KUSA – Speculation is growing that John Elway is strongly considering taking a quarterback with the Broncos’ No. 10 overall draft.
Similar to years past, Elway is expected to say during his pre-draft press conference Tuesday that he is open to everything.
While I respect how Elway bounced back with what so far appears to be a successful draft in 2018, I think taking a quarterback at No. 10 this year would be a mistake.
I do understand the temptation. Taking a QB at No. 10 has two contradictory strategies.
One thought: The Broncos have been picking in the top 10 the past two years. You can’t waste that opportunity without nabbing a quarterback.
Two, and to the contrary, you can’t take a quarterback at No. 10 after you just invested in Joe Flacco for at least one full year and probably two. Why waste a No. 10 pick on a quarterback when he might not play for two years?
My thought on this: Elway has already established a plan that is clearly more about now than it is the future. The Broncos have a 60 year old head coach in Vic Fangio and 34-year-old quarterback in Flacco. You don’t worry about tomorrow when you have a 60-year-old coach and 34-year-old quarterback. You worry about today.
And today, the Broncos are coming off back-to-back losing seasons for the first time since Nixon was finishing up his first term as President. They need their No. 10 draft pick to start today.
Elway has been doing his due diligence. Quarterbacks Drew Lock and Dwayne Haskins are under consideration at No. 10. Daniel Jones would make sense if he slips to the second round.
But Elway also needs a guard, defensive lineman, three-down inside linebacker, receiver, maybe a tight end … you get the idea.
If you want to take a quarterback at No. 10, the Broncos should have kept Case Keenum. They could have saved $4 million and they could have replaced him in game 6 or so with the new young QB.
The commitment to Flacco says the Broncos better get their quarterbacks in rounds two through five. They do need to draft a quarterback because they don’t have a young one. But not with the No. 10 pick.