Broncos won't draft a tackle on day one, McCaffrey or bust

Update: Not only were the Broncos attempting to jump up for Christian McCaffrey, they also made a play for the Cleveland Browns' Joe Thomas as we pointed out on MHR Live.

Denver explored a trade up for Christian McCaffrey, inquired about Joe Thomas' availability, but ultimately stayed put at 20 for an OT.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 28, 2017

Elway poured cold water on the idea of taking a left tackle during his press conference Monday, saying it was archaic (old school) to even differentiate between left and right tackles.

He pointed out that Denver needs two good tackles. They have three good tackles, they would like more than three good tackles, and per usual offseason affair, they are touting Ty Sambrailo pretty high.

New offensive coordinator Mike McCoy has coached offenses that have led the league in rushing and two offenses that have led the league in passing, and the only Pro Bowl offensive lineman who has ever made the Pro Bowl under McCoy is Ryan Clady.

The Broncos have won the Super Bowl with less at left tackle.

Donald Stephenson is a left tackle. Menelik Watson is a left tackle. Ty Sambrailo is a left tackle.

Sambrailo did fine with Peyton Manning before Sambrailo's injury. Every lineman did - as Elway illustrated in his press conference on Monday. Yes, Evan Mathis was a huge help in 2015, but Manning got the ball off quickly, as does fellow GOAT candidate Tom Brady.

That's what Elway means when he says, "We've got to get [our tackles] more help." He's literally referring to Trevor Siemian and his 33rd ranked ball release time. A pathetic release time, which would make even the best of tackles look awful time after time.

He also mentions the need of a blocking tight end - a 'Y' tight end. Those are blocking tight ends that help your tackles. If Siemian starts taking three sacks per down in camp again this season, it will be a clear sign that it is Paxton Lynch's time to sink or swim. If the multitude of positive mentions of both personal and professional attitude plugs via Broncos' inside media regarding Lynch weren't obvious enough to understand, it is Lynch's team to lead now.

Imagine you get a gigantic promotion to CEO after your first year at a company. This promotion is over someone your company is paying 10 times as much as they pay you. Oh, and they've just hired this person. Then, after your first year, the entire board that put you at CEO is fired and replaced, except for the general manager. Oh and the general manager? He's the one who decided that guy that you passed on the way up deserves 10 times the money that you're making - and now he's dissing you at press conferences.

Who else could be to blame for not getting the tackles help? C.J. Anderson? Jeff Heuerman? Andy Janovich? Devontae Booker? I doubt he's blaming an injured Anderson and a bunch of rookies (essentially) for things that take a season or two to learn.

No, man. He's talking about the host of last year's shindig -- Trevor Siemian.

Denver essentially picked up four free agents this offseason, re-signed their starting inside linebacker, re-signed their starting Y receiver and re-signed their starting free safety.

If you believe that the Broncos address their needs via free agency, which they consistently have, then why are people only screaming for a tackle and not a guard, nose tackle, defensive end, inside linebacker (well, some are doing that with the possibility of Reuben Foster dropping), wide receiver and free safety?

Denver has its starting left tackle - he's already on the team, Elway said it Monday. You know what he didn't want to say? He didn't want to address Christian McCaffrey too much. He essentially dissolved to, "He was easy, so we wasted his time, LOL."

That's not what happened, Denver needed one more meeting to decide whether or not McCaffrey was worth possibly breaking the Draft Day bank. Now, what did they come back with? Well, Elway has never been shy to tell you that he isn't interested in someone - Johnny Manziel was a "good little quarterback."

And while Elway did not say much about McCaffrey at all during Monday's press conference, he also would not say that Joe Mixon was off Denver's board. Elway went on to say that the Broncos' draft board was set as of last week (April 20). McCaffrey's visit to Broncos' headquarters was three business days prior on April 14. Denver's going running back early, and they had to be convinced whether McCaffrey was worth the haul that it may cost to get him. And they have a contingency plan that involves Mixon at some point.

But sure, the Broncos are going Garett Bolles who happens to be the same age, with two less seasons of professional experience than Ty Sambrailo.

Or Cam Robinson, a left tackle so valuable in this season's draft that no one even mentions him as a top 10 pick.

Or Ryan Ramczyk. A guy with ONE season of starting experience in the Big Ten (he did earn All American for that one season) after passing through three junior colleges on his way to stand out as a Second Team All-Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference member.