IF BRONCOS WANT STAFFORD, THEY BETTER MOVE FAST

If the Broncos want Matthew Stafford to be their quarterback, there’s no time to waste. Denver better move fast.

Yes, I realize new general manager George Paton hasn’t been in town long enough to decide whether he should finish his first meal at Casa Bonita with the churros or adelita, much less make up his mind on Drew Lock.

But dillying or dallying will not be allowed, General Paton. Your first big executive decision in Denver will be to jump into the Stafford Derby or take a hard pass on a solid Grade B quarterback.

While the Detroit Lions are synonymous with football dysfunction, I trust they have the capability to answer the phone and evaluate trade offers for a quarterback that has thrown nearly 300 touchdown passes in the NFL. It’s reasonable to expect this deal can and should be closed quickly, even if it’s not formally announced until later.

Nobody asked for my input, but here goes: Stafford is a BandAid. Nothing more. Nothing less.

Broncos Country, however, is hurting so badly that anything or anyone capable of stopping the orange-and-blue bleeding looks appealing. And Stafford is a better quarterback than Lock, with a bigger arm and the hard-earned wisdom of suffering through eight losing seasons during a dozen years with the woeful Lions.

Falling somewhere in the pantheon of recent pro quarterbacks between Carson Palmer (one career playoff victory) and Jake Plummer (two career playoff victories), Stafford is probably just good enough to get the Broncos beat in the postseason once or twice before taking his football home, hanging up his cleats and heading off to Aspen on a ski vacation with the family to celebrate retirement.

Stafford? Rhymes with meh. Meh, however, is an upgrade to the neighborhood where the Broncos have been living lately.

Any way you cut the analytics, Stafford at his best is a notch below elite. He’s John Elway Lite. Half the carbs, but no Super

Bowl rings. Stafford is barely more than a week shy of his 33rd birthday. But if the Broncos believe they can get two or three seasons of top 10 QB play from him, I do understand why Paton would consider trading for him. It’s a move that would re-invigorate the fan base, as well as linebacker Von Miller and veteran players in Denver’s locker room.

So let’s get down to the real nitty-gritty.

What’s the top price the Bron

cos should be willing to pay in a potential trade for Stafford?

After working as a front-office executive with the Minnesota Vikings during the entirety of the 6-foot-3, 220-pound quarterback’s career in Detroit, Paton shouldn’t have to retreat to a darkened film room to reach his conclusion. For example:

Stafford did beat Minnesota and our old pal Case Keenum once during the 2017 season. Of course, defeating Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs might prove to be a bit more rigorous challenge.

After doing a little noodling, here’s what I regard as a trade offer Paton could make the Lions with a straight face:

The Broncos send Lock and the No. 9 overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft to Detroit.

Denver, however, would be wise to get more in return than a veteran quarterback that has never won a playoff game. So would the Lions also agree to ship their second-round pick (No. 41 overall) back to the Broncos? Hope so.

Stafford would be an immediate upgrade at quarterback. With other big holes in the Denver roster (hello, defensive backfield), it would be foolish for Paton to overpay for Stafford, though. If the price isn’t right, let him go to San Francisco, New Orleans or a team closer to Super Bowl ready.

After patiently waiting years for the right situation to shape a roster to his liking, there will be no soft opening for Paton’s tenure as general manager in Denver. He was hired to make crucial decisions and take bold action for a long-suffering team, not sit back for a year and cautiously evaluate.

Does Paton believe the Broncos can win a championship with Lock as the starting quarterback? If the answer is no, what sense would it make to bring in a journeyman like Andy Dalton in to give Lock competition for the starting job? That would feel like a hedged bet, a cop-out, a bow and curtsy to Elway’s decision to draft Lock.

With the team’s playoff drought now at five long years, Paton simply cannot sit back and let it all be. He must decide: Trade for Stafford? Or pass on him?

It’s go time. Paton gets paid the big bucks to make tough calls. And live with the consequences.