John Elway ranked NFL's No. 2 general manager by Rotoworld

Five-straight division titles.

Two Super Bowl appearances.

One Super Bowl win.

Built one of the greatest defenses in NFL history two years after having the best offense in NFL history.

A resume like that would make the man behind it a genius and one of the best in the business.

Right?

Not when it comes to John Elway.

People say his hubris will cost him.

They say he's cheap.

They award other general managers "Executive of the Year" who haven't had close to the level of success Elway has had with the Denver Broncos.

At least there's hope that the tide is turning.

Rotoworld ranked the NFL's best GMs in 2016 and had Elway at No. 2.

No. 1? Bill Belichick. That's a real shocker.

These rankings are based on this offseason alone. They are based on five areas: Who they hire, draft and sign, and for how much and how long. How they fare in those five areas is the basis for the 2016 rankings.

The fact that Elway is No. 2 may shock some, since by all accounts he's been one of the worst this offseason. Hyperbole is not lacking in media circles.

The basis for that is "losing" out on Brock Osweiler to the desperate Houston Texans.

Here's another reason the Rotoworld story is a breath of fresh air:

The pressure to keep the band together is never greater than after winning a championship. Why let anyone slip away from a core that just lifted the Lombardi? Alas, that's what John Elway did 31 days after Super Bowl 50, waving goodbye as Brock Osweiler departed for a ludicrous four-year, $72 million offer from the Texans. ... Broncos fans can be nervous about losing their quarterback of the future, but they can't debate Elway's golden touch.

As the story added, Elway's "a general manager who's almost never botched a big decision."

Let's put this another way: Want to know why Elway is No. 2 on this list, aside from his resume? He doesn't make trades like Les Snead and the Los Angeles Rams made with the Tennessee Titans for the No. 1 pick.

While some in Broncos Country are on the verge of jumping off the cliff not knowing who the quarterback is in Denver, Elway remains patient. He does what great business executives should do: not panic. Let the situation play out, and when the opportunity arises, attack for the kill. But Elway will not make a move that threatens the Broncos' ability to have success now or in five years.

Of course, that means anyone and everyone will continue to speculate who Elway is or will be interested in.

The most recent comes from Mike Klis, who tweeted Denver may have interest in Case Keenum now that the Rams have the No. 1 pick. They can also throw in Nick Foles, he too with the Rams.

Just when you think the Broncos' quarterback speculation can't get any worse.

The more people hypothesize, the better Jake Plummer sounds. Not Plummer from 2005; Plummer now.

I'm still waiting for someone to mention Kyle Orton or Brady Quinn. Those are about the only two quarterbacks left who haven't been rumored to the Broncos.

The question has been asked: What is the impact of the Rams and Titans trade on Elway and Denver? Minimal at best.

Elway doesn't allow others to dictate what he does. In any negotiation, he has his line and that's it. He may go a little past it, but not by much.

Elway wasn't going to trade into the Top 10 anyway. If anything, this deal lessens the likelihood that the Colin Kaepernick trade happens since the San Francisco 49ers were rumored to like Jared Goff. For that to happen at this point, San Francisco would have to make a deal with the Cleveland Browns, and 49ers general manager Trent Baalke is more likely to trade down than up. There's also the distinct possibility the LA and Tennessee trade has no impact whatsoever on the Kaepernick situation.

It's been said before but it's true: Elway does what Elway does. If he wants a player, he makes it happen ... as long as it makes the Broncos better "from now on."

I've had this thought for the last week, but don't be surprised if Elway goes in a direction no one speculated about prior to the announcement of said move.

For now, it's a blast of fresh air to see the architect of one of the best franchises in sports the last five years finally get some positive attention (outside of Broncos Country).

But as any good executive will tell you, you're only as good as your last month.

Given the past results and his success, there's no reason to question Elway now.