John Elway can’t help but look back on the 2018 NFL Draft with regret.
That year, the then-Broncos general manager and football great turned down a chance to acquire star quarterback Josh Allen and instead selected Bradley Chubb with the fifth pick, who struggled to stay healthy in parts of five seasons in the Mile High City before being traded to the Dolphins.
Allen, of course, became a dominant quarterback for the Bills after falling to the seventh pick, recording 22,703 passing yards, 167 touchdown passes and 53 rushing scores in his first six seasons with the Bills.
Speaking to Barstool Sports’ “Pardon my Take” podcast, Elway said he still dwells on the “what if” thoughts.
“last year [golf] “Talking to him, I was thinking, ‘How long is it going to take for him to realize that I passed on him and picked Bradley Chubb instead?'” Elway said, “And it took him two and a half holes to bring it up.”
“I liked him, but it just didn’t work out. He was my type. The biggest mistake I made as GM was not hiring Josh.”
Elway served as the Broncos’ director of player personnel and general manager from 2011-20, helping build Denver teams to five postseason appearances and a Super Bowl victory in 2016 with Peyton Manning under center.
Chubbs has played in two Pro Bowls and recorded 39.5 sacks in his NFL career.
The Broncos struggled to find a suitable replacement after Manning retired in 2016, and Allen would fill that void.
The Broncos are in the middle of training camp and have three quarterbacks on the roster competing for the starting spot.
It will be a contest between Bo Nix, the 12th overall pick in this year’s draft, former Jets quarterback Zach Wilson and Jarrett Stidham.
