The Denver Broncos didn't do much in the NFL draft, and that drew a lot of different reactions from the experts.
The Denver Broncos had an unusual draft that featured a long wait time before they made their first selection, and that produced a wide variety of reactions across the board. Mike Sando of The Athletic produced a unique take on this by featuring comments by NFL execs about the Broncos’ draft, and that array of reactions was definitely reflected in their comments.
Start with the trade for receiver Jaylen Waddle, given that in many ways Waddle was the Broncos’ first pick. A couple of the executives Sando quoted were impressed by it, basically because it changes the talent level on offense.
“When we played them, I thought they were a really well-coached team, but I did not feel they were overly talented on the offensive side,” one exec said.
Waddle changes that, as Sando noted.
“Very smart move,” another exect echoed.
That was especially the case given the receivers who were still on the board, which some sources considered underwhelming. It also makes sense given where the Broncos are in their growth process, although there was some variety with regard to their current situation.
“They gotta feel like they are a quarterback injury away from being in the Super Bowl,” an exec said.
But another source didn’t quite agree, and he made an interesting case for the Broncos taking advantage of a unique opportunity.
“The AFC was pretty down, including Kansas City,” the source said. “Denver barely beat Buffalo; I think Buffalo’s window has closed. New England will regress. I’d never bet against (Patrick) Mahomes and Andy Reid playing their best when it matters.”
The Broncos’ later draft picks got some mixed reviews. Several were typical no-name Denver selections, as the Broncos feature pick involved trading back to take defensive tackle Tyler Onyedim.
“I didn’t love those names (of Denver picks),” another executive said. “I can see the Boise State tackle (Kage Casey) because he very much fits their scheme as an athletic zone guy who can play some guard and has even snapped a little.
“They very much draft for them, and I think that’s because they are coach-centric from a need standpoint. If they keep winning, it’s hard to criticize it.”
That’s the bottom line across the board for the Broncos after this particular draft. They chose to value continuity and mostly stood pat aside from the Waddle trade, so it will be interesting to see how that plays out on the field. The Broncos will obviously go into this season as elite contenders, but it’s going to be tough to duplicate their 14-3 record and take that next step to the Super Bowl.