J.J. McCarthy draft rumors highlight one team that just can’t quit Michigan QB

When Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning joined the Denver Broncos in 2012, he instantaneously transformed them into Super Bowl contenders. Manning established a winning culture on a Denver team that was full of veterans such as Von Miller, Demaryius Thomas, Wes Welker, Chris Harris Jr., and Aqib Talib, among others. After winning Super Bowl 50, Manning retired, and the winning ways slowly faded.

Denver is now in its ninth offseason of attempting to find Manning's replacement, and the desperation is growing. The Broncos mortgaged their future for Russell Wilson in 2022, and it didn't take long for the deal to become known as the worst trade since the Minnesota Vikings' 1989 trade for running back Herschel Walker. Due to Wilson's $85 million dead cap hit, the Broncos have had limited options to pursue a viable starting quarterback.

The Mile High City is approaching an all-time low: After trading for New York Jets quarterback Zach Wilson on Monday, the Broncos went from a bad Wilson to an even worse one. Without much salary cap space to spend on a free-agent quarterback, Denver has to come out of the 2024 NFL Draft with a quarterback.

Peyton Manning says Denver is interested in Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy

Manning suggested that his former team is interested in Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy during an appearance on Denver's 104.3 The Fan.

"I know Denver is very interested in him and it sounded like a place he'd love to come to but it's a little bit out of his control," Manning said.

This isn't the first time that someone has connected McCarthy to the Broncos. In February, reports suggested that Denver head coach Sean Payton is "enamored" with McCarthy. At the time, McCarthy wasn't considered to be a top-15 pick. Just two months later, it seems unlikely that Denver will be able to land him at all.

The Michigan quarterback capped off his collegiate career with a College Football Playoff National Championship, but the Wolverines roster was built around a strong run game and dominant defense. That left McCarthy with less responsibility on his shoulders. Last season, McCarthy passed for over 300 yards in just one game. In the Wolverines last six games, he passed for more than 200 yards just once.

On "The Adam Schefter Podcast," McCarthy recently called the Broncos a stylistic fit and said Sean Payton had "so many great words of advice."

Denver currently holds the No. 12 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. If they want to trade up for McCarthy, they'll have to trade some future selections if they want to trade up for McCarthy, since they currently have a dearth of picks in the 2024 NFL Draft due to their aggressive trades in recent years.