Legendary look-see
Heavy hitters, including Elway, know checking out young guns is part of process
While most eyes have been f ixated on two MOBILE, ALA. » quarterbacks auditioning in pads and jerseys at LaddPeebles Stadium this week, it’s hard to miss the quartet of legends standing along the sideline.
John Elway, the Broncos Hall of Famer and general manager; Gary Kubiak, his backup-turned-right-hand man; Dan Marino, the Miami Dolphins Hall of Famer and current adviser; and John Lynch, a Broncos Ring of Famer and current San Francisco 49ers GM, all stood within arm’s reach of one another to view Day 2 of practice for the Senior Bowl.
Where Baker Mayfield’s feet moved, their eyes shifted. Where Josh Allen’s throws landed, their heads turned.
There was little secrecy in their presence and their focus as they returned to the same spot to watch the same set of players showcase their talents ahead of the draft.
But their assessments, well, they’re keeping those close.
“I think we’re still in the process,” Elway said. “In the end, hopefully by April 25 (the day before the draft begins), we have everything figured and know which direction we’re going to go. But now we’re in the middle of the process. We’re three weeks out from the end of last season, so this is all part of the process about learning as much as we can about everybody. As time goes on, we’ll continue to work on them and study each one of them, and by the time we get to the draft, have them ranked and go from there.”
The Broncos are early in their postseason evaluation period, and nearly every option is on the table as they search for a starting quarterback and look to rebuild an offense that has been inconsistent and underwhelming for more than two seasons now. Their roster will probably undergo a significant renovation, with new parts arriving via free agency and the
draft, perhaps even trades, too. Although Denver’s staff gets an early look at a pair of quarterbacks in Allen and Mayfield, the Broncos’ focus will soon shift to free agency, where they could fill some of their biggest holes.
And their moves on the open market could determine their plans in the draft, where less is guaranteed.
“There are a lot more unknowns going into the draft than there is in free agency,” El- way said. “So we’ll look at all the holes that we do have and see what’s available, then also how everything fits with what we want to do, the value that’s there — trying to manipulate everything to where we get the best bang for our buck when it comes down to cap dollars as well as the best football team. Even though we know a little more about what we’re doing in the draft because we’re picking higher than we have in the past, that helps a little bit knowing what we might possibly get in the draft.”
But their stop in Alabama has already proved valuable. The Senior Bowl rosters are lopsided in favor of the Broncos, who get to coach Allen, viewed by some as the top pick in the draft; guard Will Hernandez, who shifted from the South team to be reunited with former UTEP coach and new Broncos offensive line coach Sean Kugler; outsize running back Kalen Ballage, a Colorado native and Arizona State standout; speedy receiver Michael Gallup, a Biletnikoff Award finalist out of Colorado State; and Mayfield, whom the Broncos requested to coach.
“He’s a guy that competes, comes out here and throws the ball very well, got a strong arm, he throws with good anticipation. He’s had a good couple of days,” Elway said of Mayfield. “We wanted to get an opportunity to meet him. Obviously, we’ve seen what everyone else has seen and what he can do on the field and the type of player that he is. To be able to have a week to be around him and get to know him a little bit was important to us.”
But if you want answers on which way the Broncos are leaning, keep digging.