In an ideal world, the Denver Broncos would most likely sprint up to the podium to select Boise State star running back Ashton Jeanty in the first round of next week's 2025 NFL Draft in Green Bay.
Unfortunately for Broncos general manager George Paton and head coach Sean Payton, the 20th overall selection is unlikely to net Jeanty, the consensus RB1 in a loaded class. Even so, the brain trust knows they're now in a championship window, and dealing in the gold currency market suddenly becomes a prerequisite.
In this instance, that'd entail the Broncos' front office orchestrating a blockbuster trade up into the upper reaches of the draft board to secure Jeanty — a would-be move endorsed by longtime FootballGuys draft guru Matt Waldman.
"Yes, and I don't say that very often, but yes, because -- because the Broncos, I think, are in position to get a weapon like him and they could make good off of him," Waldman said during a recent interview with DenverSports.com. "Maybe the offensive line isn't perfect, and maybe they've got some work to address with that, but I don't think they're so -- I don't think they would be putting the cart before the horse too badly there with a guy like Jeanty, especially with the weapons that they have."
Therein lies the issue, however: it's no secret other teams are well aware of the game-changing dynamics that Jeanty brings to the table, both running and catching the ball. Which dictates that Paton and Payton would need to sell the farm to get a shot at the Maxwell Award winner.
In the ultimate copycat league, the recipe for success that Philadelphia Eagles GM Howie Roseman hit upon by acquiring RB Saquon Barkley last year appeals to a Broncos team fresh off its first playoff berth in nearly a decade.
But their interest in Jeanty appears to be genuine. Just ask him.
"The Denver Broncos, they [were] heavy on me. And the Raiders, they [were] heavy," he told Overtime earlier this week. "Even while all the running backs were doing drills [at the Combine], because I wasn't competing, they [were] talking to me the whole time."
Pete Carroll and the rival Las Vegas Raiders — the presumptive favorite for Jeanty — still hold the trump card in the form of the No. 6 overall pick, and moving ahead of them would undoubtedly cost a king's ransom. Although, capitalizing on the emergence of franchise quarterback Bo Nix while still on his rookie contract does change the equation a bit.
Perhaps, as Waldman alluded, this might be a classic case of go-hard-or-go-home for an organization whose main directive is to win now.
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