The Denver Broncos are an interesting team to watch during this offseason. What could they do with their first round pick in 2023? Contrary to popular belief, the Broncos do have a first round pick.
Many think that the team doesn’t because of the Russell Wilson trade, but they traded Bradley Chubb to the Miami Dolphins before the NFL trade deadline about two months ago, and that netted them a 2023 first round pick, which originally belonged to the San Francisco 49ers.
Obviously, it will be a very late first round pick, but it’s a first round pick nonetheless. The Broncos’ roster is solid, especially on defense and with the skill players on offense. However, they have a huge need along their offensive line and also need a head coach.
With all of this being said, what are three options the Broncos can take with their first round pick in 2023?
Denver Broncos: 3 options with their first round pick in ’23
Trading it for Sean Payton
The asking price for a team to acquire the rights to Sean Payton from the New Orleans Saints is apparently a first round pick plus more. Well, the Saints would likely ask for the 2023 first round pick from the Broncos.
I guess they could chance it and ask for the Broncos’ own 2024 first round pick, but they probably want immediate returns. This might be the best usage of this pick for Denver. I’m not sure there’s going to be a player taken in the late 20s or early 30s that would have a bigger impact on the team than Payton would.
It’s also not the Broncos’ pick, as it originally belonged to the 49ers, so technically, they aren’t trading their own pick.
Use it as trade bait to build around Russell Wilson
The next thing they could consider is trading it for an immediate impact player, which could likely come on offense. We are still a ways away from free agency beginning, which starts in mid-March, so there is so much time between now and then for various players to consider their future and for teams to decide whether or not some of them have a future with the team.
Maybe, just maybe, there’s an impact player out there who could be traded for that the Denver Broncos could call about. This is obviously a very open idea here, but I’d think that if the team wants to give Russell Wilson the best chance, they’d entertain doing just about anything with that pick.
Stand pat and try to fill a need
One of the biggest needs for the Broncos is on their offensive line, which gave up 3,319 sacks this year. Right tackle has been a sore spot for them, so that could be an option in the 2023 NFL Draft. Because of Wilson’s style of play, he takes a lot of sacks and has done so mostly every year he’s been in the league.
However, outside of left tackle Garett Bolles and right guard Quinn Meinerz, there isn’t much more starting caliber talent in that unit. Guys like Graham Glasgow and Cameron Fleming would be nice depth pieces, but them getting significant starting time this year for Denver was troubling.