Let’s not fool ourselves. The Denver Broncos are not just one great offensive lineman, or one more solid pass-rusher, or one elite corner away from being contenders. I am (Patrick) Surtain (Jr.) of it.
They could use the No. 9 pick on Surtain, who is great, and he could become an instant Pro Bowler. But how good would that make the Broncos in 2021? Maybe a win or two better.
In the NFL, in nearly all cases, what it takes to win at the highest level starts and ends at the quarterback position. I love the analogy that the quarterback position is responsible for 51 percent of an NFL team’s success and the rest of the entire team is responsible for the other 49 percent. I believe that and if you look at the eight quarterbacks remaining in these playoffs you realize just how important the position is to a team reaching the postseason.
But how did these eight remaining teams competing for Lombardi get to this point with their respective QBs? There are a lot of different ways to skin a cat. And I hope the Broncos are paying attention.
Cleveland Browns:
Let’s start with the Browns because they are the easiest. One of the worst franchises in sports history finally got lucky with Baker Mayfield. While Josh Allen might be the cream of the crop from that iconic quarterback class, they correctly passed on Sam Darnold and Josh Rosen. Not sure if Baker will ever be a much better player than he is today, but the Browns as a whole are talented and Baker makes them relevant and interesting.
Green Bay Packers
The Packers are up next. And what is interesting about Aaron Rodgers acquisition is that he was drafted No. 24 overall in 2005 by Green Bay. What makes it interesting is historically drafting a quarterback in the late first round is a bit of a “No Man’s Land” with not a ton of history of success. The Broncos drafted Paxton Lynch at No. 26 overall. However, Dan Marino was also drafted at No. 27 overall.
Los Angeles Rams:
Although we never think of Jared Goff as a top 10 quarterback his numbers combined with the success that the Rams have had since he was drafted have been pretty impressive. L.A. drafted Goff No. 1 overall in 2016. He has been to two Pro Bowls, he has a Super Bowl appearance and he 117 touchdowns against only 55 interceptions. And he is only 26-years-old. Like the Browns, you have to suck and suck royally to obtain a No. 1 overall pick. But it has paid off.
Baltimore Ravens:
Lamar Jackson is the ultimate success story. Passed over by every single team in the NFL, Jackson was the last pick of the first round (32nd overall) in 2018. Give it up for the Ravens who gambled on Jackson when every other team in the NFL looked at him as an athlete and not a quarterback. Some executives at the time were talking about turning Jackson into a receiver. Can you win big with Jackson? Not sure, but the guy is one of the most exciting players in the NFL.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers:
Tampa Tom is a once in a decade proposition and acquisition. Rarely does a living legend become available and when they do it usually ends ugly like Joe Namath in a Rams uniform or Johnny Unitas in a Chargers uniform. But Joe Montana changed that taking the Chiefs to the AFC Championship Game (beating Elway on the way). And then Peyton did the unthinkable in Denver and became the first QB in NFL history to win Super Bowls with two different teams. Anything less than that for Tom would be a disappointment.
New Orleans Saints:
Drew Brees’ story is maybe the best. After being pushed out of San Diego by Philip Rivers, Brees was looked at as damaged goods and was passed over in Miami as a free agent by Dante Culpepper. Brees had to “settle” for the Saints and the rest is history. And if Brees can somehow pull off another Super Bowl victory he would go down along with Peyton-Brady-Montana-Elway and a Tier 1 all-time great.
Kansas City Chiefs:
The Chiefs road to Mahomes is my favorite and my most hated at the same time. Favorite because the Chiefs absolutely rolled the rice on Mahomes and on themselves to acquire him. Most hated because I am a Broncos fan and this guy is going to kill Denver for the next decade. But in 2017 Kansas City already had a really good team that was on the cusp of winning a Super Bowl. But instead of drafting an offensive lineman to help protect Alex Smith or a corner to help their defense they went all-in with Mahomes, who as looked at as an unnecessary luxury addition at the time. They gave up two first-round picks and a third-round pick to move up to No. 10 overall to nab Mahomes. Well, the rest is history. Can the Broncos new general manager George Paton pull something like that off? We will see.
Buffalo Bills:
Finally, the Bills. This one hurts bad. Josh Allen is the closest thing to John Elway that we have seen since Andrew Luck – and Elway passed on him for Bradley Chubb. Allen then fell right into the Bills’ lap two picks later. It’s the stuff of nightmares. Perhaps a Mahomes-equal, Allen was there for the taking and the Broncos got cold feet. And the Bills have their next Jim Kelly for 10 more years.
My point to this column is that there are playoff and Super Bowl-caliber quarterbacks entering the league every single year. There are hidden gems and there are guys simply too talented to pass up. Sometimes sitting right in front of you. It’s not rocket-surgery or brain-science.
A team must have a philosophy when it comes to building a team but it could only be built around not just a competent quarterback but by a special one. And the Broncos currently don’t have one. The Broncos must consider all options when it comes to upgrading their quarterback position.
