CBS

Finding a franchise quarterback is the best outcome that can be achieved in the NFL Draft. When the top-tier quarterbacks are being paid in excess of $50 million annually, the selection of a rookie making around $5 million is the ultimate bargain. There are different levels of play to be expected of a rookie quarterback, however. First, there are teams that win because of its quarterback play. Houston witnessed this last year with the selection of C.J. Stroud. The players having success are those who process and get the ball out quickly, but also those who do not make the poor decisions that cause a team to lose. For those reasons, more and more teams are willing to take a chance on traveled veterans who have shown those qualities: Geno Smith, Sam Darnold, Baker Mayfield, etc ... Each of those players has had varying levels of success in 2024. Early returns on Jayden Daniels indicate that he may be one of those players as well. Then, there are quarterbacks with which a team can win. These players need a good support system and assistance from play-calling. They do not necessarily create explosive plays in the pass game, but they are consistent and do not cost a team chance at victory. Denver was probably hoping that Bo Nix fell into this category.