It truly is remarkable how quickly we can move on from a championship season. Peyton Manning hoisted the Lombardi Trophy less than two weeks ago and here we are focusing on whether Brock Osweiler and Malik Jackson will be back in Denver next season.
Now, I’d like for everyone to take a moment to smell the confetti-laden flowers, but it is what it is. Sports fans are insatiable. Success breeds the desire for more success, and Broncos Country already has their eyes set on February 2017.
But we’ve got a long ways to go, and there’s a lot to do. And I’m not just talking about the free-agency dilemma; there are a lot of critical questions the Broncos need to answer in the next few months.
In fact, here are five of them:
Who’s the Broncos’ starting quarterback?
For a Super Bowl winning team, the Broncos had an inordinate amount of drama at the quarterback position, so why would you expect anything different now?
As I wrote about earlier in the week, re-signing Brock Osweiler is anything but a sure thing. With the quarterback market, both in free agency and the draft, running a little thin, a guy like Osweiler, who played a major role on a championship team, could be looking at a big-time payday. Not only does he have upside, but he’s proven himself in big moments, completing double-digit comebacks versus the Patriots and Bengals.
And if he bolts, Denver is suddenly stuck in a very precarious position.
Is Peyton Manning the answer? Our own James Merilatt thinks so, but that’s up to Manning. If he decides to retire, then the Broncos are left with Trevor Siemian; that’s not encouraging.
Mile High Sports Radio’s Benjamin Allbright has reported that the Broncos are looking into Robert Griffin III, but that’s a gamble at best. Do you swing a trade for Colin Kaepernick? Do you grab a complete unknown like Chase Daniel?
Who knows? But it’s critical that they figure something out. Denver managed to win one Super Bowl with little help from their quarterback; I’d be surprised if the league allows them to do that again.
