To draft or not draft at QB at No. 5, that is the Broncos question

If you weren’t paying close attention, you may have missed it. But Denver Broncos general manager John Elway did call newly-signed quarterback Case Keenum the team’s next starter at the position during his introductory press conference on Friday (much to Keenum’s delight).

Couple that with the news that the New York Jets swapped the No. 6 pick and three second-rounders for the Indianapolis Colts’ pick at No. 3, the speculation on what the Broncos may do at No. 5 is perhaps at its height.

On Friday, Fan Football Insider Cecil Lammey suggested Denver sit pat at No. 5 and take a quarterback to sit behind Keenum and, eventually, become a franchise player for the Broncos.

“The quarterback class is not as good. This year has five first-rounders. Next year is not as good. You’re not going to be at No. 5 anyway,” Lammey said. “So, if you can take that guy now, sit him behind Case, or take an impact player, whether it’s James or Quenton Nelson, you have to. Don’t move down. Take this opportunity.”

“The Drive” co-host DMac also championed the idea of Denver going under center with the fifth pick in the draft on Monday.

“I am concrete in my opinion that No. 5 is where they should stay and No. 5 is where they should take a quarterback,” DMac said.

Some, like Denver 7 Broncos Insider Troy Renck and DMac’s co-host Alfred Williams, suggest Denver trade back to accumulate picks while getting a quarterback in later rounds.

Said Renck: “I can’t see a scenario where Keenum doesn’t start every game this year, barring health. I just don’t see it. And I don’t see them taking a quarterback at No. 5.”

Trading down, however, is something Sandy Clough said he “certainly” doesn’t see the Broncos doing.

“It’s a pick you never want to have, or at least don’t want to have very often, but when you have the opportunity at a top-five pick, I don’t care what your recent history suggests or how much of an aberration you might consider the previous year to have been,” Clough said Friday.

“You’re not going to easily let go of that fifth pick. And it’s going to be very hard to move up.”

But Lammey and his “Cecil and Pritchard” co-host, Mike Pritchard, said that the right player — like highly-touted running back prospect Saquon Barkley — could be incentive enough to move up.

“I mean, if you can just move up one spot and get Barkley, I think you do it,” Pritchard said Monday.

What happens with the Broncos No. 5 pick will likely remain up for debate until the draft in late April, but at least the team has options.

“We have a lot of opportunities at five now,” general manager John Elway said on Friday. “We’re in good spots. We’re high in a lot of rounds. As I said, it’s going to be important for us to find guys that can help our football team.”

Follow digital content producer Johnny Hart on Twitter: @johnnyhart7.