Broncos’ John Elway believes in giving second chances … unless your name is Colin Kaepernick. By Mark Kiszla The Denver Post August 17, 2018 Stuff happens. To err is human. Broncos John Elway believes in giving second chances on the football field … unless your name is Colin Kaepernick. We all know the Broncos need a veteran quarterback, as insurance against injury to starter Case Keenum. But ask if Kaepernick would be a viable option to be the QB2 in Denver, and Elway gets testy. “Colin had his chance to be here. We offered him a contract. He didn’t take it,” Elway said Thursday. He’s an outcast, despite the fact Kaepernick is the same age as Keenum, yet has produced more touchdown passes, victories and a better quarterback rating during his career than Denver’s new starter. Oh, I certainly understand the objection to hiring Kaepernick: Flag before football. If he doesn’t show respect for the red, white and blue, Kaepernick won’t be issued an NFL uniform of any color. But here’s what I don’t get. Elway forgave Vance Joseph’s ineptitude on the sideline during a disastrous 5-11 season, and brought him back for the chance to make things right during a second season as coach. After Brock Osweiler turned a deaf ear to the Broncos’ contract negotiations as a free agent and left Denver in a snit for Houston, Elway welcomed him back to Dove Valley headquarters when he bombed with the Texans. And in a remarkable act of generosity, Elway signed linebacker A.J. Johnson, who hasn’t played in a game since suiting up for the Tennessee Volunteers in 2014, after he was found not guilty last month of rape. Man, oh man. Kaepernick must have really ticked off Elway. Left in a lurch by Osweiler’s departure and Peyton Manning’s retirement, the Broncos courted Kaepernick to be their No. 1 quarterback in 2016, via a trade with San Francisco. The deal fizzled, because Elway wanted to pay Kaepernick $7 million instead of the $11.9 million guaranteed in his contract at the time, and the quarterback declined to take a pay cut. Had Kaepernick agreed to the deal, he could have saved us all the pain of watching Paxton Lynch melt in a puddle under the heat of being a first-round draft choice. Elway is correct on one point.The Broncos did offer Kaepernick, who threw for 302 yards and rushed for 62 more in a 34-31 loss to Baltimore at Super Bowl XLVII, an opportunity for a fresh start in Denver. But it takes two parties to close a deal, and the Broncos low-balled Kaepernick with their contract offer. Was Elway’s ego bruised because Kaepernick dared to tell him no? Is the 30-year-old quarterback simply too hot a political football for the Broncos to touch? Or could it be something else? Football is a business, and the business of football can sometimes turn nasty.

Elway has given a deposition in the collusion grievance filed against the league by Kaepernick, who took a knee in quiet protest and started an argument about the national anthem that has raged for nearly two years. “I don’t know if I’ll be legally able to say this, but he’s had his chance to be here. He passed it,” Elway said. If Broncos Country doesn’t want Kaepernick because they don’t think he’s patriotic enough to wear orange, I understand the sentiment of offended fans’ beef. Take the politics out of the debate, however, and it’s more difficult to make a case any veteran free agent currently available, including Matt Moore, is a more accomplished quarterback than Kaepernick. Since 2012, the 34-year-old Moore has won two NFL games and thrown 13 touchdown passes. In the same time frame, Kaepernick has thrown 72 touchdown passes and been the starting quarterback in the Super Bowl, as well as two conference championship games. Maybe Elway can swing a trade for Teddy Bridgewater or Robert Griffin prior to the Broncos’ season-opener in September. It would be foolish to suggest Kaepernick is a great quarterback. But it would also be delusional to argue against the football merits of him being roster-worthy somewhere in the league. And there’s no arguing this point: Kaepernick has accomplished more in his NFL career than Joseph, Osweiler and Johnson, all given a second chance in Denver. Will the NFL let bygones be bygones for almost anything except kneeling during the national anthem? That might not be the definition of collusion. But it certainly isn’t the definition of forgiveness.

Broncos GM John Elway still considering adding veteran backup QB, just not Colin Kaepernick By Ryan O’Halloran The Denver Post August 17, 2018 Broncos general manager John Elway has not eliminated the possibility of acquiring a veteran quarterback to back up Case Keenum. “We’ll wait through this week, see what happens and go from there,” Elway said after Thursday’s practice against Chicago. “I feel like we still have time.” If the time arrives for him to add insurance instead of keeping Chad Kelly (no NFL snaps) as the No. 2, Elway will not consider Colin Kaepernick. “Colin had his chance to be here (in 2016),” Elway said. “We offered him a contract. He didn’t take it.” Elway said he offered the same view during his deposition in mid-May to Kaepernick’s lawyers as a part of the player’s collusion lawsuit against the NFL. During the 2016 offseason, the Broncos and San Francisco engaged in trade talks centered about Kaepernick. But Kaepernick reportedly refused to take a pay cut to facilitate a move and the 49ers declined to help the Broncos pay some of his salary. The Broncos drafted Paxton Lynch that spring. Bottomline, the Broncos long ago moved on. And, Lynch has squandered his multiple chances to seize the starting (2016-17) or backup (this year) spots and is now third-string. The Broncos like Kelly but may feel more comfortable with him as the third option this year rather than the backup. “The backup is a guy that you have confidence in that, if something were to happen to your starter, he has the experience and ability to come in and help you win a football game,” Elway said. “Not necessarily carry the football game, but help you win a football game. … I think that’s as hard as it is to find a starter.” Of Kelly, Elway said: “I had a feeling he was going to play well.” During a briefing containing 19 questions, Elway hit on many topics: Issues at cornerback What’s the story: Cornerback Chris Harris has missed consecutive practices with an oblique injury. That meant Tramaine Brock — who has missed time in camp (hamstring) — and rookie Isaac Yiadom joined Bradley Roby against Chicago’s starters in practice. The depth isn’t great because Yiadom is young and second-year player Brendan Langley hasn’t impressed except on special teams. But the Broncos don’t appear to be concerned. Elway said: “(We have) Brock and we got Yiadom in the draft. … We’ll see how it goes.”

Comment: Talk about walking around an issue. The Broncos have a cornerback problem. If Harris misses games during the regular season, they’re in big trouble. Denver should be on the look-out the next two weeks for help. Sutton: Good, but … What’s the story: Second-round receiver Courtland Sutton has had a fantastic training camp — we’ve lost count of his highlight catches. The Broncos have slotted him with veterans Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders as a part of their three-receiver personnel. Elway said: “He’s been good in camp, but he’s a rookie. I say the same thing all the time: Preseason is a different animal than what he’s used to seeing. We also know it’s a step up once we get to the regular season.” Comment: Elway is old school in that he is not going to talk up a rookie until there is a regular season performance to analyze. But he has to be thrilled with how well Sutton has played because it gives the Broncos another pass-game option. Tailback competition What’s the story: The Broncos continue to roll several tailbacks with the first-team offense. Devontae Booker and Royce Freeman appear to be 1-2 in the competition but undrafted rookie Phillip Lindsay is getting plenty of touches in his attempt to carve out a role. If the Broncos want a pecking order finalized going into next week’s game at Washington, Saturday’s game is the final evaluation. Elway said: “It’s been good so far. They’ve all played very well. We’re only one game through it, but we feel good about that room and the guys that we have in that room. The young guys are stepping up.” Comment: Our thinking on this has crystallized. Booker may get the start in Week 1 against Seattle, but this running game will quickly revolve around Freeman. Signing A.J. Johnson What’s the story: The Broncos signed linebacker A.J. Johnson on Monday. He has not played football since 2014 as a Tennessee senior. He and another man were acquitted in a jury trial this summer of aggravated rape. Elway said: “We went through (Johnson’s background) very thoroughly. Obviously, he went through a lot in the last 3 1/2 years and in the homework that we did on A.J., (we felt) he was going to be a very good fit for us. .. He’s a great kid. I think he’ll be a great addition here. He’s a guy where obviously it’s going to take some time.” Comment: Don’t expect Johnson to be a camp body. The Broncos would not have put in the effort to investigate his background and then risk the potential public criticism if they didn’t think he could help the defense this year.

