Q&A: Broncos thought about moving up to get Fairley

[Denver Native (Carol)]

Today's questions about the Broncos comes from Brett Braman in Eugene, Ore. Send your questions via e-mail to jlegwold@denverpost.com.

Q: After selecting Von Miller to shore up the linebacking corps, did the Broncos consider trading back into the middle of the first round when they saw defensive tackle Nick Fairley sliding down the draft board? I know the front office preferred to acquire more picks instead of trading them away, but with a talent like Fairley, wouldn't it have been worth it? That would have been quite a haul on the first day.

A: Brett, both executive vice president of football operations John Elway and coach John Fox said following the draft they certainly had interest in getting back into the first round because the run on quarterbacks was pushing other players down the board.

Fairley was one of those players.

But that plan posed two difficulties for the Broncos. First, the Broncos would have had to get in front of Detroit at No. 13.

The Lions had their eyes on Fairley as well — as soon as he moved out of the top five — because they believed they might have a chance at the Auburn star once quarterbacks started to come off the board. Despite not being a need position, having selected Ndamukong Suh in last year's draft, the Lions saw Fairley as a best player available.

Lions coach Jim Schwartz said Fairley was simply too good to pass up.

Also hindering the Broncos, before they made their trade with the 49ers to acquire picks in the fourth and fifth rounds, was the fact that Denver didn't have much to trade without dipping into next season's picks.

With all of the roster holes and the amount of time this rebuilding job could take, they didn't want to lose too many of their draft picks moving forward.

Fox deemed it "too expensive" at that point to try to get in position to get Fairley.

rest of article - http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_18002459

[robert ethan]

If they had "thought about" trading down from the #2 pick it would have been easily done. They could have gotten both players and still had extra picks to play with in later rounds.

[Denver Native (Carol)]

If they had "thought about" trading down from the #2 pick it would have been easily done. They could have gotten both players and still had extra picks to play with in later rounds.

I guess it is easy to say that after the draft - i.e. how the draft played out; however, no one knows how the draft would have played out had the Broncos traded down from the #2 pick. Also, the question/answer was in regards to the Broncos after they drafted Miller - not before.

[chazoe60]

I said it during the draft and I'll say it again: There was no way Elway was going to move a single draft pick from next years draft. I am not a big "Andrew Luck conspiracy" theorist but I really feel that John is going to give Tebow this season to convince him not to do whatever it takes to land Luck.

If Tebow doesn't convince Elway that he can be a Franchise QB then Elway will throw everything including the kitchen sink at whoever holds the #1 pick. Hell, he may not have to trade anything, we did pick second, so its not as though it is impossible to think we could pick first next year.

Anyway, I know that was a little off subject, sorry for that. I just think that Elway never considered moving even one of next years picks, especially an early one.

[robert ethan]

I said it during the draft and I'll say it again: There was no way Elway was going to move a single draft pick from next years draft. I am not a big "Andrew Luck conspiracy" theorist but I really feel that John is going to give Tebow this season to convince him not to do whatever it takes to land Luck.

If Tebow doesn't convince Elway that he can be a Franchise QB then Elway will throw everything including the kitchen sink at whoever holds the #1 pick. Hell, he may not have to trade anything, we did pick second, so its not as though it is impossible to think we could pick first next year.

Anyway, I know that was a little off subject, sorry for that. I just think that Elway never considered moving even one of next years picks, especially an early one.

I think there was a pretty good chance of getting an extra 2012 first rounder, never mind giving up their own. Still picking up Fairley, Liuget, or Bowers. Having two first round picks would put them in a position to trade up into the top few of the draft next year.

[TXBRONC]

I said it during the draft and I'll say it again: There was no way Elway was going to move a single draft pick from next years draft. I am not a big "Andrew Luck conspiracy" theorist but I really feel that John is going to give Tebow this season to convince him not to do whatever it takes to land Luck.

If Tebow doesn't convince Elway that he can be a Franchise QB then Elway will throw everything including the kitchen sink at whoever holds the #1 pick. Hell, he may not have to trade anything, we did pick second, so its not as though it is impossible to think we could pick first next year.

Anyway, I know that was a little off subject, sorry for that. I just think that Elway never considered moving even one of next years picks, especially an early one.

I'm glad they stuck with their board. Yeah they missed out on some other defensive tackles. I think in short run it could be problematic but not necessarily in the long run.

[The Glue Factory]

If they had "thought about" trading down from the #2 pick it would have been easily done. They could have gotten both players and still had extra picks to play with in later rounds.

Nevermind that NOBODY was interested in the #2 pick before the Broncos selected Miller. :tsk:

[rcsodak]

I think there was a pretty good chance of getting an extra 2012 first rounder, never mind giving up their own. Still picking up Fairley, Liuget, or Bowers. Having two first round picks would put them in a position to trade up into the top few of the draft next year.

So who, exactly, was offering?

[TXBRONC]

So who, exactly, was offering?

:whoknows:

[HammeredOut]

The only other team who knew how good Fairley really is, was Denver. So atleast we can give Detroit a thumbs up in another division for a good pick and highway robbery.