Suppose you could time travel back to the point we were about to make the Russ trade. Assume that we’ve just been told Aaron Rodgers wasn’t coming to join his pal Hackett so that is off the table.
The options are:
- Trade for Russ. Remember the price is a 2022 and 2023 1st, 2022 and 2023 2nd, 2022 5th, Drew Lock, Shelby Harris and Noah Fant. The Broncos will get a 2022 4th back as well as Russ.
- Go with Drew Lock as starter. 2022 is the last year of his rookie deal so if we don’t know already, we can find out if he’s the guy. In the event that we suck with Hackett as coach and Lock as starter, we could look to draft a QB in the 2023 draft class with guys like Bryce Young, Will Levis and CJ Stroud expected to be high first round picks.
- Draft a QB. With the 9th pick in the draft we are probably well set to land one of the top QBs in the 2022 draft, like Matt Corrall, Kenny Pickett, Desmond Ridder, Malik Willis or Sam Howell. According to most projections only one QB is likely to be off the board by the time we pick, and if necessary we could trade up to get our guy.
- Sign a veteran. Matt Ryan has been released by the Falcons. Marcus Mariota, Tyrod Taylor and Jacoby Brissett are available. Jameis Winston still hasn’t resigned with the Saints. We could go with a bridge guy for a couple of years and possibly combine it with drafting a late round QB to sit for a year or two, like Bailey Zappe, Skylar Thompson or Brock Purdy.
Which do you choose?
Choose carefully because you’ll soon face the judgement of the 2022 Broncos fans.
I don’t think he’s worth $250M to be a game manager, and his production has not been worth the draft capital given up.
That said, it’s still the best option out of everything that was available. I think his potential is at least part of why Payton ended up in Denver. Outside of some incredible mental gymnastics that somehow land a guy like Stroud AND pair him with competent coaching, I feel like we are on the best possible timeline between what the team was two years ago and what it is now.