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Broncos GM George Paton says ‘we want to bring in competition’ at quarterback ahead of NFL Draft

By George Stoia April 22, 2021 | updated 4 years ago

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Of the 22 questions new Broncos General Manager George Paton was asked Thursday during his pre-draft news conference, nine were about Denver’s plan at quarterback. 

And for good reason.

Quarterback, in the words of Paton, is arguably the most important position in all of sports, and right now the Broncos’ quarterback situation appears to be in flux. Paton made it clear Thursday that while he likes Drew Lock, he plans to bring in either a veteran or rookie to compete with Lock this offseason. 

“I don’t know about Week 1,” Paton said when asked if Lock will be the starter next season. “We’re really high on Drew. I like seeing Drew here every morning when I come in. He’s working hard. He’s trending in the right direction. As you know, he has a lot of talent. I think he’s becoming a better pro.

Drew Lock, Justin Fields or Trey Lance? National draft experts weigh-in on Broncos QB situation ahead of NFL Draft

“But we’re going to still look at the quarterback position,” he continued. “I’ve said since I got here, we want to bring in competition ,and that’s the goal and we plan on doing that.” 

Paton might have the opportunity to fulfill his plan next Thursday in the NFL Draft as he currently holds the No. 9 overall pick. Two of the top quarterbacks in the draft — Ohio State’s Justin Fields and North Dakota State’s Trey Lance — might be available at nine, or at least available if the Broncos decide to trade up. 

Lance and Fields “are different,” Paton said. “Both elite athletes. Both really strong arms. Both really talented, smart. They have all the intangibles you want in quarterbacks. You know, they’re raw a little bit, but really high ceilings for both players.”

Fields and Lance are expected to be just two of five quarterbacks to go in the top 10 of the draft — the most in NFL history. This is a result of the direction the league is heading, with teams becoming more impatient with young quarterbacks each year as everyone hopes to land the next Patrick Mahomes. 

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“You need a good quarterback to win and sustain success each year-in and year-out,” Paton said. “You need a good one. You need a franchise guy, a top five — you can still win without one, but it’s so important to a team’s success to have a good quarterback and that’s why you might see five go in the top 10.” 

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Lock, drafted in 2019 and just 24 years old, could fall victim to the impatience. In 18 career starts, he’s thrown for 3,953 yards, 23 touchdowns and 18 interceptions. The question Paton has to answer is whether those 18 games are enough to judge Lock’s potential as a franchise quarterback. 

The answer is probably not, but if presented the opportunity to draft a rookie such as Fields or Lance, or trade for a veteran like Carolina’s Teddy Bridgewater or Jacksonville’s Gardner Minshew, it certainly wouldn’t hurt. 

“We do like Drew Lock. What we don’t want to do is force it — bring a guy in, overpay a guy to come in and maybe he’s not as good as the guy we have,” Paton said. “We want to get the right guy. And we still have time. There’s the trade market, we have the draft. The landscape may change after the draft — a team drafts one, maybe that quarterback’s on the market. So, we’re going to patient. Not force it, but do realize I do want competition and I’ve said that since I’ve gotten here and that hasn’t changed.”

Landing Fields or Lance next week may come at a price. Atlanta and Miami have expressed interest in trading back from No. 4 and No. 6, respectively. But Paton said Thursday he has yet to make any calls about trading up. 

The Broncos drafting a quarterback will likely largely depend on who the 49ers take at No. 3 and what the Falcons do at No. 4. But it’s clear that if the Broncos decide to move up and start fresh at the quarterback position next Thursday, no one’s going to know about it until that night. 

“This is a draft-day trade, because you don’t know if that player’s going to be there. Typically, these happen when you’re on the clock.”

Paton and the Broncos will be on the clock soon enough — less than 168 hours, to be exact. 

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George Stoia

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