John Elway is on a mission. He’s looking for the next great Broncos quarterback.

And guess what? Mark Sanchez is not it.

But Carson Wentz could be. And Paxton Lynch might be. How about Jared Goff? The next great Denver quarterback has yet to play a down in the NFL.

If Elway firmly believed Colin Kaepernick, Robert Griffin III or Ryan Fitzpatrick could be a big-time star quarterback in Denver, the Broncos already would have cut a deal for one of those established pros. And if Elway had full confidence Brock Osweiler was on a path to the Hall of Fame, the Broncos never would have let him take $72 million from Houston and run.

MOCK DRAFT: Who will the Broncos pick in 2016?

At the NFL owners meetings in Florida this week, Broncos coach Gary Kubiak said: “We are in no hurry to add a quarterback.”

I believe that’s the 100 percent truth.

With Sanchez as Denver’s starting quarterback in 2016, managing the offense under the same restrictions that hid Peyton Manning’s diminished ability and Osweiler’s inability to read defenses, the Broncos could win at least 10 regular-season games on the strength of Von Miller and a ferocious defense.

If the Broncos want to find their next great quarterback, however, the team will have to exhibit patience, and wait until April 28, when the first round of the NFL draft will be held. It won’t be easy for Denver to move up in the draft to select a quarterback. But it’s not an impossible dream.

Draft night is a good time to make a deal. A year ago, there were trades involving four first-round picks. In 2014, nine opening-round picks were swapped. By quickly overhauling their offensive line since the Super Bowl, the Broncos no longer have a pressing need that absolutely must be addressed early in the draft. After stockpiling 10 picks, Elway also has something of value to bring to the trade market.

There are three quarterback prospects that would require the Broncos to move up in the first round.

Wentz: He won games at North Dakota State, which isn’t regularly seen on ESPN. But take a look at the 6-foot-5, 230-pound Wentz on video, check out his command at the line of scrimmage, quick release and affinity for play-action. He was born to run Kubiak’s offense.

Lynch: Anybody can play quarterback at Alabama. But show me how Philip Rivers elevated North Carolina State, Ben Roesthlisberger put Miami-Ohio on the map or Jake Plummer led Arizona State to the Rose Bowl, and I’ll show you a quarterback with star potential in the NFL. As quarterback for Memphis, nobody’s idea of a traditional football power, Lynch beat Mississippi in 2015, less than a month after the Rebels defeated Bama.

Goff: During his three seasons at California, the Bears’ record was 14-23. Goff, however, threw for 96 touchdowns and more than 12,000 yards. Star Wars numbers? Yes. A winner? Not so much.

Even if the Broncos don’t make a bold move in the first-round, expect them to take a shot on at least one signal-caller at some point in the selection process, whether it’s Dak Prescott of Mississippi State, Connor Cook of Michigan State or Kevin Hogan of Stanford.

Way back in his first year as general manager of the Broncos, Elway stated one of his basic philosophies to me, and I’ve never forgotten his words. “The key thing for every NFL team, and I believe this wholeheartedly, is you need a quarterback,” Elway said. “A great quarterback makes up for so many other voids on your football team, because you’ve got that guy who touches the ball on every snap. And, if you don’t have have that guy, the weaknesses are more exposed.”

Yes, the Broncos won Super Bowl 50 without a great quarterback. But, as awesome as Miller is as a linebacker, how many NFL general managers would take him over Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers?

Denver could add Kaepernick, Griffin or Fitzpatrick to the roster as a smart way to create competition in training camp. If the Broncos could acquire any of these three veteran quarterbacks on a team-friendly deal in the same way offensive tackle Russell Okung showed his eagerness to join the NFL champs, it would make sense. Is Kaepernick, Griffin or Fitzpatrick worth in excess of $10 million per year to Denver? No way, no how.

In Broncos Country, the obvious question might be: Who starts at quarterback in 2016 for the defending Super Bowl champions?

But the real question is: Where does Denver find a quarterback to carry on the grand tradition of Elway and Manning?

Elway embraces a straightforward mission statement: Win now. And win from now on.

Denver can win now with Sanchez. If the Broncos want to win from now on, Elway needs to consider a blockbuster trade on draft night.

Mark Kiszla: , mkiszla@denverpost.com or @markkiszla