Mile High Monday: The QB world continues to turn for the Broncos

The NFL news cycle was supposed to include reports from the Scouting Combine at this time of year. With the Combine cancelled, the news is a little slow, but this could just be the calm before the storm of free agency. The new league year begins on March 17, and before you know it we all will be inundated with players moving from one team to another.

I like looking at all possibilities in the NFL – both the draft and free agency. Add in some interesting trades which may be reality in the coming weeks, and you can see how the NFL offseason is chock full of fun.

I also like contemplating life and sports when driving around with the top down on my old Jeep TJ! The following is a result of those trips during the week.

Buckle up, let’s take a ride through my thoughts.

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Mile High “Fitz” Magic?

The Denver Broncos are going to try and trade the Houston Texans for quarterback Deshaun Watson. If that doesn’t work out, then the team will bring in a veteran to compete with Drew Lock and push him for the starting job. Many names have and will continue to be tossed out there, but one they’ve already talked to is Ryan Fitzpatrick.

Lock needs someone who can actually push him for the job, and last year the team did a huge disservice to their young quarterback by only adding Jeff Driskel. While Driskel had no real shot of overtaking Lock, Fitzpatrick certainly could. The veteran has bounced around the league for years, playing for about half of the teams in the NFL, and he can catch fire with his play. That’s where the nickname “Fitzmagic” comes from.

It would not be a surprise to see Fitzpatrick come to Denver and overtake Lock for the starting job. Lock has talent, but there are a ton of things he needs to work on as a passer. The Broncos coaching staff, head coach Vic Fangio and offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur specifically, cannot wait around for Lock to develop. They need to win now, and that means perhaps the seasoned veteran would get the nod.

Even if Lock beat out Fitzpatrick, he could still be there if Lock was hurt again. For all the upside that Lock has, his injury history cannot be ignored. The team has worked diligently and will continue to do so when it comes to building a complete roster. They don’t want all that hard work to fall apart because Lock ends up being an injury-prone player.

I recently tweeted that I believe Lock would be back with a veteran free agent signed. My choices were Tyrod Taylor and Ryan Fitzpatrick. They have spoken to Fitzpatrick.

— Woody Paige (@woodypaige) February 26, 2021

Would you like to see Fitzpatrick in a Broncos uniform? I know everyone in Broncos Country wants Watson – just like I do – but you must be ready in case you can’t pull off that blockbuster deal. Fitzpatrick could be the answer Denver has been searching for.

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Top Heavy

There is going to be quite a flurry of activity early in the 2021 NFL Draft, especially when it comes to the rookie quarterback class. There are five quarterbacks in this draft class that I have first-round grades on. It’s a top-heavy class when it comes to talent and that could come through loud and clear early on this year.

The speculation is growing that we might see as many as five quarterbacks go in the top 10 of the draft. By the time the Broncos are on the clock with the No. 9 overall, guys like Trevor Lawrence (Clemson), Zach Wilson (BYU), Justin Fields (Ohio State) and Trey Lance (North Dakota State) could be off the board. The fifth quarterback on the list, who could go higher than perhaps Fields and Lance, is Alabama’s Mac Jones.

While I appreciate Jones and his game, I don’t think he fits what Shurmur wants to do on offense. So maybe a team could trade with Denver (Patriots? Saints?) to get the talented quarterback.

Is Denver going to be in this mix? Well, I don’t think so as of right now. Things seem like it’s Watson or Lock/veteran for the 2021 season in Denver. That means they will pass on a rookie quarterback with a premium pick. However, Denver should play the game and not say for sure that they’re “out” when it comes to a quarterback in the first round.

They’ve already talked to Jones at the Senior Bowl, and that minor interaction alone could be enough to lure someone into a trade with Denver. It’s all part of the gamesmanship of the draft, and I expect new general manager George Paton to master this skill.

NEW: NFL Could See Record 5 Quarterbacks Taken In Top-10 of 2021 NFL Draft.

Instead of thinking out loud, I decided to put my thoughts down regarding the incoming crop of signal-callers. https://t.co/oSZZhGkjzS

— Brent Sobleski (@brentsobleski) February 28, 2021

Should the Broncos get in the mix at the position? I know a lot of fans who would want them to trade up so they could get a Lawrence or a Wilson, but that doesn’t seem like it’s in the cards. Perhaps I’m wrong, but when things change on that front, I’ll be writing about it for sure!

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Why Not Denver?

It has been revealed that Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson may actually be on the trade block. Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Wilson wants to stay in Seattle, but if he were to be traded then the Las Vegas Raiders, Dallas Cowboys, New Orleans Saints and Chicago Bears could be destinations of his liking. Wilson has a no-trade clause in his contract, so Seattle would have to work with him on finding a landing spot – if he’s on the block.

It would be incredibly painful to see Wilson land in Sin City, as the Broncos already have enough to deal with having Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert in the AFC West. Adding Wilson to that group, unless the Broncos got Watson, would put Denver in the cellar of their own division for years to come.

So, why isn’t Denver on Wilson’s list? The Broncos really liked Wilson coming out of Wisconsin, and he has become one of the best quarterbacks in the game today. While not in his prime like Watson, it’s not like Wilson is an older quarterback looking for one last go round with a new team. Any team would love to have Wilson on their roster, but apparently the feeling is not mutual.

Is it Vic Fangio? Is it Pat Shurmur? Is it the lack of ownership? The answer is likely all of the above.

Wilson’s list includes teams with offensive weapons, but mostly offensive-minded coaches who would craft a system around what he does best. Denver doesn’t have that with their old-school approach and defensive-minded head coach. Wilson wants to compete right away, and Denver is further away from competing at a high level than any of those four teams – yes, including the hated Raiders.

Which new fit would look best? pic.twitter.com/RuOZel2nUw

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 27, 2021

What do you think about Wilson’s list of four teams? It’s interesting that Denver is no longer the top destination for free agents and guys who can demand trades.

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Favorite Band, Least Favorite Song

Anyone who knows me knows that I love Faith No More. Their lead singer, Mike Patton, is a musical genius and I love most every project he’s been a part of in his musical career. His high school band, Mr. Bungle, is actually my favorite band of all time. Nobody knows Mr. Bungle, unless you’re a hard-core fan, so I usually just answer “Faith No More” when someone asks who my favorite band is.

On Twitter this week, my good friend, Eric Edholm from Yahoo! Sports, asked the simple question; What’s your favorite band’s worst song? I did not hesitate to answer when I saw the tweet.

It has to be “Digging the Grave” from the 1995 Faith No More album “King For a Day, Fool for a Lifetime.” That song was their first single from their highly-anticipated fourth album and it’s very dated as their record company wanted something with a “grunge” sound. Anyone who knows FNM knows that’s not their sound, but they acquiesced and released that single.

That album is a great one, with an eclectic collection of songs ranging from thrash metal “Gentle Art of Making Enemies” to jazz “Evidence” to prog rock “King For a Day” to ballad “Take This Bottle.” Faith No More is one of the most influential and versatile bands of their time. They cannot be defined by one genre of music because they can do any style that is out there. That’s why “Digging the Grave” stood out to me as one of their least-interesting songs.

Digging the Grave – Faith No More

This was their first single from King For a Day and I thought it missed the mark, worst song on the entire album…and a great album overall! https://t.co/OQQvNtmcoa https://t.co/PgtUmoDhTc

— Cecil Lammey (@CecilLammey) February 27, 2021

Who is your favorite band, and what is the least favorite song of yours that they’ve done? Hit me up on social media and let me know!

Follow @CecilLammey