Denver Broncos: 7-Round 2021 NFL mock draft resets quarterback spot
By Lucas Schuh
The Denver Broncos hit reset at quarterback while looking to add some pieces on the defensive side of the ball in a postseason 7-round 2021 NFL mock draft.
Before the 2020 NFL season started, the Denver Broncos were one of the darlings of the preseason. The Broncos had one of the best draft classes of last offseason, at least on paper, as they added the likes of Jerry Jeudy, K.J. Hamler and Michael Ojemudia. Denver also managed to add Graham Glasgow, A.J. Bouye and Jurrell Casey elsewhere in the offseason.
Once the year kicked off, however, the narrative changed. For starters, the Broncos were ravaged by injuries. Star pass-rusher Von Miller was lost for the year in training camp with a torn ACL while two of their big additions, Bouye and Casey, combined to play only 10 games on the year. Quarterback Drew Lock also missed time and wideout Courtland Sutton was another standout lost for the year, playing only one game.
After this season, Denver sits in an interesting spot. On paper, the roster looks good with very few weaknesses. However, they have to look at quarterback with Lock both under-performing and dealing with injuries in his young career. Moreover, hiring George Paton as the new general manager adds another wrinkle as the former Vikings assistant GM helped build a successful team in Minnesota.
For this mock draft, the process will be highlighting what the Broncos should do rather than what I think they will do. This mock was compiled using the NFL Mock Draft Database’s draft simulator.
One of the most crucial decisions that the Broncos face is what to do at quarterback. They have Lock, who has spent two years and played 18 games for the franchise, largely limited due to multiple injuries suffered throughout his first two seasons.
In five games as a rookie, Lock was up and down with two good showings against the Texans and Lions but also two less desirable outings against the Chiefs and Chargers. Lock struggled in his second season overall, even though he did come on strong at the end of the year.
With a new GM in tow, it wouldn’t be shocking for the Broncos to target a new quarterback at No. 9 overall. The only issue with that is that the top of the 2021 quarterback class — Trevor Lawrence, Justin Fields and Zach Wilson — will likely be off the board by the time they pick. However, they can still find a valuable future option with Trey Lance.
Lance took the field for only one game this season as North Dakota State and the Missouri Valley Conference postponed their season, which led to him declaring for the draft. But coming into the COVID-altered season, he was at the top of many draft boards. PFF had Lance going No. 5 overall prior to the season.
Analysts fawned over was Lance’s athleticism and his cannon arm. Those traits are still obvious and give him upside but there are concerns. At NDSU, Lance wasn’t asked to do much with his arm. The Bison’s run-heavy approach led to him throwing 30+ attempts in only one game. But while he does have some work to do to be a quality NFL quarterback, he has massive potential.
Before this season, Trey Lance was at the top of many teams board and draft experts boards; PFF had Lance going 5th in the draft before the season started. The main reason that Lance was so high on many draft experts boards is in large part due to his cannon arm and great athleticism.
Other Players Considered: Gregory Rousseau, Caleb Farley, Christian Darishaw