*Walt taking 2014 and 2018 |
Charlie Campbell, Senior Draft Analyst |
Broncos Plan Significant Changes at Quarterback
Updated Feb. 15, 2016By Charlie Campbell. Follow Charlie on Twitter @draftcampbell.
Bill Parcells used to say that winning is a great deodorant, and that certainly has been proven true time and again in the NFL. While the Denver Broncos won the ultimate prize of Super Bowl 50, that sweet smell won’t mask some of the disgust in Denver. In fact, multiple relationships at the most important position on the team are tenuous entering this offseason. In speaking with sources, they say the Broncos are going to have real changes at the quarterback position in the weeks to come.
Sources say that Broncos general manager John Elway is done with Peyton Manning, and he won’t be back with the team next year. The relationship between Manning and Elway has deteriorated over the past season, and Elway is ready to move on. Manning is faced with a decision on retiring, but sources say he won’t be returning to Denver if he decides he wants to play next year.
Backup quarterback Brock Osweiler is also entering free agency. Osweiler played in eight games in 2015, completing 62 percent of his passes for 1,967 yards with 10 touchdowns and six interceptions. The fifth-year pro was unhappy about his benching, but Osweiler and the team could agree on a new contract. Sources say that Osweiler wants $12 million per season, while the Broncos want to sign him to a 3-year contract averaging about $10 million per year. While Denver would like him back, sources say that it has to be at a price they are comfortable paying.
Even if Osweiler is re-signed, drafting a quarterback early in the 2016 NFL draft is definitely in play for Denver. The Broncos loved North Dakota State quarterback Carson Wentz, but know that he won’t be getting anywhere near Denver’s pick. However, the team also is enamored with Mississippi State quarterback Dak Prescott. He is a good fit in Gary Kubiak’s offense and sources say that Prescott is in play for the Broncos on the second-day of the draft.
At the Senior Bowl, Prescott really helped himself by impressing teams with intelligence, leadership and overall football character. Sources from multiple teams raved about Prescott’s performance in the team interviews. They say he is a fast-rising prospect in the quarterback-needy NFL.
Denver’s plan is to address the defensive line in the first round. They love Alabama’s Jarran Reed, but he also is very unlikely to make it to pick 31. Still, the 2016 draft is loaded at the defensive line, so there should be some good options available to the Broncos. Even though Denver’s first-round pick could go to fortifying its tremendous defense, the changes at quarterback will get all the attention this offseason.
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