It's ok, Elway can't hurt you anymore. :D
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Im with you until rook QB starting early. I do not see it. OR- let me rephrase. If I am Paton. I start lock unless the rook just completely shows out! (doubtful even if its fields whom I want). So I would let both get reps and see if rookie can push Lock, or on the longshot beat him. If he cannot, that is okay, we ride with Lock unless he just plays like dogshit. I have this feeling he will not. I am not sure he breaks through the ceiling into a top QB but I do think he plays well. If he breaks through then we have a solid rook for trading or whatever else. If lock does not, then it is rookie time. He will need time to learn but he will get there and get better. Then we dump,bakcup, trade lock.
In any event it is a good problem to have. The only thing is to not play the rookie because he is a rookie. That is the mistake. Taking a page out of Joe Sakics book. The avs are the best team I have ever seen assembled. However, he does not bring anyone to active roster (hockey dif than football in that regard) unless they can actually play better.
I think Paton has to do the same thing. Draft Fields (Only QB I want in the first), but ONLY play him if he is clearly better than Lock. If not, he sits. Thats how it is. If he is close to lock and lock is in a down streak, he does not play. It is only when he is better!
He'll give guys a breather on running downs...that's about it
I think Paton is actually playing this quite well. He said from the beginning that we’d, “be in on every deal”. People want a scoop so much they’re willing to post articles, videos, podcasts, and tweets every time Paton picks up the phone or even looks in the direction of a QB not named Lock. The league is so down on Lock as being a terrible QB that the Broncos must find a replacement for while giving guys like Darnold and Bridgewater the benefit of every doubt, that I don’t think they can see the forest for the trees.
Paton is a value shopper. He’s like those guys on that reality show kicking the tires on anything of any value before walking away when the price gets too high. He’ll window shop any sale and see what the going rate is. Yeah, he was in on Stafford, and Wentz, and Darnold, and probably inquired about guys like Bridgewater and even Garopollo and every other QB with starting experience when it oooked like they might be available. How many QBs has Denver been supposedly linked to this offseason as “potential” targets? We haven’t pursued any of them seriously.
Now, by process of elimination, we’re essentially the only real suitor for Watson. We’ve held on to our extra cap space and haven’t overpaid on FAs. Watson, like Von a month ago, is facing a legal issue and Payton won’t act until it’s resolved. If Watson’s case concludes with no criminal charges, I expect to be the front runner in a trade for him. Also, by standing pat on the QB situation we’ve put ourselves in position to either take a QB in the first round or get draft capital and trade back for someone who wants the guy that falls to 9. I don’t think us drafting a QB at 9 buys us anything in 2021, though. Shurmur is still the OC and he WILL NOT run some gimmicky RPO/read option offense for a rookie QB just to make them comfortable. Nobody in this draft will be able to come in and take the job from Lock after 2 years in the system and familiarity with his receivers and Oline. Lock will win the job unless it’s just handed to the rookie. The rookie will struggle in the system and we’ll be right back to changing coaching staffs all over again.
Or, we can just roll with Lock and actually give a talented player the proper time to develop into a starting QB who, as we got to see in the SD game, can compete in a shootouts in the AFC West, especially when backed by the best defense in the division and possibly a top 5 defense in the league. Yeah, bringing in a guy to be a backup is something to pursue because with Driskell or Rypien, we likely lose most games if Lock does get hurt, but bringing in a vet to “compete” that doesn’t make this team instantly better would be a HUGE mistake. Moves like that just divide the locker room. Gotta ask yourself, and I think Paton does this, “How does bringing in Bridgewater make this offense better?” If the answer is, “it doesn’t it just makes it different”, then it’s not worth it.
I’m happy to sit back and wait to see the grand plan unfold before our eyes. Paton is doing just fine so far.