Broncos training camp rewind, practice 16: Two days of practice vs. Bears wrap up By Ryan O’Halloran The Denver Post August 17, 2018 Player Attendance Did not practice: S Su’a Cravens (knee), TE Troy Fumagalli (groin), S Dymonte Thomas (hamstring), G J.J. Dielman (knee), CB Michael Hunter (migranes), LB Shaquil Barrett (hamstring), CB Chris Harris (oblique), G/C Sam Jones (back) and G Menelik Watson (pectoral). Physically unable to perform: WR Jordan Taylor (hips). Did not report list: WR Carlos Henderson and WR Jimmy Williams. Returned to practice: None. New Injuries RG Menelik Watson had his injury flare up again on Wednesday. “He had an MRI (Thursday) morning,” coach Vance Joseph said. “We’ll see what the results say.” S Shamarko Thomas left the practice field after getting overheated. Top Play WR DaeSean Hamilton climbed the ladder to make a tough catch in the end zone on a throw by QB Case Keenum. Thumbs Up QB Chad Kelly. Completed his four passes in 11-on-11 work and his first incompletion was a red zone throwaway. LG/C Max Garcia. Saw some center reps with the third team and in 1-on-1 work twice beat DE Jonathan Bullard. Thumbs Down The environment. These joint practices used to have a lot more spice. No fights? Great. But it appeared that some players ratcheted down their intensity so they could stay in practice. Odds and Ends

• Joseph on the two days of practice with Chicago: “The roster evaluation is so important this time of year so to see the guys play against different competition is always good. Schematically on both sides of the ball, you can really find some issues in your scheme by facing other schemes. Defensively, we found a couple of things that weren’t good for us vs. this scheme and offensively, it was the same way with some protection issues we can fix.”

• Joseph would not rule out any players for Saturday’s game. He hopes CB Chris Harris can play.

• The injury to G/C Sam Jones (back) created backup center reps and LG Max Garcia worked with the third team. Garcia could make the roster if he appears semi-comfortable at center because the Broncos need injury insurance for LG Ron Leary. “(Garcia) played some center in college,” Joseph said. “The more you do as a swing guard for us, the better (you’re) going to be.”

• Joseph said the Broncos’ second-team was “a lot better,” Thursday after he said they were “terrible,” on Wednesday. “Seeing the plays for the second day, the assignments were better — it wasn’t perfect, but it was better,” Joseph said.

• Asked if OLB Von Miller would play Saturday, Joseph said: “We’ll see.” Last week, Joseph said he expected Miller to play but he was a late scratch. Joseph certainly left open the possibility Miller will sit again. “Last year, he didn’t play until Week 3 (of the preseason),” Joseph said.

• During the first run play of 11-on-11, Broncos LT Garett Bolles blocked LB Danny Trevathan from the numbers on the field all the way to the sideline, completed by a pancake block.

• First period of 11-on-11 for Broncos offense: QB Case Keenum got good pass protection and lofted a fine throw to WR Emmanuel Sanders on an “over” route. … QB Chad Kelly extended the play by rolling right and throwing to WR Courtland Sutton; on the next play, Kelly stepped up in the pocket and side-armed a throw to WR River Cracraft. … QB Paxton Lynch got three snaps.

• Second period of 11-on-11 for Broncos offense: Keenum had completions to RB Devonate Booker and RB Royce Freeman. … Kelly had completions to WR Jordan Leslie and Booker. … Lynch completed a pass to TE Brian Parker.

• Third period of 11-on-11 for Broncos offense: Keenum was nearly intercepted by CB Kyle Fuller but hit deep balls to WR DaeSean Hamilton and WR Isaiah McKenzie. … Kelly had a throw dropped by RB David Williams. … Lynch underthrew McKenzie, who had gotten a step to get open downfield.

• WR Tim Patrick leveled a Bears defensive back during individual special teams drills on a block and celebrated boldly right in the faces of Chicago players. Things got chippy, but never out of control, as players from both teams gathered to break up the skirmish.

• Bears’ starting QB Mitchell Trubisky threw just one incompletion through his first two series during team period when Broncos’ S Will Parks nearly intercepted a pass in the red zone.

• NT Domata Peko on DE Adam Gotsis, who learned Wednesday he would not be charged with rape for an incident in 2013: “That was good for him, and now he closed that chapter and really focus fully on football and really get after it this year. I’m excited for Adam.”

• The Broncos “broke camp” on Thursday, which only means they are allowed to return to their homes for the duration of the preseason. “It feels good,” OLB Shane Ray said. “Obviously, you go from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. for all of these days for a month or so. It’s a lot of work that we put in as a team.”

From Colin Kaepernick to Paxton Lynch, here are 5 takeaways from John Elway’s Broncos training camp news conference By Kyle Fredrickson The Denver Post August 17, 2018 John Elway spoke with reporters Thursday at UCHealth Training Center as the Broncos wrapped up their final day of training camp practice. Here are the five biggest takeaways from Elway’s news conference. 1. All eyes on the quarterbacks. — When the team will decide if it needs to add a backup quarterback from outside the roster: “We’ll wait and see happens this week and go from there,” Elway said. “I feel we still have time so let the young guys take the reps and go from there.” — On Chad Kelly’s promotion to second-string: “I had a feeling he was going to play well, ” Elway said. “He’s a competitive guy. he’s played a lot of snaps. He’s instinctive. He took advantage of the opportunity. It did not surprise me the way Chad played — he played very well. He deserved a chance to play with the 2s this week.” — On Paxton Lynch’s demotion: “We’re going to see Paxton against their thirds, too. I hope Paxton takes advantage of it and goes out and plays well.” — On starter Case Keenum‘s training camp performance: “It’s been good. I was hoping to get off to a better start than we had the first week (of preseason), but it’s been a good week of practice and Case has had a good camp. So hopefully we can dig in this week and get off to a better start.” 2. Colin Kaepernick is not a candidate for QB2. “Colin had his chance to be here,” Elway said. “We offered him a contract (in 2016). He didn’t take it. As I said in my deposition, and I don’t know if I’m legally able to say this, he’s had his chance to be here. He passed it.” 3. Is wide receiver Courtland Sutton worthy of the hype? “He’s been good in camp but he’s a rookie,” Elway said. “I say the same thing all the time: Preseason is a different animal than he’s used to seeing and it’s good for him to see a different helmet. But we also know it’s a step up when we get to the regular season.” 4. Observations of the running back competition. “It’s been good so far,” Elway said. “They’ve all played really well. We feel good about that room and the guys we have in that room and the young guys are stepping up. The playing time will be invaluable so we’ll continue to work on that.”

5. The preseason loss to Minnesota can be an important teaching tool. “Obviously, I think the game was a little bit of a hiccup,” Elway said. “But up to that point, camp had been very good. So I think it was a little bit of a wake-up call that first game realizing we have to take it from the practice field to the playing field. As much as we didn’t want that hiccup, it was probably a good hiccup for us.”

Elway reiterates Kaepernick turned down chance to become Broncos QB By Mike Klis 9 News August 17, 2018 Training camp is officially finished for the Denver Broncos. They had a good camp. Case Keenum was the reason. As for the Broncos’ preseason so far? They had a good camp. “Obviously the game was a little bit of a hiccup, maybe a wakeup call for us,’’ Broncos general manager John Elway said Thursday about his team’s 42-28 loss last week to the Minnesota Vikings. It was worse than that for the Broncos as their first and second teamers had just one first down at halftime to 14 for the Vikings. “But up until that point, camp had been very good. So it was a little bit of a wakeup call that first game realizing that we have to take it from the practice to the field. As much as we didn’t want that hiccup it was probably a good hiccup for us.’’ Elway didn’t come right out and say it, but it does sound like he will explore bringing in a backup quarterback with experience. For now, Chad Kelly, who has yet to take an NFL regular-season snap, is the Broncos’ No. 2 quarterback. “We’ll wait and see what happens,’’ Elway said. “We’ll wait through this week and see what happens and go from there.’’ The Broncos GM was much clearer that Colin Kaepernick would not be his backup. “I said this a while ago, but Colin had his chance to be here,’’ Elway said. “We offered him a contract. He didn’t take it. As I said in my deposition - I don’t know if legally I’m able to say this - but he had his chance to be here. He passed it.’’ Elway was referring to March 31, 2016, when he hosted Kaepernick for a recruiting meeting at his Cherry Hills home. Elway was joined by his top front-office deputy Matt Russell and then-Broncos head coach Gary Kubiak. The Broncos’ brass tried to convince Kaepernick to take a pay cut from a guaranteed $11.9 in 2016 to $7 million. In return, Kaepernick could leave the sad-sack San Francisco 49ers – who were 5-11 under Jim Tomsula in 2015 and were about to go 2-14 under Chip Kelly – to the defending Super Bowl-champion Broncos who needed a quarterback to replace the retired Peyton Manning and free-agent departed Brock Osweiler. Elway inferred to Kaepernick that if he stayed with the rebuilding situation in San Francisco in 2016, he might have trouble getting another big contract in 2017. The Broncos’ offer, Elway said, was better for the long-term.

