While the Broncos are busy putting together their coaching staff lately, odds are coming out about which players they’ll look to land in free agency and/or trades.
According to Bet DSI, Denver is the favorite for landing Joe Flacco, and their odds are the fourth-best to get the services of Nick Foles in 2019:
Pet Bet DSI:
Denver +150
Jacksonville +200
Washington +250
Miami +400
New York Giants +750
Oakland +1000
Carolina +1500
Tampa Bay +1500
Baltimore +2000— Nick Veronica (@NickVeronica) January 15, 2019
Odds on Nick Foles' next team, per Bet DSI:
Miami +200
Washington +250
Jacksonville +350
Denver +400
Philadelphia +600
NY Giants +1000
Oakland +1500
Carolina +2000
Tampa Bay +2000— Nick Veronica (@NickVeronica) January 15, 2019
No doubt about it, the Broncos are in the market for quarterback(s) this offseason, whether through free agency, a trade or in the NFL draft. John Elway made that clear himself last week when he talked to Peter King of Pro Football Talk.
Interestingly, we’ve looked at some of the long-term options, and that includes Nick Foles, whom the Broncos should be looking to sign after he’s (likely) not re-signed by the Philadelphia Eagles.
Foles, a journeyman at only 29 years old, has a mutual option with the Eagles coming up soon in which the team must first offer him on a $20 million, one-year deal. With Carson Wentz as Philly’s QB of the future, Foles has become expendable, especially at that price.
His leadership has been phenomenal the last two years, knowing he’s just the backup quarterback, but stepping in admirably to lead the Eagles to their first-ever Super Bowl win. Then, he went back to the bench, but only after starting the 2018 season on the field, returning when Wentz was injured yet again to help his team to a 5-2 record and the Divisional Round.
This quote from Foles by Mike Garafalo explains why the quarterback believes he’s a great leader.
“The quarterback is a piece of that puzzle and you create that with confidence in the locker room and then letting guys know genuinely who you are,” Foles said. “When guys know genuinely who you are and you’re the same person all the time, it gives them a sense of calm and a sense of peace where you can go out there and just play ball.”
Foles has played for three teams over the course of a seven-year career, actually enjoying his best season way back in 2013, with 2,891 yards and 27 touchdowns compared to a mere two interceptions. His 119.2 passer rating was the best in the NFL that year.
Flacco, on the other hand, is older and has spent his entire career with one team, the Baltimore Ravens. In 11 years, he’s amassed 38,245 yards, 212 touchdowns and 136 interceptions.
This year, Flacco missed games due to a hip injury and then head coach John Harbaugh made the switch to Lamar Jackson to end the season in the Wild Card round of the playoffs.
Flacco still has one year remaining on his contract with Baltimore, so the Broncos would have to trade for him. And, that could be tricky because they could find themselves in a bidding war for him in 2020. Also of note, at 33 this year, it seems unlikely Flacco could become that long-term quarterback Elway and Co. are desperately searching for.
The most likely option for that long-term QB is Drew Lock out of Missouri. Will the stud — who’s currently competing at the Senior Bowl — be there at No. 10 overall when the Broncos are on the clock?
We’ll have to wait and see. If he’s gone, the Broncos could possibly look to Kyler Murray in the second or third round.
Either way, expect Denver to pick up a quarterback during this offseason, and it could even be one veteran and a rookie, too.
If the Broncos hire 49ers quarterbacks coach Rich Scangarello as offensive coordinator, which is expected today, he will likely be working closely all the gun-slingers in that room this year.