George Paton has a PR Mess to Clean Up with Drew Lock After Swinging & Missing on Stafford

Betting the farm on acquiring a game-changing quarterback is in vogue right now as NFL teams attempt to manufacture the fast-track to contention. The Detroit Lions dealt Matthew Stafford to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for fellow QB (and fellow former No. 1 overall draft pick) Jared Goff and a grip of premium-round picks.

The Lions received Goff, a first-, and a third-round draft pick in exchange for a 33-year-old Stafford entering his 13th NFL season.

The Houston Texans could follow suit if the machinations of disgruntled star QB Deshaun Watson are fruitful. The high level of interest around the league in Stafford means the price to obtain the 27-year-old Watson will rise dramatically, so the question is, how bad does Denver Broncos' new GM George Paton want in on that potential deal?

Perhaps Paton provided a hint when he went on record just days after getting hired on his over-arching philosophy on seeking deals.

"It’s really important to be involved with everything so you don't miss a deal that may get by you," Paton said. "So we'll be aggressive—involved. But that doesn't mean we're going to jump."

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Teams like the San Francisco 49ers were among the finalists in the Stafford sweepstakes, along with the Broncos and three other teams, which means that the pendulum of intense motivation to land a plug-and-play star QB will swing to Watson in Houston. Again, the prospective cost to acquire Watson has risen dramatically in the wake of the Stafford-for-Goff tectonic trade, leading some to wonder just how many first-round picks it'll take to land Houston's three-time Pro Bowler.

Despite the hefty price tag, Paton’s statements suggest the Broncos are likely to be involved in any Watson negotiations, provided the Texans capitulate to the disgruntled QB's demands and actually make him available to the highest bidder.

Obtaining a QB of Watson's caliber could indeed rocket the Broncos into the stratosphere of contention, but on the flipside, such a move could also risk mortgaging the entire draft future of the team. Another less-talked-about ramification of even courting the idea is how it undermines the confidence of Drew Lock.

If the Broncos fail to replace Lock and he remains entrenched as the starter by default, Paton will have a gap to bridge with the third-year QB.

Having Lock on an affordable rookie contract would allow Paton to allocate those precious salary-cap dollars to other glaring roster holes, and it would keep Denver's precious draft capital in hand. If Paton swings and misses on Watson (or any other proven veteran inexplicably thrust onto the NFL trading block between now and draft day), he'll have little choice but to trust in Lock.

The failure of the Texans' front office to fully and comprehensively involve Watson in the team's offseason hiring moves has resulted in the QB wanting to jump ship.

Nobody is comparing Lock to a generational talent like Watson, but suffice to say, Lock is not feeling the love in Denver right now. The Texans have failed to support Watson in the same way, which provides a cautionary tale.

The Broncos have been exposed as a team that did more than just kick the tires on a potential Stafford trade and now Paton has to clean up the aftermath with regard to maintaining (if not repairing) the Broncos' relations with Lock. Lock might not have the clout that Jay Cutler did in January of 2009 coming off a Pro Bowl berth but he surely has pride and Broncos fans know how that story turned out.

Lock's pride has undoubtedly been wounded by the Stafford news wire over the last 24 hours so here's to hoping Paton's maneuvers don't backfire and lead to a soured relationship with Lock that cannot be repaired.

The Broncos could have little choice but to roll with the former second-round QB for one last hurrah in 2021 and you know what they say. If you can't be with the one you love, 'love the one you're with.'

Follow Keith on Twitter @KeithC_NFL and @MileHighHuddle.