Broncos general manager George Paton: 'Our first pick, we have to hit on'

The Denver Broncos might be likely to hop into the quarterback derby in the 2024 NFL Draft, but they say they're not married to one plan for finding one.

Move up, stay put, trade back – everything is on the table, the Broncos' brass said Thursday.

"Do we have to draft a quarterback? You'd say it sure looks like we have to draft a quarterback," Broncos head coach Sean Payton said. "And yet, it's got to be the right fit, the right one. And if we had the tip sheets as to who everyone else was taking it'd be easier to answer that question. And so, that's the puzzle here."

Denver currently sits with the No. 12 overall pick in Round 1 a week away from the start of the draft. The team already has spoken to other clubs picking above them and below them. Wherever the Broncos end up, they appear to know just how much is riding on their first selection, whether or not it's a quarterback.

Broncos general manager George Paton didn't rule out using their top pick on another position but made clear just how important that selection will be, whatever direction they go there.

"Our first pick, we have to hit on," Paton said.

Paton also understands the need to not panic and shoehorn the wrong pick – especially at the critical quarterback position – out of desperation. That could lead to compounding issues that take their toll on the franchise for the next several years.

"What you don't want to do here is force it," Paton said. "Otherwise you'll be in this position next year and the years after."

The 2024 QB class has four prospects who might not get out of the top five picks overall: USC's Caleb Williams, LSU's Jayden Daniels, North Carolina's Drake Maye and Michigan's J.J. McCarthy. After that, some observers believe the second tier is a two-man