After Broncos general manager George Paton fielded nearly a dozen questions about the quarterback position during the team’s pre-draft news conference Thursday afternoon, he was asked about other areas of need.
Throughout the draft process, many experts have had Denver drafting an edge rusher or cornerback with the 12th pick. And though Paton is confident in the depth at both positions, he didn’t shy away from the possibility of adding to either spot.
“You are always looking at those types of positions,” Paton said. “If someone falls in your lap, you’re going to take them.”
It’s hard to find quality edge rushers and cornerbacks, Paton reasoned. Players like Von Miller don’t walk through the doors every day. But at the same time, the talent the Broncos have at both position groups is young with room to grow.
Outside linebacker Nik Bonitto, who is entering his third season in the league, had eight sacks in 2023 after recording 1.5 as a rookie. Jonathon Cooper had a team-best 8.5 sacks, while Denver should benefit from having Baron Browning at full strength entering the new year.
At cornerback, Patrick Surtain II, 24, has established himself as one of the best in the league. Meanwhile, Ja’Quan McMillian played at a high level in the nickel spot during his sophomore campaign.
But questions remain. How will Drew Sanders fare if Denver switches him from inside linebacker to the edge? Can Damarri Mathis bounce back after getting benched in the middle of last season? Will Riley Moss be able to live up to the team’s expectations after playing three snaps at outside cornerback as a rookie?
In a division where the Broncos have to face two-time MVP Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert twice a year, they might not be able to afford to take that gamble, especially since they have the potential to draft a premier player at either position in the first round.
“Whether it’s quarterback, edge or cornerback, you know what they are. They are a premium,” Paton said.
When veteran Fabian Moreau took over as Denver’s starting cornerback, he held his own. But there were moments where he lacked the speed to keep up with certain wide receivers. Toledo’s Quinyon Mitchell — who could be available at No. 12 — does, and he can make plays on the ball. He completed the 40-yard at the scouting combine in 4.33 seconds while recording 18 pass breakups in his final season with the Rockets.
Denver used its last first-round pick to draft Surtain in 2021, and it traded up to take Moss in the third round of last year’s draft. But the possibility of having two lockdown cornerbacks could be intriguing for a defense that finished 22nd in passing yards allowed (233.6 per game) last fall.
When it comes to edge rushers, NFL draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah said in a conference call on Thursday that he thinks Alabama’s Dallas Turner, Florida State’s Jared Verse and UCLA’s Laiatu Latu are the top three players. Depending on how the top of the draft shakes up, either one could fall into Denver’s lap.
Even though Bonitto and Cooper improved, the Broncos were 29th in pressure percentage (18.2%), 20th in sack percentage (6.8%) and tied for 21st in team sack totals (42), according to Pro Football Reference.
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Latu — who medically retired due to a neck injury at Washington — didn’t have a problem getting to the quarterback during his time at UCLA, registering 23.5 sacks over the last two seasons. He also had 127 pressures, according to Pro Football Focus.
“I know there’s teams that have Latu as the No. 1 edge guy,” Jeremiah said. “There are varying degrees of concerns with Latu’s medical. But on the other side of it, he’s been healthy the last two years and productive at UCLA.”
There are so many directions the Broncos can go into with their top pick that Paton and coach Sean Payton won’t know what they’ll do until draft night. Whether Denver takes a quarterback, edge rusher, or cornerback, the organization is confident it can land an impact player.
“One thing we know is that we are going to get a really good player at 12,” Paton said.
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