Mike Freeman's 10-Point Stance: What Are the Broncos Doing at Quarterback?
1. Does John Elway have a draft blockbuster move coming?
What in the hell is Denver Broncos general manager John Elway doing?
Elway has become one of the most respected front-office men in the sport. No one doubts him. It's easy to understand why. He signed free-agent Peyton Manning. He built the best defense in football. Under his watch, the Broncos went to one Super Bowl—and, sure, they got blow'd out in it, but then they went to a second one and crushed the Carolina Panthers.
TOP NEWS
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Colts Release Kenny Moore
Projecting Every NFL Team's Starting Lineup 🔮
Rookie WRs Who Will Outplay Their Draft Value 📈
So many of Elway's moves have been dead-on. He's not perfect. No NFL executive is. But he's been damn close.
So what in the hell is he doing right now?
At the moment, the starter at quarterback for the Broncos is Mark Sanchez. Mark Freaking Sanchez.
No one in football that I speak to believes Mark Freaking Sanchez will be the starter once the season begins, because everyone knows Mark Freaking Sanchez is pretty terrible. He's a good dude. His Broncos teammates already seem to love him. He's just not a good quarterback. No offense to Sanchez, but he's Mark Freaking Sanchez.
| 2009 | NYJ | 8-7 | 196-364 | 2,444 | 12-20 |
| 2010 | NYJ | 11-5 | 278-507 | 3,291 | 17-13 |
| 2011 | NYJ | 8-8 | 308-543 | 3,474 | 26-18 |
| 2012 | NYJ | 6-9 | 246-453 | 2,883 | 13-18 |
| 2013 | NYJ | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0-0 |
| 2014 | PHI | 4-4 | 198-309 | 2,418 | 14-11 |
| 2015 | PHI | 0-2 | 59-91 | 616 | 4-4 |
And here's the thing: There's no question Elway knows this.
So, again: What in the hell is he doing?
Most of the time, you don't have to ask that of the defending Super Bowl champions. You at least know what they're doing at quarterback. Even when you have a historic retirement like that of Peyton Manning, there is usually a backup plan cemented in place.
Not in Denver. Maybe Elway just didn't believe Brock Osweiler would bolt in free agency? I don't know, but something weird happened after Osweiler left. Osweiler signed with the Houston Texans and then…and then…and then…well, they got Sanchez. That's it.
What're they waiting for? The draft? They have the 31st pick. Is the plan to select Connor Cook or Dak Prescott and play one of them after Sanchez poops himself? It sounds unlikely that they'd trade up, so maybe that's the best they can hope for. (Not for Sanchez to poop himself but to play a younger guy.)
There was talk of trading for Colin Kaepernick, but that now seems unlikely. The Broncos aren't backing down from asking Kaepernick to take a pay cut, and Kaepernick doesn't want to take one. Good for him.
Kaepernick isn't even all that great, but he did once play in a Super Bowl. He's talented and salvageable. The other options? Not so much. Does Elway get Brian Hoyer, released by Houston, who is a shade better than Sanchez? There's also the possibility of Case Keenum, if the Los Angeles Rams agree to a trade. The same with Josh McCown in Cleveland. There's Mike Glennon in Tampa Bay and Nick Foles in Los Angeles.
In all, it's a lot of putrid at quarterback. Elway deserves the benefit of the doubt, but with the exception of the unlikely Kaepernick trade, all of those plans mean the Broncos go 8-8.
That brings us to one theory out there about what the hell Elway is doing: Several front-office executives told me they don't believe Elway is really putting his football eggs in the Sanchez basket.
They think he has something planned.
He's Jedi-mind-tricking the NFL. These aren't the personnel moves you're looking for.
He's waiting in the weeds, ready to pounce with some sort of spectacular move.
What is the move? What the hell is he doing? No one knows. But it could make this draft really fun.
2. Poll: Most Americans believe the NFL was dishonest over concussions
The two key paragraphs from the press release announcing the results of the Seton Hall sports poll, released last week:
"By more than a 2 to 1 margin, the nation believes the National Football League has not been honest in recent years on the subject of head injuries, according to a Seton Hall Sports Poll conducted this week. While 26% believe the league has been honest, 58% feels it has not been. 16% said they did not know. ...
