2009 Broncos Draft – Needs vs Wants
The Broncos have a real opportunity this year to improve the team with ten picks overall, including five in the first three rounds. The sediment in Bronco nation is that the offense is in decent shape and the draft will focus on improvements to the defense. Several mock drafts have suggested the Broncos will trade up or keep the number 12 pick for a Quarterback. The Broncos schedule a work out for Mark Sanchez. Interestingly, several of these mock drafts that were updated on Friday now have Sanchez as the Broncos first selection. What is interesting is that only a few (very few) prior to Friday had Sanchez available when the Broncos make their first pick. Makes me wonder what changed. Just because he scheduled a work out doesn’t mean his value changed. I understand the Broncos wanting to evaluate him in case he is available. But, I seriously doubt this will happen in the 2009 draft, but don’t rule it out for the 2010 draft. I think this will depend entirely on how well Kyle Orton plays and how Chris Simms performs as his reserve. Optimally, if Orton works well in the new offensive scheme, perhaps we don’t select a QB in 2010.
Mock drafts speculate who will be taken when based a person’s opinion of what the needs are for a particular team and who is available. The Broncos war room just like every other NFL team is going through this same drill. What position(s) do we need to improve, how do the individual players rank in our system and what impact they will have? Then, who are the likely players to fall to the team when it’s time to make a selection? That’s the need. If the war room consensus is a targeted play will be off the board before it time to select, then that’s a want and the team will package a deal with one or more teams to trade up to select a targeted player. Take the Sanchez situation for example. Do we need a quarterback or do want a quarterback? I contend that if we select quarterback first it’s a want because we already have two quarterbacks and we need to shore up the defense.
I have to admit that I have enjoyed reading the Broncos message boards concerning who to take when. It confirms my belief that the Broncos fans are passionate about their team and like to defend their selections to the end. As a matter of fact, even though we may want a player, we are not in the war room evaluating the needs of the team. For the first time in a long time the war room participants are new. We don’t know much about the new staff only what tendencies they carry with them from a former team. For example, will the Broncos trade up to pick a targeted “must have” player or will they stand pat? As stated above, the Broncos have a number of draft picks to package a deal. So as much as I would like to jump into the mix and speculate on who the Broncos select, it’s not up to me. It will be what it will be. I can only sit back and watch as the draft unfolds. I like to be able to say that we will all get what we want or need but in the end it is what it is.
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