And while there was no guarantee the Broncos would have kept Kaepernick for the 2017 season, Elway’s instincts were correct -- the quarterback hasn’t played since 2016. Some believe Kaepernick is getting blackballed by the league for starting the wave of protests against this country’s social injustice by kneeling during the National Anthem -- a position he took while with the 49ers and a few months after spurning Elway’s offer. 9NEWS reported Elway was deposed by Kaepernick’s lawyers in May during the quarterback’s collusion grievance claim against NFL teams. Elway essentially told the lawyers it was Kaepernick putting money over winning that turned him off. Not the anthem controversy. Meanwhile, it is Swag -- not Kap or Pax -- who will get the next chance to become the Broncos’ backup to Keenum. Elway seems more concerned his starters play much better Saturday night against the Bears than they did last week against the Vikings. “What I would like is to see us take a little bit more pride in what we did, and say, ‘Listen, we want to get off to a good start,’’’ Elway said. “We didn’t do that, so that was the disappointing thing. I think now, knowing this week that we’re going to get things started and get off to a good start, start getting into a flow of things and the starters have to play—the mindset has to (be) that we’re here to get ready to play that opening game against Seattle.”

John Elway: Broncos won't consider Colin Kaepernick if a QB is signed By Jeff Legwold ESPN August 17, 2018 As the Denver Broncos try to decide what they'll do to find a backup quarterback, John Elway said Thursday that Colin Kaepernick will not be a consideration. In a week when the Broncos demoted Paxton Lynch to No. 3 and are working second-year quarterback Chad Kelly as the No. 2, Elway -- the team's president of football operations and general manager -- has not ruled out signing a veteran to be Case Keenum's backup. Elway was asked Thursday if Kaepernick was "a viable option." "You know what, and I said this a while ago: Colin had his chance to be here. We offered him a contract. He didn't take it," Elway said. "As I said in my deposition ... he's had his chance to be here. He passed it." Elway gave a deposition in May for Kaepernick's lawyers in Kaepernick's collusion case against the NFL. Kaepernick attended the deposition. Elway met with Kaepernick twice in 2016 as the Broncos and San Francisco 49ers tried to work out a trade that would have sent Kaepernick to Denver. At the time, the Broncos wanted to trim Kaepernick's guaranteed salary from $11.9 million to $7 million, whether that would involve the 49ers paying the difference or Kaepernick simply taking the pay cut. After several rounds of discussion between the two teams, as well as a face-to-face meeting between Elway and Kaepernick at Elway's house, a deal was not completed. The attempt to trade for Kaepernick fell though just weeks before the 2016 draft and the Broncos traded up in the first round that year to select Lynch. "You know what, and I said this a while ago: Colin had his chance to be here. We offered him a contract. He didn't take it. As I said in my deposition ... he's had his chance to be here. He passed it." Elway signed a quarterback who had spurned him when he brought back Brock Osweiler last season. Osweiler left the Broncos in free agency in 2016 to take a deal from the Houston Texans and become one of the highest-paid players in the league. When the Broncos brought Osweiler back last season, he had already been traded by the Texans to the Cleveland Browns and then released. Osweiler was also being paid a guaranteed $16 million from the Browns and signed a contract for the minimum base salary with the Broncos. Kaepernick, the first player to kneel during the national anthem before a game to raise awareness for social justice issues, has not played since the 2016 season.

Former first-rounder Paxton Lynch's time with Broncos may be running out By Jeff Legwold ESPN August 17, 2018 Paxton Lynch's current predicament was in full view one morning this week as the Denver Broncos closed out a joint practice with the Chicago Bears. The Broncos’ offense scurried through the final practice period, an end-of-game scenario in which the team needed a field goal to win. Case Keenum was behind center for a Broncos drive and then Chad Kelly was behind center for another Broncos drive. When the air horn sounded and practice was over, Lynch didn’t get his chance to lead the Broncos' offense. In his third training camp since being the Broncos’ No. 1 pick in the 2016 draft, a player they traded up in the opening round to select, Lynch is now the team’s No. 3 quarterback. And the No. 3 quarterback doesn’t always get his chance in practice if time runs out. And there is the bottom line for Lynch. He now has lost back-to-back training camp battles with Trevor Siemian to be the team’s starter in his first two seasons and now appears to be losing a battle to be Keenum’s understudy. So, there is the possibility that if Lynch is neither the Broncos’ starter nor the Broncos' backup, the 24-year-old might be facing his last stand with the team that drafted him. “He understands it’s a performance business,” Broncos coach Vance Joseph said when officially moving Kelly up the depth chart this week, ahead of Lynch. “He has great potential -- physical potential -- but it’s got to equal performance eventually. He understands that. It’s a performance league, and everything we do is graded and it’s counted.” Broncos president of football operations/general manager John Elway said he wouldn’t get into hypotheticals about Lynch’s future if he didn’t win the backup job. But Elway hasn’t ruled out Kelly's viability or signing a veteran quarterback in the weeks to come -- Elway said that was a possibility on the first day of training camp. And time is now an issue for Lynch given the Broncos will play their second preseason game Saturday night against the Bears. Keenum figures to get at least a quarter of work, perhaps a little more, and Kelly then figures to take the second-teamers into the second half. And Lynch will get whatever is left over on the clock to show what he can do. “We’re going to see Paxton against their thirds, too,” Elway said. “... I hope Paxton takes advantage of it.” In the end, neither Kelly nor Lynch may show enough to prevent the Broncos from signing a veteran quarterback to be Keenum’s backup. But whether the Broncos will come right out and say it or whether Lynch will admit it, he’s on the shakiest of ground.

“Right now I’m just working my tail off to get better every day,” Lynch said after this past Saturday’s preseason loss to the Vikings. “[The game] just didn’t go the way I wanted it to, but I can’t do anything about that now, so you’ve got to put it behind you and move past it.” Two days after Lynch was 6-of-11 for 24 yards and an interception in seven possessions against the Vikings, Joseph announced Kelly would get his chance to be the No. 2 QB. It meant Kelly had outplayed Lynch in a scrimmage to close out the first week of training camp, and Kelly was 14-of-21 passing for 177 yards with two touchdowns and an interception against the Vikings. “It’s really more about Chad,” Joseph said. “Chad has competed and Chad’s played well. If Chad’s not playing well, [Lynch] is still the 2. It’s really more about what Chad has done from the spring to now.” Privately, several personnel executives who have reviewed Lynch’s play, including this preseason, say that Lynch is still too quick to pull the ball down and run if his first read on a play isn’t available. They also say he isn’t consistent enough on throws in the middle of the field and he's too slow to bounce back from on-field mistakes. They also see the athleticism and arm strength, but as Joseph said, the “potential -- physical potential” has “got to equal performance eventually.” The Broncos face a developmental question with Lynch after an injury-marred 2017 with four largely uneven starts. And because Lynch can’t go to the practice squad, the Broncos have to wonder if he can develop enough to keep him on the roster. And at that point the choice won't be hypothetical any longer -- it will be staring the Broncos squarely in the face.

