Broncos Could Replace QB With Former No. 3 Overall Pick

If the 2025 season were to start tomorrow, the Denver Broncos would have a big problem. That’s because they only have one quarterback under contract with 2024 first round pick and NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year finalist Bo Nix.

You can be assured the Broncos will figure out that problem in the offseason with the idea that bringing back their 2 backups from 2024 probably isn’t feasible — both Jarrett Stidham and Zach Wilson could get high-end backup/possible low-end starter money from other teams on deals that aren’t reasonable for the Broncos to consider.

It’s important to remember that while the Broncos are in a much better position financially than they were in 2024, when they had $53 million in dead cap money, that number is still going to be $32 million in 2025. That still doesn’t put them in a place where they will be able to spend freely on a backup quarterback for Nix and should consider more cost-effective options.

One of those options could be former No. 3 overall pick Trey Lance — a player who could do what Wilson did on the Broncos in 2024 by resuscitating his career under head coach Sean Payton in 2025.

Lance is a free agent after playing out the 4-year, $34.1 million contract he signed with the San Francisco 49ers as a rookie in 2021 out of North Dakota State. Lance was traded to the Dallas Cowboys before the 2023 season.

Replaced in San Francisco by Mr. Irrelevant

That drafting Lance didn’t cause the entire 49ers’ organization to come undone is some sort of minor miracle.

San Francisco decided Lance was good enough that they gave up their first round picks in 2021, 2022 and 2023 and a third round pick in 2022 to move up to get Lance in the 2021 NFL draft, where quarterbacks went with the first 3 picks with Trevor Lawrence No. 1 overall to the Jacksonville Jaguars followed by Wilson at No. 2 to the New York Jets, then Lance.

Lance was handed the starting job before the 2022 season but suffered a season-ending ankle injury just 2 games into the season and was replaced by Brock Purdy, the final pick in the 2022 NFL draft — also known as the “Mr. Irrelevant” pick.

By the time the season was over, Purdy had led the 49ers to the NFC Championship Game and had the job locked up for the foreseeable future. San Francisco eventually traded Lance to the Cowboys, where he’s been the third-string quarterback behind Dak Prescott and Cooper Rush the last 2 seasons.

Broncos Wouldn’t Have to Spend Big on Lance

There are several things about Lance that should appeal to the Broncos.

First, he’s a mobile quarterback with a similar skill set to Nix that could keep the continuity going in the offense in case of an injury. Second, he’s a reclamation project at quarterback along the lines of what Payton has thrived with throughout his career by turning players like Taysom Hill and Jameis Winston into productive players when their careers seemed stalled out.

The final and most appealing reason to bring Lance in would be that he’s not going to be very expensive. The Broncos could likely get Lance on a 1-year, $1.5 million deal with bonuses that could bump it up to $2 million.