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Ryan Edwards and Benjamin Allbright continued the quarterback sweepstakes conversation on Monday night’s Broncos Country Tonight, highlighting why the Broncos weren’t “shopping Drew Lock” as well as why Allbright believes that ultimately the Broncos won’t be in the hunt for Deshaun Watson.
“The market drives the price,” he said, noting that the common “compensation” floating around social media of two ones and two twos, “gets you on the phone. That’s your opening offer. It is not the final offer.”
So Allbright believes the compensation to get Watson will be at least three first-round picks, two second-round picks and probably a third-round pick plus a couple current players in exchange.
“The Broncos probably are not going to be involved in that,” Allbright added.
While the Broncos are involved in trades and clearly considering options to replace Lock, Allbright continued to emphasize a point he’s been making on Twitter for the past week - the Broncos are not “actively shopping Drew Lock” to other teams.
Both hosts agree that Lock’s performance last year did not earn him any guarantees as the unquestioned starter in 2021, and new GM George Paton is doing his due diligence to inquire about any potential quarterback out there.
But if the Broncos don’t get another quarterback and stick with Lock in 2021, Allbright doesn’t consider it “reverting” to Lock.
“He’s the guy unless they’re able to bring in something,” Allbright said. (“something” presumably being QBs not named Jimmy Garoppolo or Andy Dalton.)
No question in Allbright’s mind that the Broncos would unload Drew Lock if they were in on the Watson deal, but he doesn’t believe the Broncos are going to be able to “be in” on trading for Watson.
“I think [the Broncos] think they don’t have the ammo to compete,” Allbright said. “Are they going to play the market? Sure. But you’re not gutting your defense to bring him in, and that’s what it would take.”
The host thinks it would end up costing the Broncos Justin Simmons, Bradley Chubb and likely Dre’Mont Jones plus three firsts and three seconds.
“For me that’s too much,” Allbright added. “I just don’t think where the Broncos are, blow up what you’ve built.”
Not that there was any doubt, but Jared Goff got over $110M guaranteed in his extension and was just deemed so not worth having that the Rams gave up two 1s and a 3.
— RJ Ochoa (@rjochoa) January 31, 2021
Dak Prescott is going to soar past that figure on guarantees.
But a potential blockbuster deal Allbright could consider would be Dak Prescott, where the Broncos don’t have to trade anything away, they just have to pay him.
“If Dallas and Dak for some reason can’t get something done, that’s the one, because you don’t have to give up assets, you just have to pay the man,” Allbright argued, adding that with Watson the Broncos have to give up players, give up picks AND pick up the salary.
And Edwards could see Prescott finding the Broncos’ offense an attractive option.
“Your offensive line is mostly returning with a Hall of Fame coach. You’ve got Jerry Jeudy, KJ Hamler, Noah Fant and Courtland Sutton as the nucleus of your receiving corps plus Phillip Lindsay if you bring him back and Melvin Gordon,” he said. “Right there the offense is just missing the point guard.”
Poll
Deshaun or Dak?
This poll is closed
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14%
Deshaun, I don’t care what we have to give up!
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54%
Dak! Much less capital to give away.
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31%
Sticking with Drew.