The biggest fear in Broncos Country right now shouldn’t be about who is going to be the QB of the future. The biggest fear can be summed up in one word.
Irrelevant.
As we sit five years after the Broncos magical Super Bowl 50 victory, they haven’t been back to the playoffs since. Denver has 4 straight losing seasons, and a QB carousel graphic playing on a loop in every broadcast of every game they play.
Not exactly the future fans envisioned after riding one of the best defenses in history to that big win over the Panthers. As Ian St. Clair and I sat down to record the MHR Radio Podcast, the most glaring concern was the Broncos continued fall into irrelevance.
The thing about becoming irrelevant is that it can sneak up on you. Past success gives false hope that the team will turn it around. Next thing you know, a half decade has passed, and your favorite team is staring into the void of ineptitude.
You think Bills Mafia thought it would take almost three decades to get back to the AFC Championship game?
If you’ve been paying attention to the sports world, you know that Colorado is experiencing some difficult times with two of its major sports franchises. The Rockies just traded away their best player in Nolan Arenado. It cost them $50 million, and they got a sack of used baseballs in return.
Why is that relevant? It shows how important good ownership is. It proves that a lack of legitimate leadership creates an atmosphere of losing. And while good ownership and management can be integral to righting the direction of a franchise, it’s the players that have to perform on the field.
Which is why George Paton must make every effort to trade for Deshaun Watson. I’m not going to get into a QBWinz conversation. What I will point out is that the best teams don’t have issues at QB. The best teams have the best quarterbacks.
Unfortunately, Drew Lock has not proven to be one of those QB’s. He has question marks all over his game. While he could make a big leap in year three, the possibility of a trade for Watson should be Paton’s focus.
Not because Lock is a failure, or has no potential, but because top 5 QB’s don’t fall out of the sky every day. Watson is a franchise changing player. In Denver he could be the key to competing with Patrick Mahomes in Kansas City, and Justin Herbert with the Chargers.
Watson isn’t the only hope for the Broncos. He is the best chance at avoiding the continued collapse into irrelevancy, and the prolonged search for that elusive franchise QB.