"Even though an overwhelming margin feels the league has been less than honest on this issue, the NFL continues to enjoy great popularity, with a majority of the respondents still saying it has no effect on how they view the league," said Rick Gentile, director of the Poll, which is sponsored by The Sharkey Institute. "But the 29% who view the league less favorably is a substantial number."
"
People are still watching football in great numbers, but at some point, what even the mighty NFL has to watch out for is that 29 percent number.
3. Will J.J. Watt retire after a few more years?
I don't think he will, but it says so much when a player so historically great and so young as J.J. Watt won't rule out retiring after three or four more years.
He didn't say if this was head-trauma related, though for Watt to be thinking this, that has to be a factor. Just the fact Watt is openly talking this way is pretty astounding.
Would Watt retire several years from now? The odds are against it. There's too much money to be made, and there are too many championships to win.
Yet Watt is a different kind of human being, and I mean that in the most positive of ways. He has plenty of money. He's smart and charming. He could make it in Hollywood and then become governor of Wisconsin if he wanted. Or Texas. He has tons of options. That's the point. Watt will be able to do whatever he wants.
And he knows this.
4. Now, for some crazy talk
The Trent Richardson deal in Baltimore became official this week. I think he could actually be productive there. I know. Insanity.
I'll definitely be wrong about this. After all, he's failed in multiple places, and he has shown more ability finding bakeries than the right lane to run in.
I'll just say this. Richardson has talent, and he's going to a place that will be patient with him. There's also no pressure on him. The Ravens have a ton of backs. Richardson has been losing weight and working harder (finally). Maybe things will click now. Finally.
Or maybe I'm just bonkers.
5. Urban Meyer is a jerk
The Ohio State coach was asked about Cardale Jones, and this was the key quote to the Akron Beacon Journal's Marla Ridenour: "I think there's going to have to be patience, an excellent quarterback coach that's going to have to earn his trust. A really good skill set, intellectual, very smart, wasn't necessarily very good at school. ... Now he doesn't have to worry about classes. ... He can focus completely on football."
This is what Ohio State fans will say: He said some very nice things about Jones. You're only focusing on the negative.
This is what non-Ohio State fans will say: Meyer is a flat-out jerk for saying these things. A man who demands loyalty from his players then publicly embarrasses them when they can no longer help him win is not a good dude.
There was no reason to say that Jones "wasn't very good at school" publicly. No reason at all. None.
If Meyer feels that way, he can say these things to scouts and NFL teams privately. Telling a newspaper that is beyond poor taste. It's almost coaching malpractice.
Again, why? What's the point?
He wasn't that good in school. How much did your demanding practices factor into that, Urban?
OK, rant over.
6. Scout on Cardale Jones: 'He could be a star'
An AFC scout on Jones: "I would take him in the third round, pretty high. The potential there is great. He could be a star. I like him. He has the right attitude. If he ends up in the right place, he could be a steal."
7. Best video you will see all day
This video of former NFL defensive end Marcellus Wiley talking about painkiller use in football is worth your time.
8. King for a day
There's a reason Seattle Seahawks safety Earl Thomas decided to dress like a king at his wedding. I don't know what it is and wouldn't want to guess. I just think it's cool as hell.
Nothing else to add. Enjoy the pictures.
9. Browns owner and the Pilot Flying J case
Browns owner Jimmy Haslam is the head of Pilot Flying J, a fuel company. Top-ranked officials in the organization are accused of arranging fake rebates for customers. Haslam has denied any knowledge of this activity.
Now, Haslam is fighting an order to be deposed in the case. Haslam has been able to stay out of this unbelievably sordid mess. But if he gets deposed, that would no longer be the case.
I've written before that owners have long been concerned about this case. That worry hasn't abated.
10. Agent mic drop
UCLA linebacker Myles Jack is one of the best prospects in the draft. This week, Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News reported:
Bowen is a good journalist, and the report might be right. On the other hand, one general manager told me Jack's knee "doesn't worry me one bit."
No matter what the truth is, the response from Jack's agent, John Thornton, was gorgeous:
"I wish these doctors/trainers would have shared concussion info like they are sharing "alleged" Myles Jack knee info 樂 #TheShield
— JohnThornton (@JohnThornton) April 18, 2016"
Yeah, that's pretty good.
Mike Freeman covers the NFL for Bleacher Report.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
.png?w=480)