John Elway hasn’t ruled out bringing in a veteran backup QB. But it seems he’s ruled out one candidate. By Nicki Jhabvala The Athletic August 17, 2018 John Elway isn’t ready to make a decision — his biggest remaining decision — just yet. The Broncos’ training camp has concluded and their first preseason game is in the books, but positional battles are ongoing and none is perhaps bigger than the backup quarterback race. The Broncos, never immune to quarterback drama, have a starter in Case Keenum but uncertainty behind him as Paxton Lynch and Chad Kelly duke it for not only the No. 2 job, but for a job in Denver. As some expected ahead of training camp, Mr. Irrelevant of the 2017 draft has all but surpassed the first-round pick the Broncos traded up to select in 2016. After an impressive showing in his NFL debut last Saturday against Minnesota, Kelly was bumped up on the depth chart to QB2 and Lynch, after two previous failed bids to win the starting gig, was relegated to third string. This is not the plan Elway envisioned when he labeled Lynch “the guy” two years ago. But Elway is also not ready to cut ties officially. Not yet. If he will at all. “We’ll wait and see what happens,” Elway said Thursday after the Broncos’ second joint practice with the Bears. “We’ll wait through this week and see what happens and go from there. I feel like we still have time. At the end, guys continue to take their reps and we’ll go from there.” Asked what he looks for in a backup quarterback, Elway said he simply wants “somebody that can win football games.” “The backup is a guy that you have confidence in that if something were to happen to your starter, that he has the experience and the ability to come in and help you win a football game,” he added. “Not necessarily carry the football game, but help you win a football game. It’s a different quality because you have to be ready all the time, and mentally be ready all the time. You don’t get a chance to play a lot of time. I think that’s as hard as it is to find a starter. It’s just as hard to find a guy that can back up. We’re always looking for those.” If the Broncos need an outside example of the value and importance of a backup quarterback, the Super Bowl champion Eagles are as good as they’ll find. But Denver’s own history of needing a backup who can step in on moment’s notice and win games is long. The most recent: Brock Osweiler guiding the Broncos to five wins en route to their Super Bowl 50 victory as Peyton Manning nursed a foot injury. Over the last two years, the Broncos have cycled through a group of potential backups and starters, with not one latching on as a long-term starter. As Manning mulled retirement and Osweiler left for Houston in 2016, the Broncos hoped to lure Colin Kaepernick via trade with the 49ers. Elway met with Kaepernick multiple times that offseason as the teams tried to reach an agreement on a deal that was contingent upon Kaepernick lowering his salary from $11.9 million to $7 million — either

with a pay cut or the 49ers paying the difference. Talks dragged out and eventually fizzled ahead of the draft. Mark Sanchez was signed as a filler, Lynch was drafted on potential, Trevor Siemian was appointed starter on merit, Austin Davis was brought in as a stopgap, Osweiler (after also passing on the Broncos 2016) was re-signed because of injury and, most recently, Keenum was signed to try and salvage it all. Last Saturday in Denver’s preseason-opening loss to the Vikings, Keenum and the first-team offense struggled with a pair of three-and-outs before taking the bench. Lynch’s seven possessions resulted in a mere 24 passing yards and 22.2 rating, while Kelly’s night featured two touchdowns and the Broncos’ first lead of the night. He led all quarterbacks with 177 passing yards, posted a 104.7 rating and tied for a team-high 38 rushing yards. “I had a feeling he was going to play well,” Elway said. “He’s a competitive guy, he’s played a lot of snaps and he’s instinctive. He took advantage of the opportunity that he had. He was looking forward to going out and playing and champing at the bit. It did not surprise me, the way Chad played. He played very well. He’s got good instincts. He deserved the chance to play with the twos this week.” But the ultimate question is if it was enough. Are the Broncos convinced Kelly could win them games if he’s asked to step in for Keenum? Or will they look outside for help from a more experienced quarterback? And then, of course, what happens to Lynch? If he’s not the backup quarterback for the season, will he even be on the team? “I’m not going to get into the hypotheticals right now,” Elway said. “We’ll cross that bridge— we still haven’t played two preseason games yet, so I’m not going to get into the hypotheticals.” Should the Broncos scour the free-agent market for quarterback help, the list is thin, with former Miami quarterback Matt Moore among those front and center. A trade would open up a few more doors but also come at a cost. One candidate who has seemingly been ruled out is Kaepernick, the player the Broncos once wanted as their successor to Manning. Kaepenick, the first player to kneel during the anthem to protest social injustice and police brutality, hasn’t played an NFL game since Jan. 1, 2017 and last year filed a collusion grievance with the NFL. Elway was among the multiple NFL executives deposed in the case, in May. “I said this a while ago: Colin had his chance to be here,” Elway said. “We offered him a contract. He didn’t take it. As I said in my deposition — and I don’t know if I’m legally able to say this — he had his chance to be here. He passed it.” Week 2 of the preseason could be the Broncos’ most important as the backup quarterback decision looms. The Broncos’ starters are expected to play a quarter-and-a-half, coach Vance Joseph said, with the twos and threes finishing it out. Although it’s been said before, the game against the Bears could truly be Lynch’s final chance to prove his worth or punch his ticket out of Denver. But that’s also the case for dozens of others on the roster.

The Broncos’ training camp exuded a different feel from the last two years, in large part because of Keenum’s arrival in stabilizing the offense. But the improvement seen in practice didn’t translate to improved play in the game last Saturday. The hope is that changes against Chicago — for veterans and young players alike. “I think it was a little bit of a wake-up call that first game, realizing that we had to take it from the practice field to the playing field,” Elway said. “As much as we didn’t want that hiccup, it was probably a good hiccup for us. We’ll see how we take it from the practice field to the playing field. “I’m not overly concerned about the fact that we didn’t take it this week because the vets knew they were going one series or two series. What I would like is to see us take a little bit more pride in what we did, and say, ‘Listen, we want to get off to a good start.’ We didn’t do that, so that was the disappointing thing. I think now, knowing this week that we’re going to get things started and get off to a good start, start getting into a flow of things and the starters have to play — they’ve got to start getting ready and the mindset has to now get to the point that we’re here to get ready to play that opening game against Seattle.”

Broncos' John Elway wants fast starts, better offense, but no Kaepernick By Troy Renck KMGH August 17, 2018 John Elway wants better. The Broncos averaged 18.1 points per game last season and turned the red zone into the dread zone. They brought in Case Keenum to inspire change. Then came the preseason opener and three-and-out drives returned like a nagging cough. It was only two series, but it conjured up images of the previous forgettable seasons. While addressing a number of topics Wednesday, including why Colin Kaepernick is not under consideration for a backup job, Elway spoke of a team that must show more pride. Troy Renck✔ @TroyRenck #Broncos Elway responding to the Kaepernick question. Would they consider him as backup #Denver7 "Fast starts. ... Playing well is more important. A fast start helps that. The (first) game was a little bit of a wakeup call," Elway said. "I would like to see us take a little more pride in what we did. That was a little a disappointing we didn't do that." A longer cameo should increase the chance for production. The starters are scheduled to play into the middle of second quarter. A touchdown drive would go a long way in turning down the volume of critics. Regardless, Keenum is locked in as the starter, with Elway pleased with his leadership and work ethic. As for his backup, that remains uncertain. Elway has not ruled out pursuing a veteran after assessing the play of Chad Kelly, and to a lesser degree, Paxton Lynch this Saturday. While Matt Moore, T.J. Yates, Brett Hundley have been linked to the Broncos, Colin Kaepernick won't be coming to Denver. "Well, you know what, and I said this a while ago, Colin had his chance to be here. We offered him a contract," Elway said. "He didn't take it. And as I said at my deposition (Kaepernick's collusion case against the NFL), and I don't know if I am legally able to say this, but he had his chance to be here. He passed it." Elway met with Kaepernick prior to the 2016 season, making a push to acquire him in a trade from San Francisco. It hinged on Kaepernick agreeing to reduce his $11.9 million salary. The Broncos wanted him at $7 million through a pay cut, restructured deal or with the 49ers absorbing part of his money. Kaepernick balked at a reduced guarantee, and San Francisco was unwilling to eat any of the contract. As as a result, the Broncos drafted Lynch, pitting him a competition against Mark Sanchez and Trevor Siemian, won the by the latter. For now, Kelly sits at No. 2 behind Keenum. Kelly has played one football game in 650 days and taken zero snaps in the regular season. Elway left impressed with Kelly's showing against Minnesota, saying he earned his promotion.

"I had a feeling he was going to play well. He’s a competitive guy, and he took advantage of the opportunity he had," Elway said. "He deserved the chance with the twos this week." Elway understands the challenge the Broncos face as they attempt to avoid back-to-back losing seasons for the first time season since 1972. The Broncos are 7-15 in their last 22 games, suffering a talent erosion and hurt by underwhelming draft classes unable to fill the void. This year's rookie class creates optimism, including first-rounder Bradley Chubb, who is a starter, receivers Courtland Sutton and DaeSean Hamilton and starting nickelback Isaac Yiadom. "The preseason is a different animal. It was good for them to a see different helmet (in practices vs. the Bears). We have a lot of young guys we are going to lean on this season," Elway said. "We have to grow up fast. But it needs to be a balance of young guys and veterans."

