Broncos urged to 'consider tanking' for 2025 NFL Draft

It’s a sad fact that barring a miracle, the Denver Broncos aren’t really going anywhere in 2024. That’s the result of a poor job at just about everything football-related over the last decade — bad drafts, bad contracts, bad trades, bad coaching, bad play… you name it, the Broncos have done it.

That’s why Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine put the Broncos at the top of his list of teams that should consider trading down in 2024 in order to prepare for a better draft position in 2025.

“The Russell Wilson trade undoubtedly set the franchise back a few years,” Ballentine wrote. “It will take some patience, and playing for the 2025 draft could put the Broncos in position to take a bigger step forward next season.”

The Broncos’ trade to acquire Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson before the 2022 season cost the team a king’s ransom in draft capital — two first-round picks, two second-round picks, a fifth-round pick — but Denver still has $85 million in dead money on its books over the next two seasons after releasing Wilson just two years into a five-year, $245 million contract extension.

The Broncos aren’t done giving away first-round picks — they traded a 2023 first-round pick and a 2024 second-round pick to the New Orleans Saints in February 2023 for the rights to head coach Sean Payton.

Broncos select quarterback in first round in 2024

The Broncos are already hoping to have the cornerstone of their franchise’s future in quarterback Bo Nix, their first-round pick in 2024 (12th overall).

Even if Nix succeeds (which is a big “IF”), the Broncos still have plenty of holes to fill on the backfield and aren’t in a position to hand out big contracts right now. Two big examples of that are letting center Lloyd Cushenberry go to the Tennessee Titans on a four-year, $50 million free agent deal and releasing safety Justin Simmons as part of a salary cap bump after he made his third straight NFL All-Pro team in 2023.

“Not every team that is expected to look ahead to the 2025 NFL Draft is looking for quarterback talent,” Ballentine wrote. “The Broncos have already staked their franchise’s future on Bo Nix after the 2024 NFL Draft. They are unlikely to reverse that decision, regardless of the outcome of 2024.”

“Sean Payton’s team has plenty of other needs that the upcoming draft class could fill, though. B/R’s first draft of the 2025 NFL Draft included four defensive linemen, two cornerbacks and an offensive tackle. The Broncos could still use an infusion of young talent on the defensive line, another elite cornerback opposite Patrick Surtain II or an heir apparent to Garrett Bolles at left tackle.”

What would tanking look like for the Broncos?

The Broncos may not need to sink — if they underperform slightly, they could end up with a top-five pick in 2025.

Vegas Insiders shows the Broncos with an over/under of 5.5 wins for 2024, meaning a 4-13 record is very much in play – the Washington Commanders went 4-13 in 2023 and ended up with the 2nd overall pick.