Don’t do it, Broncos Country.
Don’t settle for running this thing back in 2021. Get me Matt Stafford.
Listen, Lock is a swell guy. He has some spunk and bravado, and maybe, just maybe if the Broncos were to let him develop for a couple more years there is a chance that he could become a competent quarterback.
But I don’t like maybes. I like the sure thing.
And Stafford is as close to a sure thing that is out there for the Broncos.
Actually, the idea of trading for Stafford reminds me of the Broncos signing Jake Plummer in 2003. A career loser just like Stafford, Plummer floundered in Arizona for six seasons. He became a free agent in 2003 and despite throwing 90 touchdowns and 114 interceptions with the Cardinals, Mike Shanahan came calling when many NFL people thought he was junk.
Literally overnight the Broncos were re-legitimized and Plummer took the Broncos to an AFC Championship Game with just an average team behind him. And Plummer in just four seasons in Denver threw 71 touchdowns against 47 picks and became perhaps one of the most underrated Broncos ever.
Plummer went 39-15 with Denver (34-62 in Arizona) and has the second highest winning percentage in team history (.720) trailing only Peyton Manning.
And with absolutely no disrespect to The Snake, Stafford is twice talent Plummer ever was.
Stafford’s toolbox is still one of the best in the business. The former No. 1 overall pick is big but nimble, has an A+ arm and has been a great leader despite playing on perhaps the worst franchise in professional sports history.
On top of that Stafford’s numbers are prolific. His 278 career touchdown passes against only 143 interceptions are brilliant. Those 278 TDs make him the 16th greatest touchdown passer of all-time. And with 22 more touchdowns he will tie John Elway for 12th all-time with 300.
In reality, if Stafford could play five or six more seasons there is a pretty good chance that he becomes a top-6 all-time career touchdown passer behind only Brady, Brees, Manning, Favre, Marino and Rodgers.
And he put these tremendous numerous up while playing for a perennial loser that has the worst ownership and has had the worst general manager-ship in league history. He’s never had help. And he’s never bitched.
Stafford is also only 32-years old, which these days is mid-prime for a quarterback considering we have quality starting quarterbacks in the league right now over 40-years-old.
Stafford would bring instant credibility and stability to a franchise desperate for it. He would have weapons the likes in which he has never experienced in Sutton-Jeudy-Hamler-Fant-Gordan-Lindsay.
Would the Broncos win a Super Bowl with Stafford? I can’t sit here and type yes. But could he lift the Broncos back up to a position like Alex Smith did with the Chiefs until the Broncos find their own Mahomes? Sure.
Could he with an already good defense and a little bit of a run game take the Broncos to an AFC Championship Game like our boy The Snake did? Sure, why not, I’m in.
A second and a fourth-round pick? The asking price wouldn’t be too steep. And for those of you who say the contract would be too big to take on, I would say that Stafford is the ninth highest earning player in NFL history. At this point in his career it is all about winning and legacy. I believe Stafford would rework his deal to help win.
What do you do with Drew Lock?
Keep him around and develop him. He would actually be a great and super-cheap backup quarterback. Considering backup quarterbacks can make $10 million per these days your quarterback room wouldn’t be as expensive as advertised.
8-8 with Lock next year wasting a good defense? Or 10-11 wins for the Broncos next season and a playoff win with Stafford?
Sign me up.
