Broncos Urged to Avoid Drafting a QB in 2024
The Denver Broncos have been a roller coaster of a team to follow in 2023. After the abject disaster of the Sean Payton era starting 1-5, the Broncos have been on a heater of late and now find themselves at .500 with five weeks to go.
While the coaches and players in Dove Valley are focused on getting back on track after losing a close one to Houston this week, GM George Paton and the front office must evaluate the roster on hand while keeping an eye on the future.
The Broncos are not going to have an embarrassment of resources this offseason to help improve the roster. Lacking in cap space and draft capital currently, most of the improvements from the 2023 Broncos to their 2024 counterpart will likely come in-house from players already on the roster. Denver has the means to create cap space, and there are avenues to add more draft picks, but it may have to look for some rolled-back prices to add talent this offseason.
Where should the Broncos look to fortify the roster this offseason?
Some fans will want a quarterback due to Russell Wilson's up-and-down play, who now is the second-oldest starting quarterback in the NFL. Others will want offensive line additions, even though outside of moving on from Garett Bolles or letting Lloyd Cushenberry III walk, there isn’t an obvious hole in the unit.
Wide receiver could also be in play for Denver, given the uncertain future of many players at the position. However, according to Pro Football Focus, rather than focus on adding to the offense for Sean Payton, Denver should further fortify its secondary and add a cornerback.
Patrick Surtain II is among the best cornerbacks in the game already, but his compatriots have struggled all season long. Adding a defensive back early in the 2024 NFL Draft could round out this secondary and, more importantly, remove the weak link.
While Broncos Country could and should take exception to the remarks about the Broncos’ cornerbacks playing poorly within the context of a breakout campaign from slot cornerback Ja'Quan McMillian, the position opposite Patrick Surtain II has been up and down. Journeyman cornerback Fabian Moreau has filled in at boundary corner admirably, but with a massive coverage gaffe last week and his tackling/run support leaving a bit to be desired, the Broncos could certainly look to add talent across from Surtain II and replace Moreau rather than signing the pending free agent after his one-year contract expires.
Whether it be the draft or free agency, the Broncos will have options at the cornerback position, according to PFF. If the Broncos use their round-one pick, the first one since selecting Surtain in 2021, PFF suggests Denver adds versatile Iowa Hawkeye cornerback Cooper DeJean.
The Broncos traded up in the 2023 NFL Draft for Iowa cornerback Riley Moss, so why not go back to the well here and add another Hawkeye defensive back with game-breaking ability? DeJean earned an 81.5 coverage grade and an 85.8 run-defense grade in 2022, and he has a 74.5 coverage grade through 10 games in 2023.
DeJean suffered a broken leg in practice prior to the conclusion of the college season, but he left his marks as one of the best defensive backs in the game. A dynamic returner, he's a treat to score anytime he takes the ball away, which he did seven times during his two years at Iowa.
DeJean is physical in both coverage and run support and would be an asset in any defense utilizing zone coverage and demanding their defensive backs tackle. He, like any cornerback, will need to meet baseline athletic thresholds to stick at boundary corner in the NFL, but his tape indicates this shouldn’t be a problem.
If DeJean doesn’t stick at wide corner in the league, he appears a prime candidate to transition to slot or safety. He also brings surplus value as one of the most dynamic returners in college football over the last two seasons. Perhaps not as much of a positive for Denver, given the return ability displayed by Marvin Mims Jr. this season.
If not free agency, PFF suggests recent foe Steven Nelson as a short-term option for Denver.
Nelson has extensive playtime in zone and man coverage concepts from his time in Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Houston, and he has excelled this season in a Cover 3 and Quarters-heavy defense similar to Denver. Nelson earned a pay raise this offseason after earning a 72.0 coverage grade in 2022 but was not extended. So far this season, his 74.5 coverage grade is the second-best mark of his career. He has notched three interceptions and four pass breakups in 2023.
Next season will be Nelson’s 10th year in the NFL, which is quite the anomaly and accomplishment for a cornerback in the NFL. Given his age, he would likely be looking for a contending team and/or playing on a talented defense.
Nelson has played well this season in Houston, but his play has dipped over recent weeks. If Denver were to add the veteran corner, it would likely be on a short-term deal that is typical of a player of Nelson’s age and career. He would likely be an upgrade on Moreau, but not to the extent that Denver should aggressively pursue in the offseason.
Cornerback is a very interesting spot for Denver. Surtain and McMillian should have two of the three starting corner spots sewed up for 2024, but the other boundary spot is up in the air.
The Broncos would be wise to bring in a Moreau-esque player in the offseason to fortify the room and add competition and depth while allowing young players like Riley Moss and Demarri Mathis a chance to earn reps. Not spending big on the position in free agency would open up a path where the Broncos could take a corner early in the draft if the board falls in a fashion that a corner they love falls to them while keeping them from a disadvantageous situation where they feel they must draft a corner.
Cornerback certainly is an area Denver could target this offseason, but in comparison to positions such as defensive tackle, tight end, and wide receiver (among others), it might not stand out as the obvious area the team must address this offseason.
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