{"id":416740,"date":"2026-01-16T11:02:08","date_gmt":"2026-01-16T11:02:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/416740\/"},"modified":"2026-01-16T11:02:08","modified_gmt":"2026-01-16T11:02:08","slug":"why-broncos-passed-on-josh-allen-in-the-2018-nfl-draft-john-elway-explains-bradley-chubb-regret","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/416740\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Broncos passed on Josh Allen in the 2018 NFL Draft: John Elway explains Bradley Chubb ‘regret’"},"content":{"rendered":"

On April 26, 2018, the future of the Buffalo Bills<\/a>‘ franchise changed forever.<\/p>\n

Six picks came off the NFL Draft board in the first round, leaving Buffalo at No. 7 overall with a decision to make. The Bills had acquired that pick from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers<\/a>, moving up from No. 12 to get the player they wanted. And it wasn’t much of a secret that the Bills needed a quarterback after starting Tyrod Taylor and Nathan Peterman the prior season.<\/p>\n

However, Buffalo had some options in a loaded draft. Had Sam Darnold fallen, he would’ve been an option. Josh Rosen was another bigger-name passer projected to go in the first round. But ultimately, the player the Bills decided on, Josh Allen, shaped the future of their offense and how limitless it would become.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Allen, years before he would become an MVP, landed in Buffalo, meaning three of the top-seven picks in 2018 were quarterbacks. One team who didn’t take a passer in that range? The Denver Broncos<\/a>, who took a defensive prospect despite not having a set-in-stone franchise quarterback.<\/p>\n

Years later, hindsight says the Broncos should have taken Allen \u2014 and John Elway, the team’s general manager at the time and a former Denver star quarterback himself, also has said he “regrets” not acting on his instincts to select the future MVP with the No. 5 pick in 2018.<\/p>\n

Why didn’t the Broncos draft Josh Allen in 2018? Here’s a look at why Denver passed on the future star quarterback and why Elway has claimed he tried to convince his organization to take Allen.\u00a0<\/p>\n

MORE: Everything to know about Josh Allen’s draft scouting report, how he landed with Bills<\/a><\/p>\n

Why the Broncos passed on drafting Josh Allen<\/p>\n

Allen was never quite expected to land at the very top of the 2018 NFL Draft, but he was considered a high-end prospect who was projected to go in the first round. Baker Mayfield, Saquon Barkley and Sam Darnold, three players who would go on to find plenty of success in the NFL, went with the first three picks.<\/p>\n

With Darnold off the board, however, that meant Allen and Rosen were in-line to be the next quarterbacks taken. At No. 4, the Cleveland Browns<\/a> took cornerback Denzel Ward as the first defensive player, leaving the Broncos with a decision to make at No. 5.<\/p>\n

In 2017, the Broncos started Trevor Siemian, Brock Osweiler and Paxton Lynch at quarterback. None of them impressed, as Denver went 5-11 in its second season post-Peyton Manning. In other words, the Broncos needed a young quarterback. But instead of taking one, they signed Case Keenum in free agency and gave him the keys to the offense.<\/p>\n

Denver took a defensive player at No. 5, allowing Allen to fall to No. 7 after the Colts<\/a> selected offensive lineman Quenton Nelson with the sixth pick. As the years passed, however, and Allen went from young backup to superstar and 2024 MVP, Denver’s selection looked questionable \u2014 especially considering the Broncos continued to cycle through uninspiring quarterbacks, including Joe Flacco, Drew Lock, Teddy Bridgewater and Russell Wilson.<\/p>\n

With the 7th overall selection in the 2018 NFL Draft, the Buffalo Bills select QB Josh Allen.<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udcfa: NFLN\/FOX\/ESPN pic.twitter.com\/ddb1HRndNr<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) April 27, 2018<\/a><\/p>\n

Elway, who was in charge of the Broncos’ front office at the time, later said in 2025 that he “really liked” Allen as a prospect.<\/p>\n

“The problem is, the way that I worked, I wanted buy-in from the coaching staff and I couldn\u2019t get the buy-in from the coaching staff. I couldn\u2019t get everybody on the same page with it,\u201d Elway explained on “Club Shay Shay” in 2025. \u201cWhen I say I regret it, it\u2019s because I didn\u2019t overrule everybody and say, \u2018I\u2019m taking him. I\u2019m taking him because now it\u2019s up to you to make him good.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

MORE:\u00a0Where does Josh Allen rank among the greatest Bills players ever?<\/a><\/p>\n

