When Steve Atwater joins Ryan Edwards and Benjamin Allbright on Broncos Country Tonight, it’s always a must-listen in my opinion. Their banter alone is worth the price of admission, not to mention having a former Bronco and a Hall-of-Famer weighing in on all things Broncos.
But on Tuesday’s show, Edwards asked Atwater some intriguing questions about his Draft night hopes, including a very interesting inquiry worth exploring here:
“What would you consider a ‘win’ on Draft night?”
I love this question a) because there are a lot of choices and not ending up with one doesn’t automatically mean a “loss” on Draft Day; and 2) it takes a minute to decide what really is “a win.”
But since there is “an edict to win” on this team and its coaching staff, as Edwards put it, this year’s Draft haul is all important, and it’s a good exercise to decide how we win on Day 1, 2 and 3.
For Atwater, the “only win scenario is we get an inside linebacker” (and spoiler alert, his fave is Micah Parsons).
To which Edwards said, “really?”
Really.
Because that means “I can go to sleep knowing we got a player who can help us win the first year,” Atwater added. “Versus a quarterback where we’re all wondering how it’s going to work out.”
Atwater admitted that obviously a quarterback might end up having an impact his first year depending on how he develops, but for his money on Draft Night, go with the sure thing.
“I know Micah Parsons is going to have an impact next year.”
I like Atwater’s thinking - even if that’s not my No. 1 “win scenario.”
For Allbright, a win on Draft Night is literally anything “but trading up and wasting assets.”
Said on the show the other day not to rule out Slater at 9 if Denver doesn't go QB and can't trade back.
— Benjamin Allbright (@AllbrightNFL) April 21, 2021
So what is a win on Draft Night for you, Broncos Country?
Is “a win” getting a specific player? Is it drafting the best value for the greatest positions of need? Is it the Broncos walking away with great value in all their picks? Is it George Paton making crafty moves behind the scenes? Is it getting a quarterback in the first round? Or is it merely getting a certain number of players who will improve the team in 2021 versus just “in the future?”