Denver Broncos Had Many Other Positional Needs To Fill

Published on February 17th, 2024 12:40 pm EST
Written By: Dave Manuel


Heading into the 2010 NFL Draft, the Denver Broncos had a number of positions that they desperately needed to fill, especially on the defensive side of the ball.

The 2009 Denver Broncos, led by head coach Josh McDaniels, had finished the regular season with a record of 8-8.

In fact, the team was on a collision course for the playoffs, as they possessed a record of 8-4 before dropping their last 4 games of the season.

The team's offense looked solid - quarterback Kyle Orton had put together a nice year, throwing for 21 touchdowns and 3,802 yards.

The team also had some great, young offensive weapons, including running back Knowshon Moreno and wide receiver Brandon Marshall.

If the team can shore up their defense in the draft, the common thought was, the Broncos should be a playoff team.

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Heading into the 2010 NFL Draft, Florida Gators QB Tim Tebow was projected by most as a second-round pick.

In fact, many scouts felt as though Tebow might hold more value for his running than for his throwing ability.

Tebow was thought to possess terrible footwork, though his size allowed him to be a handy weapon that could get you some first downs.

Definitely not the profile of a first-round quarterback in the draft.

With cornerback Devin McCourty still on the board, many felt as though he would be the natural selection for the Broncos.

Instead, the Broncos shocked the world by taking Tim Tebow with the 25th overall selection.

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The pick boggled the minds of nearly everyone.

It wasn't that Tebow was a MASSIVE stretch at the #25 spot - after all, he was being projected as a second-round pick.

It was WHO took him that had so many people scratching their heads.

Kyle Orton seemed to be a very nice addition for the Broncos, as he had thrown for almost 4,000 yards in just 15 games.

Surely the quarterback position wasn't their greatest need? And weren't they unnecessarily creating a QB controversy while neglecting other positions of need?

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The move turned out to be a disastrous one, and it would end up costing McDaniels his job.

The offense was decent in 2010, though the defense was the WORST in the league, giving up almost 30 points per game.

Surely the first round pick would have been better spent on plugging the defensive holes?

Tim Tebow, as many people thought, just wasn't a very good quarterback. He'd start 16 games in the NFL, compiling a record of 8-6-0 as a starter.

Tebow would throw for just 2,422 passing yards and 17 touchdowns over the course of his career.

After a short stint with the Jets in 2012, Tebow would leave the game for good, unable with catch on with anybody else.

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The selection of Tim Tebow in the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft surely isn't even close to being the worst pick of all time, though it was a head-scratcher at the time, given it was the Broncos who were making the pick.

Sometimes you take a big risk and lose. If you do that in the NFL, it will probably cost you your job.