Elway may be calling around for backup QB but no Kaepernick By Arnie Stapleton Associated Press August 17, 2018 John Elway might find himself in the market for a veteran backup quarterback soon, yet there's one man who won't be getting a call: Colin Kaepernick . "Colin had his chance to be here," Elway said Thursday when asked if the former San Francisco 49ers QB would be an option if he decides Case Keenum's backup isn't already on Denver's roster. "We offered him a contract. He didn't take it," Elway said. "And as I said at my deposition (in Kaepernick's collusion lawsuit against the NFL) — and I don't know if I'm legally able to say this — but he's had his chance to be here. He passed." Kaepernick declined to take a pay cut from his $11.9 million salary to facilitate a trade to the Broncos in 2016 following Peyton Manning's retirement. Unable to get a discount from Kaepernick or a rebate from the 49ers, Elway moved up in the draft to select former Memphis QB Paxton Lynch in the first round of the draft that spring. Lynch has been a flop and this week was demoted to third string behind Chad Kelly, last year's "Mr. Irrelevant," who missed his rookie season while recovering from knee and wrist surgeries. Kaepernick contends he's no longer in the NFL because he's the one who started the protests during the national anthem that have engulfed the league ever since. At first he sat down, then later took a knee during "The Star-Spangled Banner" to highlight social injustices against minorities. Several players joined in, and President Donald Trump criticized them for disrespecting the flag and U.S. military by not standing during the anthem. Lynch was beaten out in 2016 and '17 by seventh-round QB Trevor Siemian, who was traded to Minnesota in the offseason following Keenum's free agent signing. Elway declared the backup job up for grabs between Lynch and Kelly. Lynch was demoted after failing to read defenses correctly and throwing for just 24 yards in seven series in Denver's preseason opener against the Vikings. Kelly threw for 177 yards and two TDs in mop-up duty, but that was his first game in more than 640 days. And he's had a tougher time this week while running with the second string against the Bears' backups in joint practices at the UC Health Center . Kelly will get a long look Saturday night against Chicago as Elway determines whether he can trust him to step in and win games if necessary.

What he's looking for in a backup QB is a guy "who has the experience and the ability to come in and help you win a football game," Elway said. "It's a different quality because you have to be ready all the time, and mentally be ready all the time and you don't get a chance to play all the time. "And as hard as it is to find a starter, it's just as hard to find a guy that can back up. And so, we're always looking for those." If Elway doesn't feel comfortable with Kelly as his backup, he could sign a free agent next week who isn't in anyone's camp or wait for final cuts on Sept. 1 for more options. "We'll wait through this week and see what happens," Elway said. "I feel like we still have time." Elway said he's been pleased with Keenum, save for his pair of three-and-outs in the preseason opener. "I was hoping to get off to a better start than we had the first week in the preseason," Elway said. "But it's been a good week of practice and Case has had a good camp. So, hopefully we dig in a little bit more this week and get off to a better start." And he's hoping Kelly provides a better performance with the second string than Lynch did. Elway might soon have to cut the man he once thought was his next franchise quarterback. "We haven't played two preseason games yet," Elway said, "so I'm not going to get into hypotheticals." Notes: Newly signed S Shamarko Thomas had to leave practice early because of the heat. ... Coach Vance Joseph declined to say whether Von Miller will be held out again Saturday: "We'll see with Von. Last year he didn't play until Week 3. I think he had four plays, one sack and one quarterback pressure."

Broncos training camp Day 14 observations By Andrew Mason DenverBroncos.com August 17, 2018 It only took two plays into the first team period of Thursday's practice for Denver's offense to set the tone it wanted during its final joint practice with the Chicago Bears. Quarterback Case Keenum handed the ball to running back Royce Freeman, and he swept left. Left tackle Garett Bolles provided a burly escort, blocking Chicago linebacker Danny Trevathan to clear Freeman's path. Bolles kept pushing, and even as Freeman raced past, the second-year offensive lineman didn't let up, driving Trevathan to the ground at the left sideline as Freeman turned upfield. Nearly two hours later, as Bolles reflected on practice and training camp, he smiled when the play was brought up. But it was not simply about establishing the demeanor of the day. Instead it was about establishing a standard for the regular-season games to come. "Our whole plan is to impose our will," Bolles said. "That's what we want to do, but we also want to be smart about it and continue to work on our craft and continue to work on our technique. And if we craft that, we have everything else going for us." That work continued for Denver's offense during the rest of that period. A moment after Bolles' block, tight end Jake Butt made sure that Keenum's pocket was clean, blocking Chicago outside linebacker Sam Acho. That gave Keenum time to locate Emmanuel Sanders down the right sideline. Devontae Booker was a beneficiary of more strong blocking work during the same period, following the lead of fullback Andy Janovich on Trevathan for a solid gain on a sweep to the right. "If we have two or three people doing that," Bolles said, "the rest of us will attack it, which will make Case feel comfortable, which will [help] Book and Royce and all those guys back there, and [Demaryius Thomas] and Emmanuel and Courtland and Tim Patrick and all those guys catching balls." Plays like those were part of why Head Coach Vance Joseph felt the first-team offense and defense had "sharp" work against the Bears. "Pretty strong," Joseph said. "It's practice. It's a controlled environment, so it was obviously a scripted practice." OBSERVATIONS ... Denver's defensive line and edge rushers carried over their strong work in one-on-one drills to the team periods during practice. During a single period, outside linebackers Von Miller and Shane Ray each burst into the backfield with rushes that would have likely been sacks under game conditions.

... With the aid of a strong pass rush and consistent push up front, Denver's second-team defense stabilized after what Joseph said was a "terrible" practice Wednesday. “Better, a lot better," he said. "Obviously, seeing the plays for the second day, their assignments were better. Still wasn't perfect, but it was better." ... Booker made one of the offense's big plays possible by picking up a Trevathan blitz, allowing Keenum to hit wide receiver DaeSean Hamilton for a 30-yard gain down the left sideline. ... Jeff Heuerman caught a pair of touchdown passes during the team red-zone period, including one that saw him run a crossing route at the goal line. As he caught the ball, Chicago linebacker Nick Kwiatkowski tried to wrest the football away from Heuerman, but the first-team tight end won the tug-of-war for the score. ... Wide receiver Tim Patrick was at the center of one of the skirmishes that took place during a special-teams period, but had a notable day on offense. During the red-zone team period, he caught a touchdown pass, leaping over Chicago cornerback Kyle Fuller for a catch from Chad Kelly.Patrick also caught a pair of passes from Keenum in a seven-on-seven period. PERSONNEL NOTES ... Connor McGovern and Max Garcia both saw some work at center with the second and third units as Sam Jones continued to sit out because of back spasms that arose during Tuesday's practice. "The more he can do as a swing guard for us, the better he's going to be," Joseph said of Garcia. ... With Chris Harris Jr. sidelined because of an oblique injury, Tramaine Brock and Isaac Yiadom both saw first-team work at cornerback alongside Bradley Roby. Harris will "hopefully" be ready for Saturday's game, Joseph said.

Elway plans to 'wait and see what happens' in backup quarterback battle By Aric DiLalla DenverBroncos.com August 17, 2018 John Elway isn’t going to speculate. Whether or not the Broncos’ backup quarterback for the 2018 season is on the current roster remains to be seen, but Elway won’t make a decisive statement about the topic at this juncture. “We’ll wait and see what happens,” Elway said Thursday. "We’ll wait through this week and see what happens and go from there. I feel like we still have time. At the end, guys continue to take their reps and we’ll go from there.” The Broncos’ president of football operations/general manager also won’t speculate about Paxton Lynch’s future with the team if Chad Kelly or another quarterback takes control of the backup position. “I’m not going to get into the hypotheticals right now,” Elway said. “We’ll cross that bridge — we still haven’t played two preseason games yet. I’m not going to get into hypotheticals.” Instead, Elway is focused on how both Lynch and Kelly can improve as they aim to earn the backup role. For Kelly, that means building off a 14-of-21 performance in the preseason opener in which he threw for 177 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. “I had a feeling he was going to play well,” Elway said. “He’s a competitive guy, he’s played a lot of snaps and he’s instinctive. He took advantage of the opportunity that he had. He was looking forward to going out and playing and chomping at the bit. It did not surprise me, the way Chad played. He played very well. He’s got good instincts. He deserved the chance to play with the twos this week.” And for Lynch, who Elway admitted was in a tough situation, that means finding some success against the Bears during his limited playing time. “We’re going to see Paxton against their thirds, too.” Elway said. “It’s the same role, it’s just reversed. I hope Paxton takes advantage of it and goes out and plays well.” As both Kelly and Lynch try to put their best foot forward, Elway will have to decide whether either is capable of serving as the team’s backup quarterback. Because as Elway said Thursday, the most important quality he’s looking for in Case Keenum’s backup is simple. “Somebody that can win football games,” Elway said. “I think that’s the key thing. The backup is a guy that you have confidence in that if something were to happen to your starter, that he has the experience and the ability to come in and help you win a football game. Not necessarily carry the football game, but help

you win a football game. It’s a different quality because you have to be ready all the time, and mentally be ready all the time. You don’t get a chance to play a lot of time. “I think that’s as hard as it is to find a starter. It’s just as hard to find a guy that can backup. We’re always looking for those.”

