2019 NFL Draft Mock 3.0: What if the Redskins traded back?

There are rumors that the Denver Broncos might still draft a quarterback with the No. 10 overall pick, even after trading a fourth-round pick for Joe Flacco. In a sense, those rumors have some merit. John Elway has whiffed countless times at the most important position in sports, and this year, he could decide to overhaul the position completely, giving Flacco a first-round pick to mentor.

But if all you want is a mentor, you don’t take on an $18.5 million cap hit when you already have a quarterback with a starting salary on the roster. The Broncos will presumably cut or trade Case Keenum, giving them $10 million in dead cap to swallow. Teams don’t make this kind of move when they’re starting over. They make this kind of move when they’re trying to maximize aging assets, while they still can.

Elway now has a quarterback who fits the only mold he’s had success with. Like Peyton Manning, Flacco is a big-bodied quarterback. Like Peyton Manning, Flacco has a Super Bowl ring. There’s just one problem: Flacco isn’t Peyton Manning. But the Broncos are stuck with him for the time being, for better or worse.

With a quarterback now in place, the Broncos can focus on other areas with the No. 10 overall pick, and with Brandon Marshall’s future with the team in question, inside linebacker is a position to address. Here, the Broncos take Mack Wilson, a 6-foot-2, 232-pound linebacker from Alabama who has the size, athleticism, and smarts to be a quality starter at the next level.