Is it time for the organization to part ways with GM John Elway?
Former quarterback may have safest GM job in the NFL
Don’t you think it’s time to clean out the front off ice? Time for John Elway to start looking for a different job. I’m sure he can get a job at the city of Denver. He has pull.
— Larry Phelps, Mt. Vernon, N.Y.
In most franchises, three non-playoff years plus an 0-4 start to the fourth season would ratchet up the heat on the front office chief. But the Broncos aren’t most teams and Elway isn’t most executives. Since there is no controlling owner in place, Elway, as we’ve said time and again, has arguably the safest general manager’s job in the NFL after Dallas owner/GM Jerry Jones. It would be the boldest move of bold moves if president/CEO Joe Ellis decided to shake up the front office and I don’t expect him to do that. But if things go downhill, it would be prudent for Ellis to recommend to Elway a re-shaping of the football operations because the status quo isn’t working.
What’s your view on the Broncos swinging and missing on first-and secon d-round tight ends when obviously the glaring need was linebacker? I’m sure Noah Fant will have a decent return on investment eventually, but you need linebackers to assist the D-line with stuffing the run. A 0-4 record is tough to swallow! — Will, Athens, N.Y.
Hindsight is a part of the draft process … and for good reason. It’s interesting to track the players the local team passes on. For the Broncos, that’s linebacker Devin Bush. The Broncos could have selected him at No. 10, but opted to trade down 10 spots to take Fant while also acquiring enough chips to move back into the second round for quarterback Drew Lock and have a 2020 third-rounder in their cupboard. It’s almost like coach Vic Fangio wanted to see how the current group of inside linebackers (chiefly, Todd Davis and Josey Jewell) fared in his scheme before making any final decisions. Fangio and general manager John Elway had little use for the back-ups during camp or else they would not have signed Corey Nelson and started him in Week 1. As for Fant, he scored a 25-yard touchdown Sunday against Jacksonville. If the Broncos get a top-f ive pick in the draft would they consider taking one of the elite quarterbacks? They don’t grow on trees. —JohnTravis, Akron, Ohio
The folks at CBS Sports on Monday afternoon posted a 2020 NFL Mock Draft and had the Broncos drafting South Carolina defensive lineman Javon Kinlaw third overall. But let’s be real. If the Broncos lose their way into the top five, they should consider left tackle if Garett Bolles’ time is up, inside linebacker because that remains an issue or quarterback. If the Broncos play Drew Lock over the final half of the season, that will be enough intel to decide if quarterback should be prioritized in next spring’s first round. I like Jacob Eason (Washington), Jake Fromm (Georgia) and Joe Burrow (LSU).