For several years, the Denver Broncos haven’t been able to conclude their search for a quarterback. Peyton Manning was their last successful signing, and even then, there were countless concerns about his abilities after injuries. This offseason, names have been thrown about, and some are clearly not wanted in Broncos Country. Here are some quarterbacks the Broncos should not pursue.
Quarterbacks the Denver Broncos Should Not Pursue
The lack of a truly talented quarterback is taking its toll on the franchise, and the fans. There’s an abundance of free agent options and Denver has the 10th draft pick. General Manager John Elway has a reputation for making the wrong decisions, and he cannot afford to go wrong again.
Last month, we discussed possible options for the position. They were possibilities, but certainly not favorites. Now, we look at quarterbacks who should not be making their way to Denver.
Joe Flacco
Even with his height (6’6”) and arm strength, Joe Flacco would be a huge risk to take on. He may have won a Super Bowl thanks to mistakes made by the Broncos secondary in the playoffs, but he won’t be an upgrade to who they currently have now, Case Keenum.
As Andrew Wade of Predominantly Orange pointed out, Flacco is “over the hill” at 34, and in a statistical decline. His interception percentage (2.4%) and sack percentage (5.5%) are worse than Keenum’s. His yards per attempt average is 6.7 (Keenum’s 6.9), and his completion percentage is 61.7% (Keenum’s 62%).
Making Flacco an even worse choice is the fact that he seems incapable of movement in the pocket. Keenum, however, can be credited for being mobile.
Nick Foles
Nick Foles has voided the remainder of his contract with the Philadelphia Eagles. Tongues have wagged over where he will choose to go.
He has the height (6’6”) which has always been a main deciding factor for Elway. He has demonstrated his ability to be a clutch player when it matters most. His Super Bowl MVP title is certainly appealing.
However, Wade has been quick in explaining why Foles should not be a quarterback in Denver.
Foles is 30 years old, the same age as Keenum. Without injuries, he should be able to play for another six years. However, Foles has been average throughout his career. He hasn’t been able to replicate his 2013 season in which he threw 27 touchdowns and just two interceptions. If anything, sans that season, his interception percentage is worse than Keenum’s at 2.5% to 2.3%.
Another red flag is his sack percentage, which is 5.3%. One of his major weaknesses is holding onto the ball for too long, a sure way to get sacked and end a drive. In this area, he is just too similar to Keenum for comfort.
Despite his average career, his success during Super Bowl 52 Foles will draw a lot of money. It isn’t worth splashing a large sum of money on another average quarterback when there are so many other issues that need addressing, and positions that desperately need filling.
Ryan Tannehill
You don’t need to be an expert to know Ryan Tannehill would be a bad idea. An average quarterback with multiple injuries sustained over the years should make any franchise think twice about taking him on.
He missed 24 of 48 games in the last three seasons. He has only posted a quarterback rating above 50 once in his entire career. In each season of playing professional football, he only led his team to victory more than eight times in 2016.
Keenum is already far from the star Denver needs to get to the playoffs – and Tannehill is well below him.
With the 10th overall pick, the Broncos are probably better off drafting a quarterback. Signing any free agent wouldn’t make sense, given the lack of substance available.
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