Quarterback watch:
Broncos are keeping their options open.
The Broncos are on the clock. Not for the draft, but to find a quarterback.
Holding the 31st selection in the first round Thursday, Denver continues to explore multiple options, including San Francisco’s Colin Kaepernick and Philadelphia’s Sam Bradford.
Denver’s interest in Kaepernick is public. General manager John Elway and coach Gary Kubiak met with Kaepernick recently, discussing his future and fit. But there has been no resolution on the finances. The Broncos want Kaepernick at $7 million this season, leaving two options: Kaepernick accepting a $4.9 million pay cut, which is unlikely, or the 49ers paying a similar chunk to move him.
San Francisco hasn’t budged, leaving Elway to say last week talks were “dormant” but not dead. If the 49ers land a quarterback in the draft, giving them a contingency plan behind Blaine Gabbert for new coach Chip Kelly, it could increase their motivation to ship out Kaepernick, who requested a trade in February.
Bradford, too, wants out, with agent Tom Condon insisting Bradford will not report to voluntary offseason activities after Philadelphia acquired the second pick to take a quarterback, presumably Carson Wentz. The Broncos probably have called Philadelphia this week about Bradford. His $7 million salary in 2016 is reasonable, but Philadelphia paid him an $11 million signing bonus, leaving the Eagles probably desiring a high draft pick to consider moving him. Condon told ESPN the Eagles have denied him permission to talk to clubs about the quarterback.
While the Broncos want a veteran, they remain openminded. They could draft a quarterback this week. Paxton Lynch, Connor Cook, Dak Prescott and Jeff Driskel all visited over the past month.
Elway has remained patient in his pursuit of a veteran after acquiring Mark Sanchez on March 11.
“I know Mark is excited about being here, and we’re excited about having him,” Elway said. “He was a high draft pick seven years ago. Hopefully we can get somebody in here. That’s why we took our time. You never know how this thing is going to fall. There have been a lot of twists and turns already at this point in time. We’ll just kind of wait and see, and we’re going to continue to wait and see how it falls out.”