Broncos could snub their QB of the future despite desperate pitch just weeks ago

All signs point toward the Denver Broncos addressing their need to add another quarterback to the roster via the 2024 NFL Draft. However, at what point in the event the team pulls the trigger on a young signal-caller remains unclear.

But a rival AFC executive told ESPN's Jordan Reid there is "no way Sean [Payton] goes into the year with that quarterback room," and the free agent options are thin, at best. So, the draft becomes their most realistic path to upgrading the position. 

Holding the No. 12 overall pick, it is unlikely that the Broncos will land one of the consensus top-four quarterback prospects (USC's Caleb Williams, UNC's Drake Maye, LSU's Jayden Daniels, and Michigan's J.J. McCarthy), so they can either try to trade up for one of them or pivot to the next tier of players like Washington's Michael Penix Jr., Oregon's Bo Nix or South Carolina's Spencer Rattler.

Denver's next pick isn't until the third round (No. 76), which puts them in an uncomfortable situation that may lead to them spending a Day 1 pick on one of the B-tier prospects, and Reid pointed out that Nix has been a "popular match" for the Broncos over the past month. The Oregon product has publicly expressed interest in playing for head coach Sean Payton, further fueling the fire.

Despite all the connections to Nix and the Broncos, ESPN's football analyst Mel Kiper Jr. projects Denver to pass up on him (or any quarterback) in favor of Toldeo cornerback Quinyon Mitchell in his latest mock draft.

Broncos pass up on QB Bo Nix despite apparently mutual interest

"I thought hard again about giving the Broncos quarterback Bo Nix, but I talked myself out of it," Kiper wrote, citing his Round 2 draft grade evaluation as a reason he cannot envision Denver selecting the Oregon quarterback in the top half of the first round.

Kiper instead forecasts the Broncos will address their secondary, which ranked amongst the worst in the NFL in 2023, by drafting his top-ranked corner.

The Broncos' quarterback depth chart lists Jarrett Stidham as the starter, with Ben DiNucci as his backup, so it would be extremely shocking if they come out of the draft without another signal-caller. But it may not be Nix if Kiper's most recent prediction is any indication.