When it comes to the free agency race at the quarterback position, the Denver Broncos could ‘win’ by losing out on some of the top names…
We’re not even 12 hours into the legal negotiating period between player reps and NFL teams in NFL Free Agency, and yet, it feels like one thing is clear — the Denver Broncos might not be the right spot for the top free agent quarterbacks.
Whether it’s Drew Brees with the Saints, Kirk Cousins with the Vikings, Jets, or Cardinals, or Case Keenum with those same three teams (and possibly more…), it seems like the Broncos are not necessarily a ‘favorite’ to sign any one of those players.
And that may be a good thing.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I would love to see the Broncos come away with someone like Drew Brees. That could set them up for a very quick title run.
Kirk Cousins would put the Broncos in contention in my opinion, even if it’s just on a three-year contract and a short window.
Case Keenum might be the most underrated player on the market because of his underwhelming past prior to the 2017 season, and even he would be a huge upgrade right now for the Broncos.
But by missing out on all of these free agent quarterbacks, the Broncos may really win in the long run.
If Denver can draft its franchise quarterback, ultimately, and not waste time or money on a ‘bridge’ quarterback, it could end up being the best thing for them long-term.
The teams that are really on the rise in the NFL today are committing some of the least amount of their cap space to the quarterback position, which means that they are successfully drafting franchise players.
Say what you want about John Elway’s history of drafting quarterbacks — we don’t know what he can do with a top five pick at that position.
The last time he even had the chance was when the Carolina Panthers picked Cam Newton one choice ahead of Von Miller.
I think we’re all grateful they left Von on the board in that case, but now the Broncos are in the market for a franchise quarterback, and there’s only one of those on the free agent market.
And that player only wants a three-year, fully guaranteed contract.
The more I think about it, the less I like that for the Broncos. Would they be competitive for three years? Sure. But what about after that?
The Broncos could invest in a player in the draft, and build around him with some of the most talented players at other positions through free agency.
The stars perhaps didn’t align just right for Denver this time around for Kirk Cousins like they did for Peyton Manning.
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By striking out on Cousins, Keenum, Brees, and perhaps even other players that might cost too much money against the cap to justify them sitting on the bench (Denver failed for a second time to acquire Tyrod Taylor), the Broncos may be setting themselves up for the best possible long-term success in the 2018 NFL Draft.
With the cap space they have, the Broncos can invest in other younger players in free agency that can help their team now and into the future, and surround whatever rookie quarterback they draft with the best talent possible.
Armed with 11 total picks in the draft, the Broncos can afford to be flexible whether they want to trade up or not.
The Broncos like a few of the quarterbacks in this year’s draft, and if they think someone can be the long term solution, John Elway should feel free to give it another swing.