NFL insider thinks Broncos could make 'pretty aggressive' draft move

NFL insider Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated suggested in an article published on Tuesday that Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton could pull the trigger on a massive draft-related trade after he failed to prevent the Kansas City Chiefs from landing Patrick Mahomes seven years ago. 

"I believe Sean Payton when he says he’s comfortable going forward with Jarrett Stidham as his starting quarterback, if that’s how the chips fall," Breer wrote. "I’d also say this—I’m not sure Payton will ever fully get over getting jumped in the 2017 draft for Patrick Mahomes by Andy Reid and the Chiefs. And so if there’s someone in the class he loves like he did Mahomes, I wouldn’t be surprised at all if he and the Broncos got pretty aggressive about going up to get whoever that is. Stay tuned." 

Breer indicated last month that Payton would enter summer training-camp practices with Stidham atop the depth chart after the club unceremoniously parted ways with veteran signal-caller Russell Wilson. However, that claim was made before the draft stocks of North Carolina Tar Heels quarterback Drake Maye and Michigan Wolverines starter J.J. McCarthy rose. 

Some previously considered it a lock that Caleb Williams of the USC Trojans and LSU Tigers quarterback Jayden Daniels would be the draft's first two picks on the night of April 25. While it seems guaranteed that the Chicago Bears will take Williams first overall, it's now thought that the Washington Commanders could grab either Maye or McCarthy at No. 2. 

In a mock draft updated last week, Chris Trapasso of CBS Sports predicted that the Broncos would trade with the Arizona Cardinals to move up from the 12th pick to selection No. 4 to take McCarthy. For a piece published on March 19, ESPN NFL Draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. linked Denver with Oregon Ducks quarterback Bo Nix.

Nick Baumgardner and Chad Graff of The Athletic mentioned last week that a team such as Denver or the Minnesota Vikings may have to give up either two or three first-round draft picks to get into the top-five choices of this year's player-selection process. It's unknown how many assets Payton would be willing to give up for a prospect of his liking, but Breer seems convinced that the Broncos could beat the Vikings and New York Giants as it pertains to shifting the draft order between now and the final Thursday of April.