Good morning, Broncos Country!
We are into the slow part of the offseason, and that means filling our pages with hypotheticals and conjecture - two of my least favorite things.
But SB Nation’s “What if?” theme this week sparked some interesting conversation among Jess, Tim and me and brought out some great “what ifs” from the MHR faithful here and online during our live podcast Wednesday night.
A lot of those “what ifs” would result in a completely different outcome in a game (ie, Rahim Moore not being able to do what John Mobley did two decades earlier), or in an era (such as Terrell Davis not injuring his knee or Peyton Manning not choosing the Broncos) - which would most certainly have lead to a different outcome in a given season, namely another championship, or two.
And that kind of thing could completely alter the team’s history as it might not lead to coaching changes or player losses or player gains that ultimately had a major impact on the franchise later as well.
But there is one “What if?” that is almost impossible to imagine because of how many things could not have happened if it did not happen.
What if the Broncos had not traded for John Elway in 1983?
Aside from Floyd Little lobbying to keep the franchise in Denver so we even have a Broncos team to talk about, no single player has been so significant to what the franchise has accomplished.
Obviously without Elway, the Broncos would not have had so many iconic moments and games in Broncos’ history to relive:
The Drive would not have happened.
The Fumble never would have been.
The Drive II most certainly would not be in our history books.
Super Bowls XXI, XXII, XIV would not have broken our hearts.
Super XXXII would not have saved us.
A back-to-back Super Bowl win would not have occurred.
Perhaps even more impactful though, was just how competitive Elway made the Broncos season after season. We would not have witnessed the two-time Super Bowl champion put together 46 game-winning drives, including 35 fourth-quarter comebacks.
And obviously, there would be no “Elway the GM” to have put his mark on this franchise a decade after retiring as Broncos quarterback. That certainly would have meant different players drafted and acquired (which might have meant no Paxton Lynch or Garett Bolles to wring our hands over), but it also would mean no Von Miller, no Peyton Manning.
It’s a futile exercise, of course, to play the “what if” game. It’s a fun reminder of what a rich history the Broncos have had - much of it thanks to one very fortuitous trade 37 years ago.
Perhaps another player would have come along and created the kind of impact on the entire program that Elway did ... but not likely. Not like he did.
Flashback read
Remembering that time the Denver Broncos cut Floyd Little - Mile High Report
If things had been only slightly different, Floyd Little would not be a Hall of Fame Denver Bronco.
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Know Your Enemy: Catching up with the Broncos - Bucs Nation
Has the greatest Broncos quarterback turned GM found his franchise quarterback?
2020 vision: Looking ahead to Denver's Week 2 matchup in Pittsburgh
For the first time since the Broncos and Steelers made a draft-day trade that sent Devin Bush to Pittsburgh and gave Denver a haul of picks, the two teams will face each off against each other.
'We're expecting big things from Noah Fant': ESPN’s Matthew Berry evaluates Broncos’ fantasy football options
Berry weighs in on Drew Lock, Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy and more as the fantasy football season approaches.
'The potential is there': As Broncos’ offense learns new scheme virtually, Courtland Sutton foresees future success
“The thing I like about Coach Shurmur’s offense is he wants to give us chances to go make plays,” Sutton said.
Courtland Sutton: Broncos have weapons to thrive with Pat Shurmur
During a video conference on Thursday, Broncos receiver Courtland Sutton held up a spiral notebook when discussing how he is learning new offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur’s system.
Broncos players weigh in on prospect of returning to facilities, playing games
McManus, the Broncos' NFLPA rep, believes the NFL might play without any fans, at least in the early part of the season.
NFL News
Warrant out for Baker, Dunbar on robbery charges
New York Giants cornerback DeAndre Baker and Seattle Seahawks cornerback Quinton Dunbar have been charged with four counts of armed robbery with a firearm stemming from a May 13 incident, according to an arrest warrant issued Thursday by the Miramar (Fla.
No. 1 overall draft picks of the 2010s ranked: Myles Garrett 3rd
With the 2020 NFL Draft marking a new era of No. 1 overall picks, Ali Bhanpuri looks back at the previous decade's top selections and ranks them from 10 to 1. Who's better, Myles Garrett or Kyler Murray?
Top 25 NFL rookies in the best position for success in 2020
No one should be surprised if a guy who scored 26 touchdowns in his last 28 college games is quickly producing at a high rate for a Broncos' team that's trying to match the explosiveness of the rival Chiefs.
Pandemic throwing college football, 2021 prospects into limbo
With the COVID-19 pandemic plunging college football into chaos, how are future NFL prospects adjusting? Chase Goodbread examines an unprecedented situation.
NFL doesn’t rule out moving California teams out of state for 2020 - ProFootballTalk
The league is preparing to play the 2020 NFL season as scheduled and with increased protocols and safety measures for all players.
Baseball’s current labor struggle is a glimpse into what the NFL could face - PFT
Major League Baseball would like to launch a 2020 season in July, with 82 games and an expanded postseason and above all else the return of sport. The MLB Players Association, however, seems to be prepared to balk at the concept of revenue sharing — given that revenues will be dramatically limited by games played without fans present.