Denver Broncos Rumors: Paxton Lynch Could Require The Broncos To Trade Up In The Draft


With Thursday’s NFL draft only a few days away, rumors pertaining to the Denver Broncos and their potential first-round pick possibilities at No. 31 are picking up steam. Since Peyton Manning retired and Brock Osweiler signed with the Houston Texans, the Broncos have not exactly addressed their quarterback situation. While former Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Mark Sanchez will make a serviceable backup, he is probably not the guy that is going to lead the Broncos to their second consecutive Super Bowl. Many NFL analysts and insiders believe that the Broncos would love to draft Memphis Tigers quarterback Paxton Lynch, but the latest rumors are saying that they will have to trade up in the draft in order to acquire him.

As previously reported by The Inquisitr, the Broncos have recently been linked to current Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Sam Bradford, current San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, and former New York Jets quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick. While the Broncos can immediately sign Fitzpatrick, they would have to swing a trade for Bradford or Kaepernick. All of the above scenarios still remain possible, and neither of them would affect the Broncos’ need for a young quarterback.

With an elite defense and strong running game, the Broncos are ready to win now. While Lynch has a tremendous amount of potential to be a solid NFL quarterback, he is not ready to start in 2016. He may not even be ready to start in 2017. Regardless, the Broncos are in need of a young quarterback to groom. Since California Golden Bears quarterback Jared Goff and North Dakota State Bison quarterback Carson Wentz will be off the board, Lynch is the best option for the Broncos. Allowing Lynch to sit behind a veteran quarterback will allow him to fully develop while still allowing the Broncos a chance to win with their current roster.

As recent as a few weeks ago, there was a chance that Lynch could fall to the second round. While there is still a chance that happens, he has recently been linked to teams drafting ahead of the Broncos, notably the New York Jets at pick No. 20, as reported by The Inquisitr.

As reported by WalterFootball, the Broncos will have to trade up.

“Denver also is in the quarterback market. In speaking to league contacts, they believe the Broncos would draft Memphis quarterback Paxton Lynch if he got to them, but many around the league don’t think that Lynch will reach the Broncos. Trading up with Green Bay would allow Denver to leap division rival Kansas City (28th pick), who also could consider Lynch. If the Broncos and Browns trade up, it almost certainly won’t happen in advance of the draft like the Rams-Titans and Eagles-Browns trades. These conversations are done now in part to get prepared for making a deal when the teams are on the clock and the targeted player is available.”

While they state that trading up with the Green Bay Packers to pick No. 27 will be enough, the Broncos will still be behind the Jets in the draft order.

As Fox Sports reports, they are going to have to trade up ahead of the Jets, and it is going to be costly.

“And the Broncos are probably going to have to pay a steep price. To jump above the Jets at pick No. 20, Denver —? according to the NFL Draft trade value chart —? would need to give up a first-round pick, two third-round picks and a fifth-round pick, just to come close.”

For a quarterback that was not even originally expected to go in the first round, that may be too much for the Broncos to give up for Lynch. Regardless, finding a franchise quarterback is not an easy task in the NFL. If the Broncos feel as though Lynch can be the next great quarterback, they have to do everything they can to put themselves in the best position to draft him. While they will not have to give up what the Los Angeles Rams and Philadelphia Eagles did, they will have to sacrifice multiple draft picks.

A lot is going to change over the next few days, but rumors will continue to link the Denver Broncos to Memphis Tigers quarterback Paxton Lynch. There is still an outside chance that Lynch falls to the Broncos at pick No. 31, but the odds say they are going to have to trade up.

[Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images]

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