What would it take for the Denver Broncos to trade up to the second overall pick?

The Denver Broncos are heavily researching the top four quarterback prospects in the 2018 NFL Draft. With the Cleveland Browns likely to take one with the first overall pick and the New York Jets trading up to the third overall pick to take another, the Broncos may need to consider making a trade with the New York Giants for the second overall pick.

Before you have a heart attack, Albert Breer of MMQB noted that the Broncos are a team that is believed to be unlikely to move up in the draft.

The Broncos had Josh Rosen to Denver on Wednesday, will have Josh Allen in next week and Mayfield the week after, and have a private workout set for Friday in L.A. with Sam Darnold. And I don’t think this is all smoke. What I know is that they’ve been considered, through this offseason, as a team that’s unlikely to trade up. Could that change? Well, if QBs go 1-2-3, and one they like is there at 4, flip-flopping with Cleveland (like Chicago did to get Mitch Trubisky last year) isn’t inconceivable, given that the Browns might well have a market for the pick.

However, if they were to trade up. What would it cost?

According to the NFL Draft Value Chart, the Broncos would need to make up 900 points to trade up to the No. 2 spot with the Giants. That’s a big trade.

By comparison, the Jets moved up the same number of spots with the Colts and needed to make up an 800 point difference. They gave up their 6th pick in the first round, the 37th overall and 49th overall second round picks and a 2019 second round pick.

Using the draft value chart as a guide, the Jets were already 300 points over on value before throwing in that 2019 second round pick. When trading a pick from the future, you generally give a point value a round lower. That makes the 2019 second round pick a third rounder. If you assume that, the Jets gave up a whooping 2,800 points for a pick worth 2,200 on the chart.

That’s how much you overpay for a franchise quarterback in today’s quarterback-deficient NFL.

Given that, the Broncos would likely need to trade their first and second round picks this year and their first rounder next year to move up to the second overall pick. Even then, the draft value chart would put the Broncos a mere 180 points over the 2,600 price tag for that second overall pick.

It’s also likely the best deal the Giants could get from any other team in the NFL this year. They’d remain in the Top 5 and would likely presume another down year from Denver in 2019, which means another high first round pick.

The only question then would be whether John Elway likes a quarterback enough to give up some serious draft capital to acquire him.

In my opinion, if you are that convinced then you might as well pull the trigger. Besides, how confident am I that Elway’s team will hit on those other picks anyway?

Now as Breer noted, moving up one spot is a little more doable. The cost difference would be a mere fourth round pick, which is a much more reasonable move to make than going from five to two.

Horse Tracks

Broncos visit with QB Sam Darnold in Los Angeles
Denver continued to evaluate this year's top quarterback prospects.

Denver Broncos replace Riley Dixon with Marquette King for some reason
You’re going to tell this man he can’t punt for you anymore?

Broncos may try to trade Riley Dixon after signing Marquette King
After signing punter Marquette King, the Denver Broncos may trade away Riley Dixon, their punter since 2016.

Los Angeles Rams release CB Kayvon Webster
Given the recent moves the Rams have made, this was seen as a logical choice.

LOOK: Su’a Cravens watches film with Steve Atwater
Su'a Cravens, the Denver Broncos newest safety, got to watch film with the team's greatest safety of all-time, Steve Atwater.

NFL News

NFL Draft 2018: Pros and cons for the top 5 quarterbacks
For the first time in 19 years, five quarterbacks are likely to be picked in the first round of the NFL Draft.

NFL mailbag: What does it mean when a lineman has ‘violent hands’?
You have football questions; retired NFL lineman Geoff Schwartz has answers!

2018 NFL mock draft: The Giants go defense rather than settle for a QB
In the SB Nation NFL writers’ mock draft, our first surprise comes in the second pick

2018 NFL mock draft: SB Nation’s writers make their picks
All 32 of SB Nation’s NFL team brands are going through the first round of the draft, doing it their way.

NFL Draft 2018: Why Quinton Flowers is QB (or RB) your team should want
Flowers has been beating odds his entire life.

2018 NFL mock draft: Is this the year the Browns FINALLY get their QB?
For the 12th year, the SB Nation NFL writers’ mock is back and the Cleveland Browns have the top choice.