Broncos should have aimed higher

By Angelo Stambene

Vernon Davis, wow. I feel like the kid on Christmas that got an Xbox and a PlayStation, while the neighborhood kids got pet rocks and coal. Us Broncos fans have been spoiled since John Elway took over as GM, and now I’m about to sound like an ingrate.

The Broncos didn’t do enough at the trade deadline to cement their status as world beaters.

Davis will certainly stretch the middle of the field like Julius Thomas did when he was here, and that’s a need that Owen Daniels, and all the other tight ends on the roster, just can’t provide consistently. But to truly get over the hump and win Super Bowl 50, the Broncos needed to shore up the offensive line, and Joe Thomas would have done that marvelously.

The price was steep, but for a player that doesn’t miss games and would anchor the line for years to come, the cost was justified. Ryan Clady is a stud, but lately it comes with a caveat – when he’s healthy.

When it starts getting colder and the playoffs begin, it’s going to be imperative to keep Manning upright, and absolutely vital to the Broncos’ success. The decision to acquire Thomas wouldn’t have just impacted this year though. It could have been several.

If this is Peyton Manning’s last year at the helm, the Broncos are going to need a lineman that doesn’t miss games. Thomas would have protected Brock Osweiler while he learns the ropes, and he would have provided invaluable stability to a line that has been in flux for too long.

Even if Elway decides to bring in someone else to take Manning’s place, whenever that time comes, a player of Thomas’ stature and durability is valuable asset on the field and in the locker room.

Vernon Davis will provide a service the Broncos need now, but Joe Thomas would have provided a service from now on.

Conservative move the right one

By Matt Wiley

The Broncos made a low-risk, high-reward deal at the deadline and I am glad that is all they did.

Acquiring tight end Vernon Davis from the 49ers for late-round picks was a perfect move.

Many media outlets reported that Denver was in discussions to acquire Pro Bowl left tackle Joe Thomas from Cleveland. Thankfully, this deal fell apart.

Don’t get me wrong, the Broncos would improve if Thomas was on the roster. But the long-term impact of that kind of blockbuster trade could have hurt the team.

ESPN reported that the two sides were closing in on a deal that would have included Thomas and a fourth-round pick in exchange for the Broncos’ first- and second-round picks in 2016. The deal apparently fell apart when Cleveland also wanted to include Denver’s 2016 third-round pick.

Thomas has salary cap figures of $9.5 million in 2016, $10 million in 2017 and $10 million in 2018 according to NFL.com.

Such high numbers would potentially hinder the Broncos’ attempt to re-sign Von Miller to a long-term deal in the offseason. Not to mention a trade involving a first-, second- and third-round pick would be lunacy.

Denver’s offensive line is coming off a game against Green Bay where it didn’t allow a sack. The Packers saw their streak of 42 straight games with at least one sack end.

Davis is an underrated blocker, and he is a willing blocker. Denver will be able to get creative with formations that include three tight ends.

I appreciate that Broncos general manager John Elway always has the drive to improve his team, but I am glad he didn’t fumble away the future at the trade deadline with this potential deal with Cleveland.

Did the Denver Broncos make a big enough splash with the addition of tight end Vernon Davis? (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

David Zalubowski