Thread: Broncos Sources Shoot Down the AJ McCarron To Broncos Trade !

John Elway shot down the rumour "150% false" of the Broncos rumoured trade for AJ McCarron. I don't think that was ever a real option. But this take by Pro Football Focus Mike Florio is interesting:

Broncos shoot down talk of A.J. McCarron trade
Posted by Mike Florio on August 9, 2017, 10:29 AM EDT

As the Broncos continue to watch Trevor Siemian and Paxton Lynch battle it out for the starting quarterback job, the team has shot down a third option not named Chad Kelly.

Nicki Jhabvala of the Denver Post reports, citing an unnamed source, that a report linking the Broncos to Bengals quarterback A.J. Carron is “150% false.”

Statistical impossibility notwithstanding, I think we get the point. And it makes sense, for various reasons.

First, the Bengals have asked for a lot for McCarron when contacted in the past about possibly trading him. Second, the Bengals at this point may be inclined to keep him around as a potential replacement in 2018 for Andy Dalton, if Dalton stinks it up this year. Third, trading for McCarron would put the Broncos in the awkward spot of having to justify whatever they give up to get him by either giving him a significant long-term deal or using the $23-milllion-plus franchise tag in 2018. Fourth, trading for McCarron would represent a concession that they blew it when trading up in round one 16 months ago to get Paxton Lynch.

It’s simply too late for an emergency option of that magnitude, and it would cost much more than the John Elway-led franchise ever would give up for a potential franchise quarterback. If Sieman isn’t clearly better than Lynch, it makes much more sense to roll the dice with Lynch, figure out whether he’s the guy, and then move on to other plans in 2018 if neither Siemian nor Lynch can get it done in 2017.

I'd say I agree with this. Trevor is clearly leading the QB contest to this point, but a lot will depend on how each QB performs in the next 2 preseason games. Then once they name a starting QB, a lot will depend on how that QB and the team performs in the regular season.

If they aren't satisfied with Trevor, it makes much more sense to start Paxton, see what he can do with a full season, and unless he develops into a top 10 QB prospect by seasons' end, then move on in 2018 to draft another first round or second round QB, who can come in and compete with Chad Kelly. Perhaps at that point they also consider a trade. But, giving $23 M to AJ McCarron makes less than zero sense to begin with, so that was never going to be true.

150% false?

I don't think that is possible.

Elway called it "fake news" Lol

I never once heard this rumor.

23 Mill to AJ? Wtf! We would be better off trading for Matthew Stafford or Phillip Rivers.

Originally Posted by slim

150% false?

I don't think that is possible.

Yes, it's reminiscent of Sen. McGovern famously saying that he was "150% behind Thomas Eagleton" as his VP choice, shortly before dumping him off the 1972 Democratic ticket, when reports surfaced that Eagleton had been voluntarily committed to a medical facility for a mental breakdown.

"You can only sell 100% of anything, Max." "And how much of a percent of 'Springtime for Hitler' have we sold?" "2700%." Gene Wilder and Zero Mostel, in The Producers

Originally Posted by slim

150% false?

I don't think that is possible.

Is that a double negative? Is a double negative rumor a truth?

Originally Posted by BroncoJoe

I never once heard this rumor.

It's all over facebook. Isn't that where we go for legit sources? But...they are talking about it alot today on the fan.

Cincinnati is saying they are getting phone calls. I bet some team called and Cincy is trying to drive up the price.

Originally Posted by BroncoJoe

I never once heard this rumor.

Just broke - and was shot down by Elway, this AM. All the talk radio shows were talking about it all morning. Reports surfaced out of Cincinnati that the Broncos were interested in trading a 2nd round pick for AJ McCarron. It was a serious story too. Elway was furious and launched a vicious tweet insisting that the report is "irresponsible example of fake news."

Sandy Clough on 104.3 the Fan is talking about this story non stop. Kinda put Elway on blast that it isn't fake news.

After listening to this stuff, I think what happened is really as follows:

At some point in the past (probably in 2016) the Broncos did talk to the Bengals about the availability of AJ McCarron. Teams talk to each other all the time.

But, there's currently no interest on the Broncos part. This talk coming on top of the QB contest, is distracting and undermining, if not countered quickly. So, he did.

The motive on the Bengals part is to drive up the price. So, they leak the story. They would probably like to get a 2nd round pick for him. On the other hand, they don't have to trade him.

They could wait and see how Andy Dalton does this season. If it's another playoff flop, and Dalton looks bad, then they could turn to McCarron next year. They'd have to franchise him though. And that would cost them $23M.

BTW: Check out AJ McCarron's wife, Katherine Webb:



Frankly, I'd be happier than he is if this was my life!

Originally Posted by Cugel

BTW: Check out AJ McCarron's wife, Katherine Webb:



Frankly, I'd be happier than he is if this was my life!

Damn, just changed my mind on the McCarron trade. I'm on board, two firsts and TS and PL for Katherine Webb (and Cincy can throw in AJ the QB).

Other teams out there have QB issues also - think Houston, Jacksonville, Jets, Browns. It's possible the Bengals wanted to fleece one of them and needed some other buyer to drive up the price.

Stink's take on this whole thing is interesting: "I played in the NFL 12 years, and now I've been in the Denver media for 17 years, and one thing I've learned about the NFL, when someone in the media comes along and breaks news and says "my sources are telling me this" and within minutes other media outlets have talked with the Broncos and had an instant denial of that news, that means that something is going on. Teams don't just reach out and instantly start "deny, deny, deny" if there hasn't been talks. So, my perspective after years and years of watching this kind of thing go down, when this kind of news breaks and the team says "nothing to see here" there's something to see here. Now it might not happen, but. . . . plausible deniability is the currency in the NFL, and usually there's some truth to the story when it's reported like this. The reason those "sources" exist is that there have been conversations."

Q: "How serious was the Broncos interest in AJ McCarron? Was it way beyond just kicking the tires? The Broncos have vociferously denied the report."

Sandy Clough: "It is more than just casual interest. Obviously, the Broncos aren't going to tip their hand and the form their denials are taking are the same as with past stories [that turned out to be true.]

The same media outlets reported in January denying our report that Vance Joseph would be the next coach. Same people denied when we reported it last October that Gary Kubiak was going to retire at the end of the season, and had considered retirement after the SB, only to be talked out of it by John Elway. "Deny, deny, deny, no truth to it." Why would the Broncos acknowledge this? If they don't pull the trade off, they throw both QBs under the bus. If they get out-bid they can say "we were never that interested. Maybe those other teams were interested, but not us." But, there is interest from some teams and the Broncos are one of those teams."

I don't buy this. It's too late in the off-season. If a trade was possible, it should have happened in the Spring, not a few weeks before the start of the regular season! SO, maybe Elway pursued a trade in April or something. That would make sense. McCarron is probably a better QB than either Trevor or Paxton (what we've seen to this point.)