John Elway deposed in Colin Kaepernick grievance case

Denver Broncos general manager John Elway gave a deposition on Tuesday in Colin Kaepernick’s collusion grievance against the NFL.

Last July, Adam Schefter of ESPN first noted that he believed some NFL owners were colluding to keep Kaepernick from getting a job in the NFL.

“Do I think that certain owners have blocked teams from visits or interest? I do, I do believe that,” Schefter said. “And I think that there has been more interest in him from the coaching and front office level than there has been at the ownership level. So it was always going to take a unique opportunity for him to be brought in, in the right place, at the right spot, at the right time.”

Elway wasn’t the only NFL executive deposed. He is just another in a growing list of executives being deposed in this case.

The Broncos were one of the few teams who aggressively pursued Kaepernick in 2016 after Peyton Manning retired and Brock Osweiler bolted for free agency. Elway and the Broncos wanted Kaepernick at a more team-friendly contract, but Kaepernick refused.

The franchise drafted Paxton Lynch in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft and with that pick their interest in Kaepernick evaporated. As far as collusion from the Broncos specifically, it would appear to be pretty tough to prove as the interest in the team was pretty high until Kaepernick nixed the trade deal in 2016. From that point, Elway and the Broncos looked elsewhere to solve their quarterback conundrum.

The Seattle Seahawks were the most recent team interested in signing Kaepernick. However, the embattled quarterback said he would continue to kneel during the national anthem and the interest from the Seahawks seemed to immediately lose interest in signing him.

It will be interesting to see how this lawsuit against the NFL plays out.