Broncos President of Football Operations/General Manager John Elway said the team still is evaluating the top four quarterbacks, hoping to narrow it to two. Josh Allen and Baker Mayfield have received the most attention in Denver, which has the fifth overall choice.
“We will take the player that is best for the Denver Broncos -- whoever is there,” Elway said, via quotes distributed by the team.
Elway answered affirmatively when asked if he meant the Broncos would take the best player “regardless of position.”
The Broncos had all four top quarterback prospects visit. Elway continued to dismiss concerns over Mayfield’s 6-foot-1 height.
“He’s fine,” Elway said. “When you look at the guys that have had success that are his height and even a little bit shorter -- I think Russell [Wilson] is a little bit shorter than Baker. I think that what he’s done, the numbers he’s put up and the success he’s had the last three years at Oklahoma, I think he’s overcome the size issue.”
The Broncos have had a hard time following Peyton Manning. Paxton Lynch, who they drafted 26th overall in 2016, has not worked out thus far. Two years later, Denver could use another first-round pick on a quarterback, though it has signed Case Keenum as the starter for this season.
“I’ve learned a lot since I’ve been doing this job as far as what certain quarterbacks have success with,” Elway said. “The bottom line is that I believe the one thing is that is that you got to be able to win from the pocket. No matter what you do, I think the one thing that I’ve learned is as a quarterback you got to be able to win it from the pocket. You can win games but you can’t win championships unless you have the ability to win it from the pocket. Then if you can get out and move around and create, and do those types of things then that’s an added bonus.”