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Jeff Legwold, ESPN Senior Author
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The quarterback query is the underside line of the Denver Broncos’ offseason.
Coach Sean Payton benched Russell Wilson with two video games remaining within the 2023 season. The five-year, $242.6 million contract extension the Broncos agreed to in 2022 is now a big consider what the Broncos will, and even can, do shifting ahead if Wilson is launched (as many within the league anticipate).
Proprietor/CEO Greg Penner stated simply after the season that “the monetary a part of it’s a major factor, by way of how this works out sooner or later, however that is not what is going to drive the choice. The choice can be pushed by what’s in the perfect curiosity of this soccer workforce profitable video games.”
Forward of the NFL mix, let’s sift by way of what the Broncos might do at quarterback:
Maintain Russell Wilson
Yet one more yr? Releasing Wilson earlier than free company would carry an $85 million lifeless cash cost to the Broncos wage cap over the subsequent two seasons.
That might be a transfer common supervisor George Paton dubbed “excessive” simply after the season, at the same time as he stated the Broncos had been “ready for any situation” with the wage cap.
Throughout Tremendous Bowl week, Payton stated he and Wilson had a “nice relationship” and {that a} determination hadn’t been made. However Wilson’s Denver house is up on the market and a number of sources near him have stated he expects to be elsewhere.
After the very public benching and Wilson’s assertion that the Broncos threatened to bench him midway by way of the season if he did not modify his contract, many personnel executives within the league think about the probabilities of him giving the workforce a break on his contract very small. One termed it “infinitesimal.”
Viability degree: Little/no likelihood.
Commerce up within the draft
Buying and selling up into the highest two or three picks to get among the best quarterback prospects on the board would require capital — and loads of it. Final season the Carolina Panthers despatched the Chicago Bears two first-round picks (’23 and ’24), two second-round picks (’23 and ’25) and huge receiver DJ Moore to maneuver from No. 9 to No. 1.
The Bears maintain the No. 1 decide this yr due to that commerce, so to suppose they might settle for something that does not rival what they acquired final April is a pipe dream. They know what it is price.
The Broncos have not had a first-round decide since they chose Pat Surtain II in 2021 and have had simply three picks among the many high 45 previously 4 drafts mixed.
Denver has the No. 12 decide, so it might must bulk up any potential commerce supply to maneuver up close to the highest. Together with Surtain or different high-profile gamers in a commerce would additionally scale back the expertise on a workforce that hasn’t completed above .500 since 2016. The Broncos have six picks within the April draft and no second-rounder.
Basically, they might be making an attempt to carry a rookie quarterback prospect to a depth chart that was carved as much as get him.
Viability degree: Positive, it is attainable, however the price ticket is knee-buckling.
Signal a veteran QB
Past a attainable $35.4 million cap hit in 2024 in the event that they launch Wilson, the Broncos have Jarrett Stidham on the books for a $7.3 million in opposition to the cap. Total, they’re projected to be $13 million over the cap.
Wilson’s launch would additionally restrict what aisle of the free agent quarterback market the Broncos might work. Paton has stated the workforce did not anticipate to be within the “first wave” of free company this time round.
Baker Mayfield seemingly carried out his manner out of a Broncos’ post-Wilson funds. Gardner Minshew and Sam Darnold might be suits in Payton’s offense if the value is true, however the query of whether or not any veteran the Broncos might signal on a restricted funds will play higher than Wilson’s 26 touchdowns in 15 video games will comply with the workforce for a whole season.
Viability degree: Nonetheless the almost certainly, however restricted assets to do it.
Go along with Stidham
Payton put Stidham within the lineup for a “spark” with two video games remaining within the season. The Broncos went 1-1 as Stidham went 40-of-66 passing for 496 yards with two touchdowns and an interception.
The Broncos scored 14 and 16 factors, respectively, in these video games, amongst their lowest outputs of the season.
Economically, the best path to soak up the cap implications of Wilson’s launch could be if Stidham, who signed a two-year deal earlier than final season, is rewarded the job. Stidham stated at season’s finish he was “very assured I could be the man for us.”
It may be a big indicator that the Broncos have determined to level to 2025 to actually dig in for a quarterback resolution.
Viability degree: A probable final result if free company does not bear fruit.
Draft a prospect and wait-and-see
The Broncos might merely trip it out at No. 12 within the first spherical and see the quarterback frenzy unfold in entrance of them. If the quarterback they like someway comes right down to them, choose him and put together him to play, every time that point comes.
Brock Purdy, the final decide of the 2022 draft, is the present patron saint of mining for draft gold on Day 2 or 3. However he did not begin a recreation till Week 14 of his rookie yr and the 49ers had a 13-4 workforce round him.
Or having seen the frenzy, the Broncos might commerce down, get some much-needed draft capital, take the perfect gamers obtainable once they’re on the clock and seize a quarterback they imagine has developmental qualities.
That places Stidham, or one other veteran, on the high of the depth chart, a minimum of initially. The wild card is that many leagues scouts and personnel executives already say they aren’t overly enthused concerning the potential 2025 quarterback draft class.
Viability degree: Even with simply six picks, considered one of them needs to be a quarterback.