Denver Bronco 2009 NFL Draft – Getting a Return on Cutler

The Denver Broncos just made a decision that could prove to be a nightmare for PR purposes when they traded their young Pro Bowl QB Jay Cutler for draft picks.

But the Broncos did get a major chip in return when they got the Bears’ 18th overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft. This could be a landmark draft for the resurgence of the Broncos or it could be a big-time mistake when looked back upon in ten years.

Here is a look at the Broncos’ first and second round pick options.

Denver Broncos’ 12th Overall Pick

Many mock drafts have the Broncos taking Boston College defensive tackle B.J. Raji at this spot, and that seems like a good mix of both value and fit at the position. Raji is athletic, explosive, and disruptive and he would go a long way toward helping out the Broncos’ woeful defense.

There’s also a chance LSU’s Tyson Jackson falls while Raji is taken earlier and he would be a candidate here as would Texas’ Bryan Orakpo, both defensive ends.

Denver Broncos’ 18th Overall Pick

Another good shot at a defensive building block can be found here for Denver. If they get Raji at #12 they have a good chance at getting a solid defensive end like Tennessee’s Robert Ayers here.

But another option might be a running back like Chris Wells of Ohio State or Knowshon Moreno of Georgia. One should be available.

Denver Broncos’ 48th Overall Pick

In the second round Denver could land LeSean McCoy of Pitt or Shonn Greene of Iowa, two solid, productive college backs, or maybe a talented secondary player like Patrick Chung of Oregon. But defense and running back should be their focus on day one of the 2009 NFL Draft.