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Horse Tracks: John Elway pulls another rabbit out of his endless hat of tricks

With the signing of Pro-Bowl left guard Evan Mathis, John Elway once again demonstrates his prowess as an NFL General Manager by pulling another rabbit out of his proverbial, endless hat of tricks.

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Happy Wednesday, Broncos Country!

Less than twenty-four hours have passed since the Denver Broncos came to a one year agreement with former Pro-Bowl guard Evan Mathis and Broncos fans still can't get over the sense of euphoria and optimism the deal brings the franchise. Christmas has once again come early to Broncos Country.

Although young players Ty Sambrailo, Max Garcia and Matt Paradis have played well so far this pre-season, the man heading the Broncos front office seemed to believe that a move was necessary to bolster the Broncos offensive line efficacy for the 2015 season. Once again, John Elway pulled another rabbit out of his endless hat of tricks and took the NFL by storm with the signing of Mathis.

According to numerous reports, Mathis turned down a deal from another team that would have paid him just as much as he was scheduled to earn ($5.5 million) prior to being cut by the Eagles earlier in the offseason because he wanted to play for a contender. In the wake of former head coach Josh McDaniels' atrocious handling of the organization on a  handful of levels, rebuilding the Broncos was going to be an arduous task. I don't think there could ever have been a better man to do the job than #7, who has brought Denver back to prestige and honor after McDaniels left the team destitute and devoid of talent.

There is no questioning that Elway has turned this franchise around in the short time he has reigned in as Vice President of Football Operations and General Manager.  The number of quality free agent signings are through the roof: Peyton Manning, DeMarcus Ware, Aqib Talib, Chris Harris, Jr., Brandon Marshall, Emmanuel Sanders, Louis Vasquez are just a handful of players Elway has accumulated to make Denver's roster filled with Pro-Bowl and impact players that have become the envy of the entire league.

With the signing of Mathis, the Broncos add another Pro-Bowl player into the fold and give the Broncos arguably the best offensive line guard tandem in the NFL. It isn't a long-term move by any stretch of the imagination, but significantly bolsters their ability to compete for a Lombardi Trophy this season. It also gives them a significant upgrade at a position of need and allows a young player like Garcia to sit back and learn the rigors of the NFL before being cast in the flames for baptism by fire. The team is better now and in the future by Elway's most recent act of genius, one that will propel the Broncos to the top of the AFC's list of formidable foes.

Today's Horse Tracks are dedicated to John Elway, who we are blessed to have overseeing our beloved franchise. You have heard these words before, but you will hear them again now:  "This one is for John!"

Thank you John Elway — for all that you have done in the past and continue to do for the Denver Broncos!

Horse Tracks:

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Practice Quick Hits: Matt Paradis takes the lead up front
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Evan Mathis: "No. 1 priority was playing for contender"
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Orlando Scandrick tears ACL and MCL, out for season
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What we learned: Week 2 winners and losers
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Ryan Mallett disagrees with Texans' choice of Hoyer
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Rank's 11: Bridgewater leads 2015 fantasy sleepers
The season is approaching, meaning it's time for Adam Rank (and the rest of our experts) to highlight their sleepers. Find out why Rank believes Teddy Bridgewater will outscore Peyton Manning here.

An NFL coach says he has never seen anything like what the Redskins did with Robert Griffin III in a preseason game
In a preseason game last week, Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III was repeatedly hit by Detroit Lions defenders until finally he had to leave the game with a concussion.