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Report: Broncos trying to keep defense in-tact

By Sayre Bedinger

Feb 25, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Denver Broncos executive vice president of football operations and general manager John Elway speaks to the media during the 2016 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 25, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Denver Broncos executive vice president of football operations and general manager John Elway speaks to the media during the 2016 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports /
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According to NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport, the Denver Broncos and John Elway are doing everything in their power to keep their stellar defense in-tact…

The Broncos just won the Super Bowl, but we should all know that the only thing John Elway knows how to do is win. If you believe what Ian Rapoport is saying — and his track record indicates we have no reason not to — then you’re going to be overly excited by what he is saying in this video on the Denver Broncos’ official website…

Rapoport originally broke the story on Thursday morning that Super Bowl 50 MVP Von Miller and the Broncos were not far off on a long-term contract that would make him one of the highest paid defenders in the NFL.

If not the highest.

There’s been plenty of discrepancy also on the rumor mill about what Malik Jackson is going to do or what he wants to do. Here’s what Rapoport said in his interview linked above with Phil Milani:

“I think they’re a little further along with Malik Jackson than they are from Brock Osweiler and they’ve been talking for awhile…It seems like he wants to stay and the team wants him to stay. A lot of times when that’s the case, something can get done. So I think there’s a lot of opportunity there. He’s done a really good job of putting himself in position to be a key member of this team…I like how far along they are for his extension.”

What he is basically saying here, not in so many words, is that the Broncos have clearly prioritized signing Von Miller and Malik Jackson to extensions before they even get down to serious business with Brock Osweiler. I don’t know how far along they are with any of them, but John Elway spoke at the Scouting Combine on Thursday as though a deal with Von Miller wasn’t far off at all, and that they are in the ‘ballpark’ in terms of figures that could be agreed upon.

If the Broncos can lock up Von Miller before next week’s franchise tag deadline, they have some options with Malik Jackson and/or Brock Osweiler if they so choose.

I don’t foresee any tag on Osweiler, but the option to do the non-exclusive tag with Malik (provided a long-term deal isn’t reached) is enticing, to say the least. The Broncos would get him for a one-year contract, but Jackson could still shop himself on the open market. A team that tries to sign him would then have to pay the Broncos two first round draft picks, or the Broncos have the right to match the contract.

That’s why John Elway is grinning like he is above.

One more domino falls, and he’s in ultimate control. Keeping the defense in-tact is exactly the strategy that needs to be taken this offseason, and it appears as though he’s at least working hard toward it.

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