After failing the Broncos as a general manager, George Paton needs to ace the NFL draft. There’s no margin for error after paying heavily to acquire quarterback Russell Wilson and coach Sean Payton.
With only five draft picks in his cupboard, can Paton find a way to acquire three rookies who can make an impact as starters for the Broncos?
Here are my top three targets for Denver in the draft later this month:
Tuli Tuipulotu, USC edge rusher
Tyler Scott, Cincinnati wide receiver
Tyjae Spears, Tulane running back
Yes, this wish list is a tall order to fill. But it can be done, although Paton will have to quit waiting on receiver Jerry Jeudy to grow up and trade the 2020 first-round draft pick in order to upgrade Denver’s roster to my specifications.
The Broncos defense is stout but not intimidating because it lacks a truly frightening pass rush with the departure of Bradley Chubb and the lack of reliability of Randy Gregory.
Generating a fierce pass rush in a division ruled by Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes is an absolute necessity, and it’s worth parting ways with Jeudy to get the job done.
While New England is severely lacking in offensive weapons, the Patriots own a boatload of draft picks, including the 46th overall selection in the second round. I say give Bill Belichick the headache of Jeudy’s potential, particularly if the Pats would also be willing to send another draft choice or a veteran player back in the deal.
The Broncos can replace Jeudy’s production later in the draft but need to acquire a second-round pick to add somebody with the defensive impact of Tuipulotu, who produced 13.5 sacks and 22 tackles for lost yardage last season as a versatile defensive lineman.
Although Jeudy has yet to prove himself as a bona fide No. 1 receiver in the NFL, the Broncos would have to replace the 67 receptions and six touchdown passes he delivered in 2022. But the reason Denver can trade him is there’s no shortage of receiving talent in this draft and Payton earned a reputation during his stint as coach of the New Orleans Saints for nurturing young pass-catchers.
The Broncos could use a receiver comfortable lining up in the slot, giving Wilson a quick-and-easy read, short-range target with the ability to gain splash yardage after the catch. My humble suggestion for the Broncos with the 67th overall choice, the first of back-to-back selections owned by Denver early in the third round, is Scott, who’s small but explosive.
Scott has the top-end speed to blow the top off a defense and is a former prep running back who could be utilized on jet sweeps. Is he the next T.Y. Hilton? Maybe not. But Scott has a real chance to be a steal in this draft.
While in New Orleans, Payton’s best offensive teams were defined as much by the one-two punch of running backs Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram as the Hall of Fame talent of quarterback Drew Brees.
While the Broncos sound optimistic about the recovery of running back Javonte Williams from his ACL injury, they added Semaje Perine from the Cincinnati Bengals in free agency to give added thump to their running back room.
But one of the more boring offenses in the NFL could use more pop from the running back position.
While many draftniks have touted Devon Achane from Texas A&M as a fit for the Broncos with one of their two picks in the third round for his ability to break a big run or catch the ball out of the backfield, it seems to me that the lack of size of a back that doesn’t stand quite 5-foot-9 and weighs less than 190 pounds might limit him to situational duty, at best.
Give me Spears, who ran for more than 1,500 yards and was a major reason Tulane won 12 games, including a bowl victory against USC in which he scored four touchdowns. Spears cuts like a knife and has been compared to Tony Pollard, drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in Round 4 of the 2019 draft.
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