The Las Vegas Raiders and Denver Broncos apparently played a game of cat-and-mouse during last week’s NFL Draft.
Denver boasted the 12th pick in the annual event with the Raiders selecting 13th. Both were linked to quarterbacks leading up to the draft.
In the end, Denver “reached” for Oregon quarterback Bo Nix while the Raiders surprised with star tight end Brock Bowers.
Fast forward a few days, and we’re now hearing more on the dynamics in play between the two AFC West rivals. It’s some rather interesting stuff. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports that the Broncos were fearful that Vegas could leapfrog them to add Nix to the mix.
That was especially true after the Atlanta Falcons surprised the masses and took fellow quarterback Michael Penix Jr. with the eighth overall selection. When all was said and done, Denver stood pat and took Nix with the 12th selection, one pick before the Raiders were slated to make their decision.
Did the Denver Broncos panic in drafting Bo Nix?
It really is a logical question. For the first time in NFL history, five of the first-10 picks in a draft were quarterbacks. It set into motion some nervous energy in Denver after the Penix selection.
After all, the Broncos had only the recently-acquired Zach Wilson and Jarrett Stidham as the two at least viable potential quarterbacks on their roster ahead of the draft.
“The Penix move turned the draft on its head,” an NFL front office official told ESPN. “The room perked up after that selection. But it only takes one team, and if you’re comfortable with the injury history, his performance last year was worthy of a high pick. He’s a great thrower of the football. And it’s hard to knock them for loading up on the game’s most important position.”
The Raiders could have been targeting Nix at 13 before things went down ahead of them in the first round. Remember, the Minnesota Vikings landed quarterback J.J. McCarthy with the 10th selection. Once it became clear that Nix would be off the board, Vegas likely looked to move up into the top-10. To no avail.
As for the Broncos, the expectation is that Nix will start over his two more-veteran counterparts. While he attempted to play it cool after the draft, there is absolutely no reason for Denver to trot either Wilson or Stidham out there.
Whether it proves to be a winning formula remains very much to be seen.
