backs as well.
Jared Verse
If the Broncos wish to take a different route and find an elite defensive player with their first pick, Jared Verse would fit the bill perfectly. The Florida State product is an elite pass-rusher and run-stopper who can impact the game in multiple ways.
Verse was a cornerstone of a dominant Florida State defense and he has all the tools to be a building block of an NFL defense as well. The Broncos need to get younger and more talented on defense, and adding Verse would be a good start.
Trade up candidate: Jayden Daniels
If the Broncos are willing to surrender what it takes to trade up, Jayden Daniels is a great player for them to target. Daniels is a dual-threat star who would address the team's need at quarterback. He is an elite runner who can also beat the defense in multiple ways through the air.
Daniels has elite accuracy, with the ability to throw the ball within a quarter’s width of where the receiver wants it even on passes deep down the field. He also knows how to protect the football, placing it where only his guy has a chance in limiting opportunities for interceptions. This is an under-appreciated skill set, as it can sometimes lead to ugly incompletions.
However, Daniels is the type of player an offensive coordinator dreams of having on their roster because he offers the best risk versus reward balance while still giving his offense big-play potential.
Player to keep an eye on: Rome Odunze
Rome Odunze is expected to be picked somewhere between the No. 5 and No. 12 in the 2024 NFL Draft. With the Broncos picking 12th, it is within the realm of possibility the talented receiver out of Washington could fall to the Broncos. Assuming Daniels is gone by the time Denver makes its selection, if Odunze is still on the board it would be tempting to take him regardless of which second-tier quarterbacks are still available.
It’s not too crazy to imagine a scenario where Odunze falls to number 12 and Penix has a Lamar Jackson-like slide towards the end of the first round. That would allow Denver to select Odunze with their pick and then trade back into the end of the first round to reunite Penix with his college teammate.
While it isn’t likely the draft will play out that way, it is possible, and that would be the ideal outcome for the Broncos.
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