Vance Joseph outlines which players could be available, how much they'll play in Saturday's game vs. Bears By Aric DiLalla DenverBroncos.com August 17, 2018 As the Broncos approach their second preseason game, Head Coach Vance Joseph did not reveal whether Von Miller would play on Saturday against the Bears. “We’ll see,” Joseph said. “We’ll see with Von. Last year he didn’t play until Week 3 and he had four plays, one sack, one quarterback pressure. He did OK. So we’ll see.” The other players on the starting units, though, should see more time than they did in a short stint against the Vikings. “We’re going to play quite a bit,” Joseph said. “Not too much where we expose guys, but we’re going to play. We have to play. We played about six or seven snaps last week on offense and about 14 on defense. So I’m looking at about a quarter, quarter and a half with our ones. Our twos will play until we see progress. We’ll play our threes late.” At least one other starter could miss Saturday’s game. Chris Harris Jr. missed his second straight practice as he recovers from an oblique injury. Joseph said he is hopefully Harris will be ready for Saturday. “He’s day to day,” Joseph said. Joseph also provided updates on Shamarko Thomas, Menelik Watson and Troy Fumagalli: · Thomas left the field during practice because of the heat. “He’s been here for two days and obviously took a lot of reps today, so just heat,” Joseph said. · Watson underwent an MRI on Thursday morning to determine the extent of his pec injury. “We’ll see what the results say there,” Joseph said. · Fumagalli continues to deal with soreness that stems from an offseason sports hernia surgery. “He is really sore, so we’re being smart with his injury,” Joseph said. “It goes back from the spring. We’re being smart with Troy.”

Sacco Sez: 'Da Bears' come to Denver By Jim Saccomano DenverBroncos.com August 17, 2018 Every NFL game is a big deal, but when the Chicago Bears are involved, it seems to take on an elevated level — even if just in the preseason. There are 32 teams in today's NFL, but there is only one regarded by their fans as "Da Bears," as “Saturday Night Live” fans will recall from a popular skit 20 years ago. The Denver Broncos have not played the Bears too often, holding an 8-7 all-time record against the team from the Windy City, but there are still some connections that are always on my mind. When I was a young boy growing up and reading football books and magazines, I thought it interesting that there had once been a player named Bronko (with a K) — similar to the name of Denver's new football team. Little did I realize that many years later, while working for the Broncos (with a C) when I was asked by the NFL to work my first Super Bowl (Super Bowl XVIII in Tampa), I would be on the field at the same time as Bronko Nagurski, who was an honorary captain for the coin toss and who was to make his last public appearance that day in Tampa. One of the most notable things about Bronko was the size of his hands. He was known for his great strength and size (the biggest running back in the NFL and bigger than most linemen), but his hands were extraordinary. One of the largest rings ever produced for a championship ring was his legendary 19 and 1/2 in 1943. Naturally, he was in the first induction class not only for the Canton Hall of Fame but also for the College Football Hall of Fame in 1951. I can never put the size of those hands out of my mind. Such was his football prowess that before he joined the Bears as part of the legendary Monsters of the Midway, while at the University of Minnesota he not only was an All-American, but in 1929, famed sportswriter Grantland Rice only had 10 players on his All-American team — Nagurski was a starting All-American at both tackle and fullback. During his days with the Bears from 1930-37 and again in 1943 (he did not want to return after a five-year retirement but Bears owner George Halas promised Bronko that he would only have to block), a long time before our Broncos began to play, the Bears won three NFL titles, including that 1943 year when "all" he did was block. One Chicago newspaper article at the time said that in a particularly fierce drive into the Bears' sideline, he literally knocked a policeman's horse to the ground.

The Bears won lots of titles, and Bronko retired for good in 1944. They remained "Da Bears," but championships became harder to come by. Meanwhile, the Denver Broncos (with a C) began play in 1960, reached legendary status of their own, particularly in the era of owner Pat Bowlen. Recent years have not always been kind to the Bears, but the Broncos have become one of just nine franchises to have three Super Bowl victories and one of just four teams with eight Super Bowl appearances. The Broncos this year are gunning for their 30th winning season under the ownership of Pat Bowlen, and his team has never had a non-sellout at home. The most recent matchup between the Broncos and Bears in the Mile High City was a 13-10 overtime win by Denver on Dec. 11, 2011, when quarterback Tim Tebow worked his late-game magic to produce the win. The Bears led by three in the last minute of the game, but Chicago running back Marion Barber opted not to stay inbounds but instead ran to the sidelines and out of bounds, thus stopping the clock. It was one of those things that always seemed to happen to the benefit of Tebow. Given a last chance in the last minute, Tebow quickly passed the Broncos into field position for the remarkable tie, then led Denver to the game-winning field goal in overtime amid the euphoria of a passionate Mile High audience. And one last note about our Chicago opponent, not known by very many fans. George Halas, the legendary owner and coach of the team, was an alumnus of the University of Illinois, which wore navy and orange uniforms. So when his Chicago Staleys became the Bears in 1922, the third year of the NFL, he chose the colors of his beloved Illini for his pro football team to wear. They have been in orange and blue ever since, just as the Broncos have since 1962, and this week the two fabled franchises meet again.

John Elway: Colin Kaepernick 'had his chance' with Broncos and 'passed' on contract offer By Lindsay Jones USA Today August 17, 2018 The Denver Broncos might soon be in the market for veteran backup quarterback, but Colin Kaepernick will not be on the list of players they would potentially call, general manager John Elway said Thursday. “Colin had his chance to be here. We offered him a contract, he didn't take it,” Elway said. The Broncos tried to trade for Kaepernick in 2016, shortly after Peyton Manning announced his retirement. But in order to complete the trade with the 49ers, the Broncos wanted Kaepernick to accept a pay cut. The quarterback declined and returned to San Francisco for another season. Kaepernick began his social justice protest the following 2016 preseason – he was spotted sitting during the national anthem for the first time during a game against the Broncos – and has been out of the league since opting out of his contract with the Niners in the 2017 offseason. Niners general manager later said the team would have cut Kaepernick had he not opted out. Kaepernick has filed a collusion claim against the NFL, alleging that his prolonged unemployment is a direct result of his social justice activism and protests rather than a reflection of his on-field skill. Elway was among the league executives to give a deposition, for which Kaepernick was present, earlier this year. Elway said Thursday that in that deposition he spoke about the spring 2016 contract offer. “I don't know if I'm legally able to say this, but he's had his chance to be here. He passed it,” Elway said. The Broncos could add a veteran quarterback to back up Case Keenum before the regular season begins next month. Chad Kelly, a seventh-round pick in 2017 who missed all of his rookie year with injuries, has overtaken former first-round pick Paxton Lynch as the No. 2 quarterback, and the Broncos may want more insurance behind Keenum.

