HT: Looking Forward to the Draft

As things stand today, the Denver Broncos are in line to receive the 8th overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. The process of earning a draft pick that high up sucks, but a smart franchise can capitalize on the opportunity and land a player who will become a long term cornerstone of the franchise. See: Miller, Von.

So what might the Broncos do with the premier picks that appears to be in their future?

The most obvious answer has to be: get a quarterback. But it may not be the right one. The prospective QB1, Oregon’s Justin Herbert, may not even declare this year. But even if he does, the Giants (and potentially the Raiders, depending on just how twitchy Gruden’s trigger finger gets) stand squarely in the Broncos’ way of acquiring him. And the QBs behind him aren’t the most inspiring group.

With that in mind, you have to wonder if the Broncos should play a longer game. Maybe the right move could be trading back with a team like Miami or Tampa Bay, collecting their 2019 1st & 2nd rounders in the bargain, and planning to offer up multiple 1sts to make a move for our QB of choice in 2020, That sounds drastic until you consider that the 5 teams who took a step that bold in 2015 & 2016, the Rams, Chiefs, Eagles, Texans, & Bears, sport a combined record of 31-12 at this point in the season. None of them are worse than .500, and 4 of the 5 are currently winning their divisions. And the one team in that group that’s at .500, the Eagles, are the defending Super Bowl champions.

I’m not saying the Broncos will definitely go this route, but if they do- don’t be mad. It’s got a pretty nice track record lately, and if we can’t beat ‘em (and we can’t), then maybe we should join them.

But if the Broncos don’t do something bold like that, here are some guys who may find themselves on stage next spring holding an orange & blue jersey:

Offensive Tackle Jonah Williams, Alabama

Williams is the premier offensive tackle in a pretty decent class. With Jared Veldheer set to be a free agent this offseason, if the Broncos don’t re-sign him I could definitely see the team seeing Williams as a great option. The four year starter at Alabama would most likely step in immediately at left tackle, allowing the Broncos to move Garett Bolles over to right tackle. Things would suddenly get much more comfortable in the pocket for the Broncos’ quarterback(s).

Defensive Lineman Rashan Gary, Michigan

It’d be a little surprising if the Broncos dedicated back-to-back top 10 picks to the front seven, but the idea does have its appeal. Gary would provide an additional interior threat that might remind Broncos fans pleasantly of Malik Jackson. And we all know exactly how devastating that kind of player can be in combination with two elite edge rushers. Gary would help ensure that the Broncos’ defense would remain one of the most physical and intimidating units in the NFL.

Cornerback Greedy Williams, LSU

The overall CB class is not the best, but that doesn’t prevent the top candidate from being excellent. If there’s an Aqib Talib in the 2019 Draft, it’s Greedy Williams. And since an Aqib Talib is what the Broncos’ secondary very, very obviously needs, this pick would be a slam-dunk. A starting CB trio consisting of Chris Harris, Greedy Williams, & Isaac Yiadom could be a very difficult unit for QBs to throw against. Combine that with the best pair of edge rushers in the NFL in Von Miller & Bradley Chubb and, well, you’d probably get something that looks suspiciously like the 2015 Broncos defense.

Offensive Tackle Greg Little, Ole Miss

The Bills will very likely pick before the Broncos, and should be well motivated to take Jonah Williams to bolster the NFL’s worst offensive line. If they do that, the Broncos might also consider Greg Little. He’s likely to be right up there with William as a prospect, though he might not be quite as strong of a candidate to immediately push Bolles out of the left side of the line.

The Big 4

My mentor has a saying that I’ve become fond of: Keep the main thing the main thing.

That’s what John Elway needs to do when the draft finally gets here. He’s gone on record before, stating that the four positions he considers to be most important to a franchise’s success are quarterback, edge rusher, left offensive tackle, and cornerback. And his 1st round draft selections have consistently fallen in line with that priority. Elway keep the main thing the main thing, and he’ll do that again in the next draft.

So if there’s a quarterback there that the Broncos are convinced can be The Guy, you can be sure Elway will go that route. But there likely won’t be such a QB for Denver until 2020. If that’s so, then expect Elway to remain consistent and seek to either replenish the cornerback group, upgrade at left tackle, or find the final destructive piece of the pass rush puzzle.

I’ve got my fingers crossed for Greedy Williams, personally.

Horse Tracks

---

Why is Nathan Peterman still a starting quarterback? - SBNation.com
Black QBs aren’t given the same opportunities as white QBs. This is just the latest example.

Le’Veon Bell’s standoff with the Steelers explained - SBNation.com
Is he ever coming back? Maybe! Here’s EVERYTHING we know.

The Vikings defense is a nightmare for QBs thanks to Danielle Hunter - SBNation.com
Four sacks, six tackles AND a touchdown ... there’s just no limit to what the Vikings pass rusher can do with his motor, says retired NFL defensive end Stephen White.

The Los Angeles Chargers are finally lucky. They’re also really good - SBNation.com
The Chargers are off to their best start to a season in over a decade.

NFL picks 2018, Week 10: Can the Bengals or Lions pull off an upset? - SBNation.com
Our panel of experts is here with can’t miss picks for every game this week.

2018 NFL picks, Week 10: Bet on the Titans against the Patriots, really - SBNation.com
Retired NFL lineman and gambling guru Geoff Schwartz is back with three helpful picks for you this week.

Rookie contract hero: Rams cornerback Marcus Peters is a puzzle in 2018 - SBNation.com
Peters went from All-Pro to one of the league’s worst corners. Can he fix it?

Big Ben, Steelers relentless in Panthers steamrolling - NFL.com
Who needs Le'Veon Bell? The Pittsburgh Steelers' scorching offense put on a steamy performance that left the Carolina Panthers a wrinkled, disheveled mess on Thursday Night Football.

QB Index, Week 10: Previewing offseason QB market - NFL.com
Will Jon Gruden stick with Derek Carr as his QB in 2019? What does the future hold for Jameis Winston in Tampa? Gregg Rosenthal previews the offseason QB market and updates his ranking of this season's top 15 QBs.

Rams to hold moment of silence for shooting victims - NFL.com
A moment of silence will be held prior to the start of Sunday's game against the Seattle Seahawks in memory of the victims of Wednesday's shooting in Thousand Oaks, California.

Cleveland Browns QB Baker Mayfield is giving the city a reason to believe
Despite the elation of a September victory, the Browns' losing ways have been hard to shake. But in Baker Mayfield, Cleveland (yes, finally!) has reason to believe again.

WatchESPN: Live Sports, Game Replays, Video Highlights
Stream live sports, watch game replays, get video highlights, and access featured ESPN programming on your computer, mobile device, and TV with WatchESPN.

2018 NFL second-half predictions - Stats that matter, picks for playoffs, Super Bowl LIII
Julio Jones will score more touchdowns. Patrick Mahomes might level off. Here's what the numbers tell us about the rest of the NFL season.

Making sense of NFL rule changes at midseason: What has worked - NFL Nation- ESPN
Through nine weeks of the NFL season, we check in on how the league's intricate rule changes for the 2018 season have fared.

19 predictions for the 2019 NFL offseason - free agent signings, QB moves and more
Where will Le'Veon Bell end up? Whom will the Giants get to replace Eli Manning? We're forecasting the biggest offseason stories.