Jimmy Garoppolo will not be the next quarterback for the Broncos
The former Las Vegas Raiders quarterback is headed to the Los Angeles Rams on a one-year deal, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. He’s the latest veteran off the board that won’t be wearing orange and blue this year.
Garoppolo joins guys like Sam Howell, Mason Rudolph, Sam Darnold, Jacoby Brissett, Drew Lock, Kirk Cousins and a slew of others who were vaguely linked to the Broncos but went to new homes instead.
Right now head coach Sean Payton and GM George Paton have only Jarrett Stidham and Ben DiNucci as quarterbacks on the roster. The Broncos pick at No. 12 in next month’s NFL Draft, and many think by being so quiet in free agency it’s the clearest sign yet they’ll take a rookie QB in Round 1.
Of course, if they have their eye on one specific guy they might have to move up to get him. Atlanta landed Cousins in free agency and could be open to a trade at No. 8. Same with the Chicago Bears at No. 9, considering they pick first overall and will almost assuredly select QB Caleb Williams out of USC.
Garoppolo going to the Rams is probably a good thing, but also adds pressure on Payton and Paton to get the quarterback they want in the first-round. Guys like Ryan Tannehill and Zach Wilson could still be had, but those two names likely wouldn’t excite Broncos Country.
NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein has released his mock draft 2.0, forecasting a Denver Broncos trade with the Chicago Bears to move up the board. Zierlein predicts the Broncos will jump three spots to the No. 9 overall position to land Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy.
McCarthy’s stock has risen rapidly since the NFL Combine, and that will have undoubtedly lit a fire under head coach Sean Payton to go get his man, if, indeed, the Wolverines’ championship QB is that guy. At the Combine, the Broncos opted to meet with McCarthy straight off the bat.
It was understandable that Denver would want an up-close look at the 21-year-old’s brimming confidence. After all, McCarthy has a National Championship on his resume.
“You know, like, stats for me aren’t really the big thing, and all I really cared about was being the best teammate I could be and being the best quarterback I could possibly be,” McCarthy said via ESPN at the Combine. “And the only stat I cared about was W’s, and we did pretty good in the category.”