Be the GM: Broncos Vote Mock 5.0

It’s been a few weeks since the last time I gave you a chance to vote on who the Broncos should draft, dear reader. Since the fourth edition of this year’s GM Mock series, the San Francisco 49ers and Philadelphia Eagles have both made trades with the Miami Dolphins that impact the top 10. George Paton also had his first free agency. We now know that the following players are probably on the Broncos’ roster in 2021:

• CB Kyle Fuller
• ED Von Miller
• S Justin Simmons
• LB Alexander Johnson
• S Kareem Jackson
• CB Ronald Darby
• RB Mike Boone
• DL Shelby Harris
• WR Tim Patrick

It leaves the Broncos in an enviable position with few glaring needs going into the draft. There’s also little chance quarterbacks do not go 1-2-3 on Draft day.

Rather than work out a trade this time around, I thought it best to let the board fall as it will and let you decide the best course of action.

Let’s get rolling.

1. Jacksonville Jaguars - QB - Trevor Lawrence, Clemson

Since it’s a foregone conclusion Lawrence will be a Jaguar, I thought it’d make sense to use this blurb to air my concerns about Jacksonville’s offseason so far. They had money to spend and did so, but is Urban Meyer actually improving the roster?

2. New York Jets - QB - Zach Wilson

After Wilson’s Pro Day it would be a shock if he does not become a New York Jet. Not only did he create the kind of buzz that got Trevor Lawrence talking, but both the Niners and Eagles seem to have made their trades in part because of their belief in the first two picks.

T3. San Francisco 49ers - QB - Justin Fields, OSU

John Lynch managed to vault from 12 to the top three without sacrificing anything but his first round pick in 2021. Reports after the trade suggest Jimmy Garappolo could stick around to serve as a mentor and placeholder, but there is little doubt Shanahan’s made the move for his replacement. There will be endless speculation about which one, but perhaps there shouldn’t be?

T4. Carolina Panthers - QB - Trey Lance, NDSU

Before the allegations against Deshaun Watson surfaced there were reports he was “Plan A, Plan B, and Plan C,” which leads me to believe the Panthers will be extremely aggressive in their efforts to upgrade on Teddy Bridgewater. Lance has the arm talent to elevate the Joe Brady offense if Matt Rhule checks off on the concerns about his accuracy.

5. Cincinnati Bengals - OT - Penei Sewell

If he’s still available, it’s hard to imagine the Bengals passing on Sewell. I know they have Riley Reiff now, it doesn’t matter. Reiff signed for a one year deal with a void here. He’s a placeholder if the rookie needs time. Protecting Joe Burrow should be a priority and this receiver class is silly deep and the gap between Waddle and the second day pass catchers is smaller than Sewell’s ceiling and the field.

T6. Miami Dolphins - TE - Kyle Pitts

That the Dolphins gave up a future first to move back ahead of the Detroit Lions suggests they’re after a pass catcher in the top ten. Jaylen Waddle makes a ton of sense as a separator who could help to amplify Tua Tagovailoa’s strengths, but I suspect it will be the freakish Pitts who looks set to dominate the NFL early in his career.

7. Detroit Lions - LB - Micah Parsons

“We’re going to kick you in the teeth, right? And when you punch us back, we’re going to smile at you. And when you knock us down, we’re going to get up and on the way up, we’re going to bite a kneecap off. And we’re going to stand up and it’s going to take two more shots to knock us down,”

- Dan Campbell

T8. Chicago Bears - QB - Mac Jones

Andy Dalton may be QB1, but Ryan Pace needs to have a vision he can sell to ownership if he wants to survive 2021. In Jones, the Bears fanbase can rally around hope that he’s a winner. When I spoke with Tim Jenkins he mentioned that he’d heard about a Tom Brady-esque drive, and Jones will need it to be the first day one pocket passer to come into the league and survive since Matt Ryan.

9. Denver Broncos - YOU Decide

Who would you pick Broncos’ Country?

Your Broncos News

What two trades into the top 10 means for the Broncos - Mile High Report

The NFL draft order has been reset and Paton’s picking up the pieces.

Virginia Tech cornerback Caleb Farley says he has spoken with the Broncos multiple times - Mile High Report

Could the Broncos still have interest in the talented but injured corner?

