A few months ago, the Denver Broncos were still not in contention for the postseason after a strong midseason run. All of that might alter if the team chooses to base its squad for the upcoming season around a new quarterback they selected in the NFL Draft.
The Broncos regained their rhythm last season, winning five in a row after a dismal 1-5 start. The squad would win two more games following that run of wins before they were declared out of the playoffs.
Interestingly, Russell Wilson improved from the previous season, when he had the poorest performance. Subsequently, in the Broncos’ final two games, head coach Sean Payton benched him in favor of backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham.
NFL Draft Expert Predicts Denver Broncos Will Select J.J. McCarthy
Denver may be able to address its quarterback situation in the draft if everything goes according to plan. In his piece for ESPN, Mel Kiper Jr. provides some details:
“They’re almost certainly going to cut Russell Wilson, leaving a void on the depth chart. They don’t have the cap space to try to add a veteran. Moving up from No. 12 might require a future first-rounder that would hamper them down the road. So why not take a shot on McCarthy?
Look, this would be a reach by my rankings, but I could see why a team in the top 15 would talk itself into McCarthy. He has an intriguing skill set as a passer. He will test extremely well during combine workouts and impress coaches and front office execs in interviews,” Kiper wrote.
Payton can undoubtedly bring out the best in McCarthy if given the chance. Wilson will have plenty of chances to establish himself as the team’s starting quarterback, even with his patchy performance. The Broncos will emerge from the offseason victorious if he does.