Manning confirms Broncos are ‘interested’ in drafting this QB

Peyton Manning. David Reginek-USA TODAY Sports

Peyton Manning confirms Broncos are ‘very interested’ in drafting this QB

By Michael Gallagher | Last updated Apr 24, 2024 8:01 AM ET

Despite trading for former New York Jets quarterback Zach Wilson on Monday, the Denver Broncos are still very much in the hunt for another quarterback heading into the 2024 NFL Draft.

During a recent radio interview with 104.3 The Fan, former Broncos great Peyton Manning spilled the beans that Denver could target Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy if it decides to trade up from its spot at No. 12 overall.

“I know Denver is very interested in [McCarthy] and it sounded like a place he'd love to come to, but it's a little bit out of his control,” Manning said.

So what does this mean for Denver in this upcoming draft?
Expect the Broncos to continue working behind the scenes to see if they have enough to move up in the draft for a QB, otherwise all other options are on the table .
I was told this front office is exploring it all.
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) April 22, 2024

The chances Denver lands McCarthy without trading up from its current spot are miniscule. He currently has +160 odds of being drafted No. 3 overall and +175 odds of being drafted fourth overall according to BetMGM, and his probability of being drafted in the first round is 92%, per USA Today.

Sportskeeda’s Tony Pauline recently reported that the Broncos could be willing to offer star cornerback Patrick Surtain II as part of a “king’s ransom” to trade up into the top five and get their future franchise quarterback.

If the Broncos stay put, they could consider either Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. or Oregon’s Bo Nix. The latter has been mocked to the Broncos by a few media pundits recently including CBS Sports’ Chris Trapasso and Fox Sports’ Colin Cowherd.

Other well-known mock drafters have Denver going a different route in Round 1, with ESPN’s Mel Kiper favoring Toledo cornerback Quinyon Mitchell in his latest mock draft and The Athletic’s Dane Brugler has them picking Oregon State offensive tackle Taliese Fuaga in his.

Michael Gallagher

Michael Gallagher is a longtime sports journalist based out of Nashville with a decade of experience covering college football, mixed martial arts and prep sports plus the NFL and NHL — specifically the Tennessee Titans and Nashville Predators. He’s covered several notable sporting events including an AFC Championship game, a Stanley Cup Final, an NHL All-Star Game and an NHL Stadium Series. Some of his past bylines can be found at the Nashville Scene, SB Nation, The Hockey News and Fox Sports Knoxville

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