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Elway Open to 'Talk' to Tom Brady but Remains 'Happy' With What Broncos Have in Drew Lock
John Elway has experience recruiting and signing high-profile quarterbacks. As the man who got Peyton Manning to sign on the line that is dotted, naturally, the outside NFL world wonders if perhaps Elway would be keen on approaching another former Super Bowl MVP QB poised to hit the free-agent market.
Tom Brady appears to be committed to playing in 2020, even if it's not in New England. Could the Denver Broncos be a potential suitor for the six-time World Champion's services?
In his annual trip to Indianapolis for the NFL Scouting Combine, Elway held court at the podium and answered the Brady question succinctly and with a smile on his face.
"We'd always talk to him but I think we're happy with what we have in Drew," Elway replied.
The Broncos traded up into the second round to draft Drew Lock last year. After suffering a preseason thumb injury, Lock would spend 10 weeks on injured reserve before finally making his starting debut in Week 13 vs. the L.A. Chargers.
Lock would start the final five games and lead the Broncos to victory over each and every opponent, with the exception of the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 15. Lock finished his rookie campaign 4-1 as a starter and as the owner of a few team and league rookie records.
"With where we are, we're excited about Drew," Elway also said on Tuesday. "It's nice to have a young guy to be able to build around and feel like you've got a guy that has the potential to be a long-time starter for you and really kind of the sky's the limit for him, depending on how he continues to improve."
That's the most ringing endorsement Elway has given Lock since the 2019 season ended.
What it Means
Just because Elway said he'd be willing to "talk" to Brady doesn't mean the Broncos would have sincere interest. In a perfect world, who wouldn't have interest in arguably the greatest QB in NFL history? Out of respect, of course Elway would talk to Brady.
But Elway also knows that the Broncos wandered the QB desert for so long post-Manning and have finally found a young signal-caller the team believes has franchise upside. Elway did it the hard way, suffered through the QB depredations of 2016-19 and isn't about to throw that away for a 43-year-old. You know what they say about looking a gift-horse in the mouth.
Lock is the guy. And there's nothing to suggest Brady would have any interest coming to Denver where he'd have to outshine the QB legacies of Elway and Manning. Brady has always been the type to blaze his own trail.
For what it's worth, Elway believes that if Brady really is committed to playing elsewhere in 2020, he's in for a bigger test than perhaps even he can recognize right now.
"I think having gotten used to where he's been for so long, I think just the change—it might be exciting for him—but I think it's going to be a lot of work," Elway said of Brady perhaps playing elsewhere.
File this story under 'there's nothing to see here'. Fans have wondered, though, whether the Broncos would have interest in Brady. While you can't always believe what a GM says on the public stage, in this case, I'd take Elway's endorsement of Lock for exactly what it's worth.
Follow Chad on Twitter @ChadNJensen and @MileHighHuddle.