John Elway should be embarrassed over his disingenuous comments about Colin Kaepernick By Josh Peters USA Today August 17, 2018 If anyone’s giving out an NFL award for Disingenuous General Manager of the Year, the early front-runner is the Denver Broncos’ John Elway. On Thursday, when asked if the Broncos would consider Colin Kaepernick if the team decides to sign a veteran backup quarterback, Elway said, “Colin had his chance to be here. We offered him a contract, he didn't take it.’’ That contract offer came in 2016, before Kaepernick famously began his protests during the national anthem. Kaepernick, who has not played since the end of the 2016 season, has filed a collusion claim against the NFL that alleges his unemployment is a result of his social justice activism and protests, not his on-field skills. Elway, it turns out, was among the league executives to give a deposition, for which Kaepernick was present, earlier this year. “I don't know if I'm legally able to say this," Elway said, “but he's had his chance to be here. He passed it." Forget the legality. The real issue here is the stupidity — for Elway to think anyone should buy his explanation. As USA TODAY Sports’ Lindsay H. Jones reported, the Broncos tried to trade for Kaepernick in 2016, shortly after Peyton Manning announced his retirement. But the Broncos wanted Kaepernick to accept a pay cut as part of the deal. Kaepernick declined and decided to stay with San Francisco for another season. Somehow, Kaepernick’s very reasonable decision — to decline a pay cut — has disqualified him from getting a shot with the Broncos. It would be foolish not to mention that Elway is one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history, and he won Super Bowl rings in 1997 and 1998. He’s also proven to be an adept general manager and executive vice president of football operations. Without him the Broncos would not have won a third Super Bowl in 2015. But all of that and Elway’s bronze bust in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, was not enough to spare him embarrassment Thursday. Elway's disingenuous comments regarding Kaepernick were as easy to spot as a football player kneeling during the national anthem.

Blue Lives Matter group turns down partnership offer from Jets By Lorenzo Reyes USA Today August 17, 2018 A request to partner with the New York Jets this season was denied by the pro-police group Blue Lives Matter, according to emails shared with The New York Post. Jets senior manager of premium partnerships Anthony Bulak reached out to Blue Lives Matter founder Joe Imperatrice to pitch him on the proposal, per The Post. “With the NFL season right around the corner, there is no better time to open up a conversation about how your business/organization can benefit from a partnership with the New York Jets,” Bulak wrote to Imperatrice on Tuesday, according to The Post, which reported that Imperatrice responded within minutes. “Although I’d love to work with an NFL team right now I feel it is not the right time,” he wrote back. “All over the United States players feel entitled to disrespect our first responders, our military members both past and present and our flag. These players make more money in a season than some people make in a lifetime and their ‘Issues’ are made up, exaggerated, and more times than not false. “Once again I do appreciate the offer but revenue we have could better be spent on the families of officers killed in the line of duty protecting the ignorance of these individuals rather than contributing to their paycheck.” Bulak tried to keep the door open and made another push for the proposal. “I appreciate you sharing your opinion and although I can’t comment too much on it what I will say is the Jets have never had a player protest our anthem,” Bulak responded to the denial, while also attaching a flyer for the team’s First Responders Night. “The Jets have always been supportive of our police, firefighters, EMTs, etc. and will continue to do so.” Imperatrice, however, relayed another objection. In March, New York signed running back Isaiah Crowell, who in July 2016 posted – and then deleted – an illustration to his Instagram account of a police officer getting his throat slashed by a figure dressed in black, with the caption: “Mood: They give polices all types of weapons and they continuously choose to kill us…#Weak.” According to The Post, Imperatrice responded and included an image of the illustration, saying: “If I am correct the JETS may have signed an individual who depicted a Grim Reaper slicing the throat of a police officer.” The NFL is currently engaged in discussions with the NFL Players Association as the two groups search for a resolution on the league’s national anthem policy, which has seen a number of players kneel or raise a

fist or remain in the locker room in protest of social inequality. Several owners, including Jerry Jones of the Dallas Cowboys, have been adamant that players be required to stand for the pregame playing of the anthem. In May, NFL owners approved a revised policy that stipulated that players present on the sideline for the playing of the anthem must stand, or their respective teams would face discipline. The policy also stated that players could instead remain in the locker room during the anthem. The NFL later announced in July that the revised policy would be put on hold until conversations with the players association would create an alternative solution.

Timeline reveals shallow context of John Elway's offer to Colin Kaepernick By Charles Robinson Yahoo! Sports August 17, 2018 So John Elway offered to trade for Colin Kaepernick and make him a Denver Bronco in 2016 – if Kaepernick was willing to take a significant pay cut from the $12.3 million he was about to earn from the San Francisco 49ers. Kaepernick declined the pay cut, Elway said that was his chance to be Denver and he blew it forever. History moved on. Until Thursday, when Elway engaged in the latest iteration of the NFL’s shell game of arguable excuses for why Kaepernick can’t get a job in the league. Elway told reporters, “Colin had his chance to be here. He didn’t take it. We offered him a contract. He didn’t take it. As I said at my deposition – and I don’t know if I’m legally able to say this – hey, he’s had his chance to be here. He passed it.” In the Kaepernick narrative, it was a stunning statement. Not only did it appear to be a breach of the confidentiality order in the Kaepernick collusion case against the NFL, there is a devil in the broad, illogical details. And in that broader view, it’s worth considering facts about Elway that are football-related (see: quarterback Brock Osweiler spurning Denver in 2016 free agency, only to be signed by Elway one year later) and also politically related (see: Elway’s documented support of Kaepernick foe, President Donald Trump). In short, there are layers here. And like many of the simple rationales tossed out regarding Kaepernick’s unemployment, there appears to be some significant intellectual dishonesty taking place. Why Elway opened this can of worms is anyone’s guess. But he did, and that makes a recounting of the facts worthwhile. With that in mind, here is what went down between Kaepernick and the Broncos – including some time stamps and political leanings that should be considered in the context of Elway’s claim. From multiple sources familiar with the timeline: In March of 2016 – more than five months before Kaepernick first protested during the national anthem at an NFL game – the Denver front office was coping with the reality that it was about to lose Osweiler in free agency. Running on a parallel track, agents for Kaepernick were pursuing trade partners for the 49ers, hoping to find a team that would entertain the quarterback’s pending $11.9 million base salary and a $400,000 workout bonus. The Broncos were one of the teams Kaepernick’s agents targeted as a potential trade partner. Calls were made arranging permission from the 49ers for a Kaepernick visit to Denver, where he would meet with Elway personally. During his visit in Denver, Kaepernick joined Elway at his home, where they discussed details of his time with the 49ers, including how Kaepernick had been fitting into the locker room and what he envisioned for himself going forward in the league. Sources familiar with the visit termed it as a “positive meet-and-greet” between the two. At the time, Kaepernick was aware that Elway and the Broncos’ scouting staff had previously given him some positive evaluations heading into the 2011 draft. He also believed he would

have the opportunity to compete with Mark Sanchez for the starting job. When Kaepernick departed, he was optimistic the Broncos would be his next team, pending an agreement on contract details. In the wake of Elway’s meeting, the Broncos told Kaepernick’s agents that he would be worth the trade investment if one of two things happened: Either the 49ers agreed to pay a portion of Kaepernick’s 2016 salary in an effort to trade him, or Kaepernick agreed to take a pay cut from $11.9 million to $7 million and forgo his $400,000 workout bonus. The 49ers ultimately refused. After some back and forth with Kaepernick’s agents, the Broncos were informed that he had declined to take the pay cut. The trade talks were scuttled, and Denver’s focus on drafting a rookie quarterback in the first round began to take shape. Ultimately, the belief in Kaepernick’s camp was that if Denver didn’t trade for him, he would eventually be cut by San Francisco and line up suitors in free agency – or he could potentially reestablish himself under Chip Kelly and regain his cornerstone quarterback status. That’s the thumbnail of what transpired between Elway and Kaepernick, a fairly garden-variety trade effort in the NFL that fell apart. But the backdrop of Elway’s latest comments add a new twist to a fairly mundane piece of history. By bringing his deposition details into focus on Thursday (and in turn, Kaepernick’s collusion case), Elway’s implication is that Kaepernick isn’t an option for the Broncos because he turned down a pay cut to $7 million and chose to return to the 49ers, where he ultimately ended up booking the full $12.3 million if his remaining salary in 2016. Now the added context that is worth consideration: Much like Elway’s apparent disappointment with Kaepernick’s refusal to take a pay cut, the Broncos general manager appeared to come out of the 2016 departure of Osweiler with some hurt feelings. Some less-than-veiled criticism was exchanged between the two parties and some bridges appeared to be burned. Despite spurning the Broncos in 2016, Osweiler was brought back into the fold by Elway roughly 18 months later, verbally agreeing to terms one day after Osweiler was cut by the Cleveland Browns. For whatever reason, Osweiler’s contentious free-agent divorce from Denver was apparently less hurtful than Kaepernick’s refusal to take a pay cut to consummate a trade. Politically, some interesting things happened surrounding Kaepernick and Elway after the scuttled trade. First, Kaepernick began protesting during the national anthem, sparking an initial skewering from Trump during his campaigning for president in September of 2016. That skewering from Trump would eventually grow into a large part of his political platform as president, resulting in multiple direct and indirect political attacks on Kaepernick. In the midst of this: Elway attended Trump’s inauguration in January of 2017, then later made the monumental gesture of writing a letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee (on Broncos letterhead), stumping for Trump’s first Supreme Court nominee, Neil Gorsuch, in March of 2017. Unless Elway decides to expound on it further, it’s unlikely we’ll get a full accounting for why he decided on a “one shot” mandate on Kaepernick. Instead, we’ll be left with a few facts to try and interpret why Elway took such an open swipe at Kaepernick: the quarterback refused to take a pay cut and was apparently unemployable by Elway from that point forward; Osweiler engaged in a messy divorce with Elway and somehow returned to the good graces of the franchise; and along the way, Elway engaged in some political stumping for Trump. Like so many other parts of the NFL’s saga with Kaepernick, the relation of those facts to each other is open for debate. But as always, the devil is in the details, regardless of how intellectually dishonest their presentation may be.

