John Elway spoke with the media and discussed Tom Brady’s upcoming free agency status, and if he’d be interested bringing him to Denver.
It is no secret that the status of veteran and future first-ballot Hall of Fame QB Tom Brady is in question this offseason. It is unclear whether the New England Patriots will give Brady a contract that ensures he remains a Patriot, or if they will let him sign elsewhere and get to work on the post-Brady era in Foxboro.
It’s been a pretty hot topic at the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine, and naturally, it was brought up by media to Denver Broncos GM John Elway, which is not a surprise considering the Denver Broncos’ carousel of quarterbacks post-Peyton Manning.
While Elway did say that they would always be willing to sit down and talk with Brady, he is happy with the direction of the Broncos’ franchise with the young Drew Lock.
"“I think we are—since Peyton retired—trying to look for that guy. It’s a tough position to fill. Where we are, we’re excited about Drew. It’s nice to have a young guy to be able to build around and feel like you got a guy that has the potential to be a long-time starter for you. The sky’s the limit for him. It depends on how he continues to improve. We feel better in that situation. Obviously, it’s a unique quarterback class too this year. I think you’re seeing that happen too because guys are playing so much longer. You’re talking about late 30s and early 40s with Tom. They’re playing much longer and can still play at a high level.”John Elway (via Broncos PR)"
Each offseason has began with a question mark at the quarterback position. One more thing about Lock that Elway mentioned was his swagger. He noted his ‘it’ factor and that Lock has the confidence required to play the position in the NFL.
Per his media session, Elway was quite coy about whether the Denver Broncos will pursue Tom Brady in free agency or not. So, what does this mean? Will they?
Broncos Country may be conflicted on this. Some may be asking, what would be the logic in signing Tom Brady?
There are logical arguments to both sides. Let’s talk about them.
It is no debate that Tom Brady is one of the best, if not the best, quarterback in NFL History. The man has the hardware to prove that he also has played in a dynamic dynasty with Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots.
Brady could bring a veteran look and leadership to the Denver Broncos, something that they’ve lacked and failed on after taking a swing at Joe Flacco in 2019. IFootball fans are familiar with Brady’s many accomplishments, and it is easy to see why acquiring a living legend like him would look sexy, especially on paper. Let’s not forget that the Denver Broncos remain the only NFL team that Brady does not have a winning record over.
If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em?
However, there are also reasons that this acquisition does not make sense. Pursuing Brady, an aging veteran, may make sense to some because it worked out so well with Peyton Manning. That definitely does not mean it would work out that way again, especially when it feels like Brady may only have one to two seasons left in the tank, not like the four that the Broncos were able to enjoy with Manning.
The Denver Broncos should also not be in the market for a one year rental at this point at quarterback, especially if they are trying to build a youthful roster for the future. This team feels as if it is headed in the right direction, and attempting to bring in Brady for one season could derail the progress the team is building with young Drew Lock.
As previously stated, Elway took a coy approach on the question when asked about pursuing Brady by the media. However, he did mention that they are happy with Lock, and I think this should be a pretty safe signal that the Broncos will not pursue Brady if he leaves New England.
Perhaps Brady would have been a great option for the Broncos three years ago, but it feels as if the team may now have a young QB that could be the next face of the franchise.