Chargers fans can't help but laugh at Broncos' failed bids for mediocre QBs

The biggest hurdle that the LA Chargers have to overcome in the AFC West is the two-time reigning Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs. It goes without saying that the road to winning the first Super Bowl in franchise history has to go through Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs.

Kansas City is not the only team in the division, however, and it benefits the Chargers if the Las Vegas Raiders and Denver Broncos are bad. As it stands right now, the Chargers appear to have an advantage over both teams as neither has a true starting quarterback. The Raiders hired Tom Telesco, so we all know he will make a bad decision, and the Broncos passed on the chance to add someone like Justin Fields despite not having a marquee pick in the draft.

ESPN's Adam Schefter said that Broncos head coach Sean Payton believes he will legitimately find or develop a quarterback that can make Denver successful. Who that quarterback will be is yet to be seen, and quite frankly, the Broncos aren't searching for the best options after parting ways with Russell Wilson.

According to Mike Klis of 9News (Denver's NBC affiliate), the Broncos made an attempt to bring in two mediocre quarterbacks and stuck out both times. Those quarterbacks? Sam Darnold and Sam Howell.

"Sources tell 9NEWS the Broncos had interest in free agent Sam Darnold and were in on the trade for Washington quarterback Sam Howell. But the price got steep on both, and Darnold wound up signing with Minnesota for a $10 million, one-year deal and Howell was dealt to Seattle in a double swap of draft picks that resulted in late-third-round value."

Broncos' fails attempts at adding mediocre QBs is comedy gold for Chargers fans

It is hard to decide what is funnier, the fact that the Broncos failed to bring in two different starting quarterbacks who are both outside of the top 30 at their position, or the fact that these are the quarterbacks who Denver has resorted to being starting options.

Sam Darnold was a backup for the San Francisco 49ers last season and has never had a consistently good stretch of games in his career. If he did not have first-round draft priors then he probably would not be getting the chances he is getting in 2024.

Howell started for the Washington Commanders last season and while his athleticism is interesting, he is a turnover machine and does not play winning football. Sure, he can be a backup, but he is not someone who should be starting for a team that wants to be good.

Neither of these guys screams "veteran who should start ahead of a rookie", either. At least in the case of the Raiders, they brought in Gardner Minshew to compete with a rookie who will likely be selected high in the 2024 NFL Draft. Minshew has the pedigree to be the veteran safety net that can play if the rookie is not ready. Neither Darnold nor Howell are good enough for that.

Going after these two also seems to indicate that the Broncos know they are not going to get anything special in the 2024 NFL Draft. With the 12th overall pick, the Broncos could be getting their choice of the fifth, sixth, or even seventh-best quarterback in the draft.

Bo Nix, Spencer Rattler and Michael Penix Jr. are not necessarily names that Chargers fans should be afraid of. Somehow, the Broncos are going to downgrade at QB after getting rid of Russell Wilson.

One year ago, Chargers fans were upset as the Broncos hired Payton after a year of speculation that tied him to the Bolts. Now, the Chargers have an even better head coach that they didn't have to pay a draft pick for with a franchise quarterback under center.