2021 NFL Draft: AFC West team needs

Here is the big issue. Addressing the other two position groups with Denver’s picks in the first two rounds is only an option if the organization is ready to give Drew Lock another season. I think that is a fair position to take, as Lock has shown flashes and this will be just his second full season as a starter. Lock was without Courtland Sutton for almost the entire 2020 campaign, and he did go into New England and beat the Patriots, although the Denver defense had to survive some brutal interceptions thrown by Lock late in the game.

If, however, Paton wants to move on from Lock — or at least give Denver another option — he could be in a position to draft a quarterback with the ninth selection. Trey Lance and Mac Jones might both be staring him in the face. Or, he could do the real smart thing. Hand the keys to Brett Rypien. I kid…or do I?

NFL News

San Francisco 49ers acquire No. 3 pick in 2021 NFL draft from Miami Dolphins, who then trade No. 12 to Philadelphia Eagles

These blockbuster moves affirm the Dolphins’ insistence this offseason that they are building around quarterback Tua Tagovailoa in 2021, while increasing their flexibility and ability to add elite talent via the draft in future years.

BYU, Michigan, Virginia Tech pro days: Zach Wilson electric in workout

Representatives from 31 NFL teams attended the BYU pro day, per the school. The Rams were the only team that did not send a representative. Attendees included GMs Joe Douglas (Jets), Brad Holmes (Lions), John Lynch (49ers), Mike Mayock (Raiders), George Paton (Broncos), Rick Spielman (Vikings). Head coaches Dan Campbell (Lions), Robert Saleh (Jets) and Arthur Smith (Falcons) were also spotted at the event, along with Panthers offensive coordinator Joe Brady and Broncos QB coach Mike Shula.

K.J. Wright has Cowboys on his list of “dream teams” - ProFootballTalk

“Dallas has certainly always been on my list of ‘dream teams,”’ Wright said. “With coach Dan Quinn there, and with other aspects of that team and that defense, I do think it’s one of the teams I fit in with.”

Futures: Ohio State QB Justin Fields | Football Outsiders

Fields does everything you want to see from a quarterback in terms of getting to the throw. He can read the field, is willing to be aggressive, understands how to manage the pocket, and has all the physical tools to keep plays alive. In many ways, that does not sound all too different from the last quarterback featured in the Futures series, Trey Lance. What separates Fields from a player such as Lance, however, is that Fields is one of the most accurate quarterback prospects in recent history. If Fields gets to the throw he wants, it is almost a certainty that he will complete it.

Futures: Penn State LB Micah Parsons | Football Outsiders

Assuming Parsons does clear whatever low bar NFL teams tend to have for these things, he will be off the board early. Parsons has only been a full-time linebacker for two seasons of play, yet he showed all the processing speed, technique, and demeanor required of a Pro Bowl-caliber linebacker. If this is what Parsons can be with limited time at the position, there is no telling where he could be another three years from now.

Zach Wilson Moves Into Breathtaking California Home To Prepare For NFL Draft - KSL Sports

Former BYU football quarterback QB Zach Wilson is going to prepare for the NFL Draft in style at his new California home leading up to April.

2021 NFL draft: Zach Wilson film breakdown against Western Kentucky

There is something every quarterback needs to know going into playing the position. You’re gonna screw up. Mistakes happen all the time. Football is loosely-controlled chaos. When you’re trying to differentiate between which variation of split-safety coverage you’re seeing and throw the football where it should be when it should be there, all while rather large humans are trying to cause you bodily harm, you might slip up.

2021 NFL Draft Film Breakdown: Jaelan Phillips - Big Blue View

True, there are medical concerns regarding Phillips. He suffered three different concussions during his time at UCLA, the third of which caused him to leave the sport entirely. However, he enrolled at Miami and eventually worked his way back to the field, and he might be very glad that he did. As we will see in this breakdown, Phillips has the kind of pass-rushing plan that works at all levels of the game:

Ravens signing WR Sammy Watkins to one-year, $6 million deal

The Ravens are signing free-agent wide receiver Sammy Watkins to a one-year deal worth $6 million, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reports, per a source. Watkins’ deal is fully guaranteed $5 million, according to Rapoport.