Which veteran QB would make sense to acquire?
Q: Ryan, every single quarterback who’s on the trading block is being rumored to come to Denver. Is there one who would make sense more than the others? I’d love to have Deshaun Watson here, but I only imagine we’d have to mortgage our future in order to get him. I’m less excited about the prospects of Matthew Stafford or Jimmy Garoppolo coming here — I’d much rather have Drew Lock under center for one more year than either of those two. What are your thoughts?
— Mike, Aurora
Ryan: Once again, we’re amidst The Offseason of Quarterback Chatter for the Broncos. Let’s take this player-by-player.
Watson: A franchise-changing player who would make the Broncos an instant playoff contender. I would do whatever it took to get in the mix even if it includes players off the roster and multiple firstround picks.
Stafford: I wrote about this in Tuesday’s newspaper. A fine talent, but he turns 33 next month, has never won a playoff game and does he really make the Broncos that much better?
Garoppolo: No thanks.
Lock: If not Watson, giving Lock a final chance as the starter would be the best course.
Q: Did Von Miller’s recent off-the-field issue signal the end for him here in Denver? I love the Vonster, but he’s way too expensive after a mediocre 2019 season and being out last year with a major injury. Does he have any trade value with his expiring contract or would we have to cut him if we want to recoup that money?
— Tom S., Fort Collins
Ryan: Nothing new on the Miller off-thefield issue, which came out of nowhere on Jan. 15 when the Parker Police Department said he was the subject of an investigation.
Regardless of that issue, is it worth keeping Miller at his current cap hit (team-high $22.125 million)? I would thank Von for his service, tell him he’ll eventually be in the Ring of Honor and wish him well on completing a likely Pro Football Hall of Fame career. The next-closest cap hit on the Broncos is safety Kareem Jackson ($12.9M).
As soon as general manager George Paton calls an NFL colleague about Miller, that general manager should take that as a sign Miller will be cut and just wait it out. The other option is acquiring Miller with the understanding he will have the final year of his deal reworked and extended.
Barrett wanted a chance to start at outside linebacker and that wasn’t happening here with Miller and Bradley Chubb. He bet on himself in 2019 with a one-year deal and turned that into a 2020 franchise tag. He will be one of the top free agents on the market.
Cutting Miller would create $13.875 million of cap space.
Q: How are the Justin Simmons negotiations going? It seems like a no-brainer to lock him up on a long-term deal.
— Patty, Denver
Ryan: Because Paton just started on the job two weeks ago, my guess is he is canvassing the roster and meeting with the coaches and chief contract negotiator Rich Hurtado about how to proceed with Simmons. Does Paton see Simmons in as high of a light as Broncos fans? Who knows. But what Paton does know is the Broncos aren’t in a position to let good players walk out the door.
Even before Paton came aboard, my guess was the Broncos placing Simmons under the franchise tag in March and then trying like heck to achieve a long-term deal.