Who did Broncos draft instead of Josh Allen?<\/p>\n

While Elway claims he pushed his front office to take Allen, they ultimately selected defensive end Bradley Chubb out of NC State instead. Chubb started his career out strong \u2014 he recorded 12 sacks as a rookie in 2018 and 7.5 in 2020 \u2014 but injuries prevented him from maintaining that production, and in 2022, Denver traded Chubb to the Dolphins<\/a>.<\/p>\n

According to Elway, then-Broncos head coach Vance Joseph, who has a defensive background, preferred Chubb over Allen at No. 6. Without full buy-in from his staff, Elway didn’t want to take a quarterback, and Allen was also viewed as a bit of a project.<\/p>\n

\u201cI love him now [but] when he was coming out he wasn\u2019t perfect,\u201d Elway said of Allen on “Chub Shay Shay” in 2025. \u201cHe was very, very raw, right? And you know his accuracy was the biggest question. He was athletic as hell, big, strong, competitive and all those type of things. But you know that was the one question.\u201d<\/p>\n

As things then turned out, Joseph was fired after the 2018 season, Elway’s 10-year run as the Broncos\u2019 president of football operations ended in 2021, and Chubb dealt with injuries before being traded in 2022. Meanwhile, Allen blossomed into a superstar in Buffalo, while it took Denver until 2024 to land a premiere young quarterback in Bo Nix.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe was probably my biggest mistake of my GM days was not taking Josh,\u201d Elway said on \u201cPardon My Take\u201d in July 2024.<\/p>\n

John Elway biggest regret is not drafting Josh Allen@draftkings<\/a> #Dkpartner<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/dbXyNVD5vx<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Pardon My Take (@PardonMyTake) July 29, 2024<\/a><\/p>\n

MORE:\u00a0Ranking the 16 greatest Broncos players of all time<\/a><\/p>\n

2018 NFL Draft\u00a0<\/p>\n

Here’s a look at the top-15 picks in the 2018 NFL Draft.<\/p>\n

PickTeamPlayerPositionSchoolNFL Accolades\/Stats To Date1Cleveland BrownsBaker MayfieldQBOklahoma2x Pro Bowl, All-Rookie Team,\u00a028,525 passing yards,\u00a0197 passing TDs2New York GiantsSaquon BarkleyRBPenn State1x Super Bowl champion, 2024 Offensive POY, 2018 Offensive ROY, 1x First-Team All-Pro, 3x Pro Bowl, 1x Rushing Title,\u00a08,356 rushing yards,\u00a055 rushing TDs3New York Jets (from Colts)Sam DarnoldQBUSC2x Pro Bowl,\u00a020,431 passing yards,\u00a0123 passing TDs4Cleveland Browns (from Texans)Denzel WardCBOhio State5x Pro Bowl, All-Rookie team,\u00a0361 tackles,\u00a018 interceptions, 104 passes defended5Denver BroncosBradley ChubbDENC State2x Pro Bowl, All-Rookie team,\u00a0303 tackles,\u00a048.0 sacks6Indianapolis Colts (from Jets)Quenton NelsonGNotre Dame3x First-Team All-Pro, 3x Second-Team All-Pro, 8x Pro Bowl, All-Rookie Team,\u00a0129 starts7Buffalo Bills (from Buccaneers)Josh AllenQBWyoming2024 MVP, 2x Second-Team All-Pro, 4x Pro Bowl,\u00a030,102 passing yards,\u00a0220 passing TDs,\u00a079 rushing TDs8Chicago BearsRoquan SmithLBGeorgia3x First-Team All-Pro, 2x Second-Team All-Pro, 4x Pro Bowl, All-Rookie Team,\u00a01,135 tackles,\u00a021.5 sacks,\u00a010 interceptions9San Francisco 49ersMike McGlincheyOTNotre DameAll-Rookie Team,\u00a0115 starts10Arizona Cardinals (from Raiders)Josh RosenQBUCLA2,864 passing yards,\u00a012 passing TDs11Miami DolphinsMinkah FitzpatrickSAlabama3x First-Team All-Pro, 5x Pro Bowl,\u00a0690 tackles,\u00a021 interceptions,\u00a060 passes defended12Tampa Bay Buccaneers (from Bengals via Bills)Vita VeaNTWashington1x Super Bowl champion, 2x Pro Bowl,\u00a0256 tackles,\u00a035.0 sacks13Washington RedskinsDaron PayneNTAlabama1x Pro Bowl, All-Rookie Team,\u00a0432 tackles,\u00a037 sacks14New Orleans SaintsMarcus DavenportDEUTSAAll-Rookie Team,\u00a0165 tackles,\u00a025.0 sacks15Oakland RaidersKolton MillerOTUCLA111 starts<\/p>\n

MORE:\u00a0Revisiting Baker Mayfield’s NFL debut with Browns<\/a><\/p>\n