Subscribe
Follow Us
A year and a half after the blockbuster trade that sent Russell Wilson from the Seattle Seahawks to the Denver Broncos, it has become clear that this deal has not worked out for the Broncos. Denver is currently 1-5 and the defense is giving up 33.3 points/game, worst in the league. Wilson has been better this year, with 12 touchdowns and four interceptions through six games, but he can do only so much on a team that has seemingly lost hope.
Wilson is under contract with the Broncos for five more years, earning an average of more than $51 million in those seasons. The team has a potential out ahead of 2026 that would leave the franchise with only $31.2 million in dead cap, but getting rid of Russell Wilson before then would be a serious expense.
With Wilson's future up in the air, here are the quarterbacks that Denver should be targeting in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Caleb Williams (USC)
Caleb Williams is the consensus first-overall pick, but a couple of hurdles exist that could prevent the Broncos from selecting him. First, Denver might not finish as the worst team in the league. The Carolina Panthers currently have the worst record at 0-6, and they sent their first-round pick to the Chicago Bears as part of the deal earlier this year to acquire the number-one overall pick in the 2023 draft. The Broncos are also one of five teams that are currently 1-5.
Caleb Williams can also choose to spend another year at USC. Williams' father Carl said that his son might stay in school if he is not happy with the team situation he would be entering in the NFL. The Broncos franchise is a mess right now, and getting Williams with the first pick is not a guarantee.
Drake Maye (North Carolina)
After a dominant season as a redshirt freshman last year, Drake Maye has not been as prolific in his second year as a starter at UNC. Some of this dip can be attributed to an offensive line that struggles in pass protection. Still, the talent is there for Maye to be considered a top-10, even a top-five pick in the draft by experts. He has the tools to be an immediate starter in the NFL, and if the Broncos do not own the number-one overall pick yet still want a QB to play right away, then Maye is the player to draft.
Michael Penix Jr. (Washington), Box Nix (Oregon)
If the Broncos choose not to grab a QB with their first-round pick, they will have a bit of a wait before their next pick. Denver sent its second-round pick to the New Orleans Saints to acquire head coach Sean Payton and would stand to swap third-round picks with the New Orleans as part of the Payton deal. That third-round selection would move them from the beginning to the middle of the round, giving Denver a gap of around 75 or 80 picks between selections.
The team will still have ample quarterback options in the middle of the draft, though these players will likely be bigger projects. Among the quarterbacks projected to go in the middle rounds are Heisman trophy candidates Michael Penix Jr. (Washington) and Bo Nix (Oregon). Both players are proven winners at the college level, where they have spent long careers perfecting their craft and evolving into dominant quarterbacks after showing promise early on. They are playmakers who are able to make things happen without committing turnovers or forcing too many throws. Michael Penix Jr. and Bo Nix will need development with their technique and mechanics, but in terms of pure talent, it is not out of the question for the Broncos to wait until day two of the draft to select one of these talismans.
