Now that the Green Bay Packers have won the Super Bowl, they have also shown other teams in the NFL that the way to build what appears to be an up-and-coming dynasty is to build through the NFL Draft, and the Denver Broncos have not had quite the success of Green Bay in recent drafts, but they have an opportunity with a very deep class in 2011 to get a few impact players, and John Elway's recent comments seem to indicate the team might be interested in getting even more than they currently possess.
We have already heard that the Broncos are asking for a 2nd round pick in exchange for quarterback Kyle Orton, and in order for that to get done, a new CBA needs to be agreed upon. While it is no lock that Orton is going to be traded, it seems likely at this point, and in a recent interview on the NFL Network, Elway gave a little insight as to what the Broncos might do with the second pick, and noted that the new CBA (or lack thereof) will have a huge impact on what they do:
"We're in the process of setting that board up," Elway responded when asked about the second pick during an appearance on the NFL Network. "The board is set, but as far as where we're going to go with it, we don't really know until we find out what's going to go on the collective bargaining agreement, because obviously that second pick is an expensive pick if it stays as it is."
You can read into this what you will, but to me, this says two things:
1. The Broncos feel like they will be "stuck" with the #2 pick if there is no CBA
2. The Broncos could be interested in trading the pick if there IS a new CBA
You may need to read the comments a couple of times, but look between the lines. Elway knows that with a new CBA, the 2nd overall pick will likely have a much lower price tag, and as a result will be more attractive in a trade where the Broncos can pick up a bounty of picks. He also seems to indicate that if there isn't a new CBA by the time of the draft, the 2nd overall pick will likely be very expensive, and thus, almost completely untradeable.
The Broncos have a ton of options with the draft, and while Elway didn't say anything directly about trading the pick, the fact that they don't know what direction there heading until there is a new CBA is pretty telling. It could also mean that they don't know what position they are planning on taking that would make the most sense financially. For instance, making Patrick Peterson the highest drafted cornerback ever could come with a giant price tag if there is no new CBA, but taking a guy like Nick Fairley, Marcell Dareus, or Da'Quan Bowers gives them a couple of blueprints from the past to reference.
It's all about money and getting the best value with the picks to me, and if the Broncos are able to trade down to a reasonably high pick and acquire extra picks in the 2nd, 3rd, and maybe even 1st round in 2012, then I would be very much in favor of it.