As the Denver Broncos prepare for the start of the NFL draft this week, the club has set its draft board and plans to select “the best player available” when they go on the clock with each pick.
That doesn’t mean the Broncos’ don’t have roster needs — they do. Denver could use more help at cornerback, center and on the defensive line, among other positions.
The Broncos do not plan to reach for any of those needs during the draft, though. If a player at that position falls to them at the top of the remaining players on their big board, Denver will select him. And if a player who isn’t at a big need position falls to them, the Broncos will select him.
“[W]e’re going to grade these guys and make sure that we’re getting the best available player,” coach Sean Payton said during his pre-draft press conference last week. “If the best player on the board is a defensive end or offensive guard and we have a clear vision, that’ll happen. If the draft ends and we’ve got a receiver, a tight end — in other words, some of that is subjective to how this thing unfolds. …
“It’s hard to say [how the draft will fall]. We would look at a list — and we’re not going to share the list with you — but we would look at [it like], ‘These were some things we’d like to get out of this draft, if it’s possible.’ But there’s an ‘if’ there, and we recognize that.”
The draft will begin on Thursday evening, but barring a trade, the Broncos will not make their first selection until the third round on Friday.
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