AFC West quarterback rankings: Patrick Mahomes or Philip Rivers up top?
By Grant Tuttle
4. Joe Flacco, Denver Broncos
After one season of Case Keenum, the Broncos decided to move on. Last season, the rumblings out of training camp were about how safe Keenum was and how he never threw interceptions. That ray of hope was shattered on the Broncos way to a 6-10 record.
This offseason, the team decided to trade for Joe Flacco, who, to his credit, has won a Super Bowl. To his dismay, he was replaced in Baltimore by a glorified running back in Lamar Jackson. The Broncos provide a new beginning for a quarterback that was once a topic of debate when considering elite quarterbacks.
The Broncos have some question marks surrounding their offensive weapons. While they like the upside of Courtland Sutton, he has not put up the numbers that they expected. Emmanuel Sanders will line up on the opposite side of the field but tore his Achilles tendon last season. The two receivers broke out in a fight at training camp in July and will need to sort things out if they want to have any kind of chemistry in 2019.
Perhaps the most interesting target for Flacco is first-round tight end Noah Fant. Fant, a former Iowa product, is athletic and may become a fan favorite in Denver relatively quickly. That being said, Flacco has an uphill climb to compete with any of the other quarterbacks in the division.
Last season: (9 games) 232/379, 61% completion, 2,465 yards, 12 touchdowns, 6 interceptions
2019-2020 projection: 311/483, 64 % completion, 3,899 yards, 20 touchdowns, 11 interceptions