Over the last couple of years, the Denver Broncos have been searching for a new franchise quarterback. Drew Lock was the guy that many thought would end that search when they snagged him in the NFL Draft, but that wasn’t the case. Teddy Bridgewater started for the majority of the 2021 season, but he isn’t a long-term answer or close to it.
Now, entering another offseason of questions, the Broncos must figure out their direction. Some believe they could make another effort to acquire Aaron Rodgers from the Green Bay Packers, but that is extremely unlikely. A trade with the Minnesota Vikings for Kirk Cousins is another scenario that has been thrown around.
However, the third option could be looking at the 2022 NFL Draft for a new and young quarterback.
In a new mock draft shared by CBS Sports, they have the Broncos landing their new quarterback. They predicted that Denver would end up taking Ole Miss quarterback Matt Corral in the first round.
The team fired Vic Fangio on Sunday morning and in his final presser, Fangio made it clear that upgrading the QB position was critical, especially in a division where the three other teams have top-flight passers. We’ll see what happens either through free agency or via trade but if the Broncos use the draft to target a QB, Corral would be an option here — he’s our top passer, though there’s no clear-cut No. 1 like in previous years.
Corral was widely viewed as a potential No. 1 overall pick prior to his injury in the Ole Miss bowl game. At this point in time, he isn’t being projected to be the first quarterback taken anymore. Many have started placing Pittsburgh’s Kenny Pickett ahead of him in mock drafts.
During the 2021 season with the Rebels, Corral ended up completing 67.9 percent of his pass attempts for 3,349 yards, 20 touchdowns, and five interceptions. He also picked up 614 yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground. Those numbers show why a team like the Broncos would be ecstatic to have the chance to draft him.
Granted, with every young quarterback, there is always a chance they won’t live up to the hype. Just like Drew Lock, the Broncos could end up missing if they take Corral. However, on paper and on film, Corral looks like the real deal and is well worth the risk to take him in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
Expect to see the Broncos look to be aggressive this offseason. They are tired of losing and a move to upgrade the quarterback position will be a top priority.
