The Broncos’ quarterback situation after the Zach Wilson deal

The decision-makers for the Denver Broncos have insisted that they have a quarterback plan.
When they made the expensive decision to let go of Russell Wilson only two seasons after the big deal to get him, they made that statement. They claimed as much when they refused to sign free agents while one experienced quarterback after another accepted offers from other teams, with some even settling for backup roles.

And they made it known last week when general manager George Paton and coach Sean Payton fielded inquiries from the media at a pre-draft sit-down.
A portion of that strategy was revealed on Monday when Zach Wilson was acquired by the organization in a trade with the New York Jets. After a difficult three seasons with the New York Jets, Wilson—the No. 2 selection in the 2021 NFL Draft—was informed by the team that a trade would be pursued over the summer. Wilson’s pay for the 2017 season will be shared between the Jets and the Broncos.
Wilson, 24, is a member of Denver’s depth chart with quarterback Jarrett Stidham. Paton and Payton won’t make public comments until Thursday night, after the first round of the selection. However, the low-impact move, in which the Broncos traded a sixth-round selection for a seventh-round pick, provides them with some protection in the event that things do not go as planned, particularly on Thursday.
Wilson is something of a reclamation project considering his on-field troubles, which include a 57% completion percentage with 25 interceptions to 23 touchdown throws. Wilson is now a part of the competition Payton has promised to bring in for Stidham.
However, this decision also acknowledges that the Broncos are not in a position to choose a quarterback in the first round. In the draft, there are other teams equally in need of a quarterback before them, and the Broncos—who haven’t selected in the first round since 2021 due to the Russell Wilson trade—have far less firepower to advance.
The Denver Broncos will have to decide whether to use their 12th selection in the draft to choose a fifth quarterback if, as some have predicted, four quarterbacks are chosen before they have to utilize their clock.
Just one club since the AFL-NFL merger has selected a sixth quarterback with a top-12 pick: Cade McNown was drafted by the Chicago Bears at No. 12 in 1999. In the end, McNown had 25 career game appearances.
Zach Wilson’s trade may suggest that the Broncos don’t think the fourth- or fifth-rated quarterback on their draft board is deserving of the No. 12 choice as they go through mock drafts and opening-round scenarios.
The Broncos have said in the open that they’re amenable to several suggestions at No. 12.
Payton said last week, “Look, I mean, do we have to draft a quarterback?” “You would think, “Man, it seems like we need to choose a quarterback in the draft, but it has to be the perfect fit, the right one.” It would also be simpler to respond to that query if you had access to the tip sheets that listed who else was being taken. That is the mystery at hand.
Despite having five head coaches and twelve starting quarterbacks, the Broncos have missed the playoffs for eight consecutive seasons.
“Forcing it is something you want to avoid doing,” Paton said. If not, we’ll be in this same situation the next year and the years after. At twelve, you want to get the best player. We need to choose an impact player with our first selection, whether it be a quarterback, lineman, receiver, or another position.
The Broncos need impact players all over the depth chart since they only have two of their own first-round selections on the roster right now: tackle Garett Bolles and cornerback Pat Surtain II.
The unpleasant reality is that any player the Broncos have rated well enough to choose with the 12th selection is a need for this club, despite the cries of many for the organization to do whatever it takes to select one of the best quarterbacks available.
Therefore, the Broncos may still choose a rookie quarterback out of the draft despite Zach Wilson’s presence. However, it’s a cheap shot that offers them some security before what may turn out to be a wild opening round.

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