Broncos' John Elway makes puzzling remark about Colin Kaepernick By Shalise Manza Young Yahoo! Sports August 17, 2018 The Denver Broncos signed Case Keenum to a two-year contract in March, and Keenum is installed as the team’s starting quarterback. But there are questions behind him. After being booed off the field in his home stadium last week, 2016 first-round pick Paxton Lynch has been demoted to third-string, and 2017 seventh-round pick Chad Kelly, who has yet to play a regular-season snap, was promoted to backup. If Keenum goes down, is Kelly really the answer? Broncos fans are wondering, and general manager John Elway was asked about the No. 2 spot on Thursday. ‘He had his chance to be here’ When asked, Elway said, “I still feel like we have time” to figure out the team’s backup spot. As a follow-up, Nicki Jhabvala, who covers the team for The Athletic, asked Elway about the possibility of signing free agent Colin Kaepernick. Elway’s answer was … interesting. And assumes no one has Google. “Well, you know what and I said this a while ago, Colin had his chance to be here,” Elway said. “We offered him a contract. He didn’t take it. And I said in my deposition, and I don’t know legally if I’m able to say this, but he had his chance to be here. He passed it.” Jhabvala responded to a query on Twitter about whether Elway was talking about 2016, when he was in talks with San Francisco to acquire Kaepernick in a trade, or maybe 2017 or ’18, meaning the Broncos had circled back to Kaepernick after he became a free agent. Jhabvala said 2016. Wanted Kaepernick to take a huge pay cut Kaepernick, did in fact have a chance to join Denver in during the 2016 offseason; the Niners and Broncos talked for a couple of weeks about a trade, and reportedly settled on the parameters of the deal. But the major sticking point, and what Elway is hoping you’ve forgotten, is that he wanted Kaepernick to either take a massive pay cut or for the 49ers to offset his pay. Via an April 2016 story on NBCSports Bay Area, Kaepernick was slated to earn a guaranteed base salary of $11.9 million from San Francisco in 2016; Elway wouldn’t pay more than $7 million, a 41 percent cut in pay – and wanted Kaepernick to be the starter.

It didn’t get better after ’16. Denver wanted Kaepernick to agree to $7 million base again for 2017. Had he agreed to the deal, he would have walked away from $12.4 million in base salary and as much as $16.2 million over those two years. Not only was it sound for Kaepernick to say no (he did reportedly agree to a smaller pay cut, but the Broncos wouldn’t budge), especially since solid veteran backups can make $7 million a season, let alone starters, he would have been setting a bad precedent for other players and with the union. Kaepernick wound up earning around $14 million in 2016 with salary plus bonuses, roughly equal to what Denver wanted to pay him for two seasons. This was a few weeks after the Broncos had offered Brock Osweiler a three-year, $49.5 million contract with $30 million guaranteed to remain with Denver. Osweiler spurned Elway and the Broncos to take a larger deal with Houston, yet was still welcomed back last year when the team needed a quarterback and was terrible.

Broncos' John Elway: Colin Kaepernick 'Had His Chance to be Here' and 'Passed' on Contract By Emily Caron Sports Illustrated August 17, 2018 Broncos general manager John Elway indicated Thursday that former 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick would not be among the veteran talent that the Broncos would consider as a potential backup option, USA Today Sports' Lindsay Jones reports. "Colin had his chance to be here," Elway said. "We offered him a contract. He didn't take it." Elway added that he made a similar statement in the deposition he gave for Kaepernick's collision lawsuit against the NFL. "I don't know if I'm legally able to say this, but he's had his chance to be here," Elway said, according to Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic. "He passed it." A potential trade of Kaepernick to the Broncos almost happened in 2016, but after the quarterback would not take a pay cut and the 49ers would not pay off part of his contract, the deal came to a standstill. The Broncos were reportedly only willing to pay $7 million for Kaepernick, leaving the remaining $4.9 million for San Francisco to pay or Kaepernick to give up. Kaepernick has not been picked up by an NFL team since his decision to opt out of his contract with the 49ers in March of 2017. He is currently in the middle of a lawsuit against the NFL that alleges that the NFL has made a coordinated effort to keep him from the playing in the league because he protested police brutality during the pregame national anthem. Elway has said he believes in standing for the anthem. Kaepernick started demonstrating during the national anthem in August 2016, several months after he nearly joined the Broncos.

AFC West Betting Preview: Chargers, Chiefs Poised for Collision Course Atop Division By Sam Chase Sports Illustrated August 17, 2018 The Rams have dominated headlines in L.A., but the Chargers might be just as talented. Philip Rivers is still a franchise QB, and they have star pairings at edge rusher and cornerback. Patrick Mahomes steps in for the Chiefs, who are hoping his big arm and aggressive approach mesh with a talented supporting cast. Jon Gruden takes over a disappointing Raiders team that needs Derek Carr to play like he did in 2016. And the Broncos still have the defense, but can they score enough points to move back into the playoff picture? Odds to win AFC West: Los Angeles Chargers +150 Kansas City +225 Oakland +350 Denver +450 Pick to win AFC West: Los Angeles Chargers Best AFC West value: Kansas City +225 LOS ANGELES CHARGERS 2018 Regular Season Wins Prop: OVER 9 (-140) / UNDER 9 (+120) OFFENSE: The additions of former Dolphins C Mike Pouncey and 2017 second-round draft pick G Forrest Lamp (missed 2017 with a torn ACL) bolster L.A.’s only offensive weakness, its line. Philip Rivers calls and controls the game at the line of scrimmage and has a ton of skill-position talent to work with. DEFENSE: The Bolts could not stop the run last season, leading to the signing of former Seahawks DT Brandon Mebane. The pass defense has an elite combination of rushing the quarterback and coverage abilities. Corners Casey Hayward and Trevor Williams were stellar last year, and the addition of first-round draft pick Derwin James bolsters the secondary. Edge rushers Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram combined for 23 sacks last year; they could be even more effective rushing the passer if they can worry less about compensating for a weak run-defending defensive interior. BOTTOM LINE: L.A. has a playoff-caliber roster that’s as good as any in the AFC. The Chargers were really just a few missed field goals away from a division title last season. They’ll likely be favorites in six of their first seven games, allowing them to avoid another slow start. OVER 9 KANSAS CITY CHIEFS 2018 Regular Season Wins Prop: OVER 8 (-150) / UNDER 8 (+130)

OFFENSE: Despite QB Alex Smith’s career year, head coach Andy Reid is moving forward with second-year quarterback Pat Mahomes under center. Mahomes is far less conservative than Smith and profiles as a risk-taker with a cannon arm. He’s surrounded by explosive playmakers in Tyreek Hill, Travis Kelce, Kareem Hunt and newly acquired wideout Sammy Watkins. It will be a much different (and probably more entertaining) Chiefs offense. DEFENSE: Coordinator Bob Sutton’s bend-don’t-break defense tries to limit big plays at the expense of lightening the box and allowing success in the running game. Mercurial corner Marcus Peters was traded away, but three-time All-Pro safety Eric Berry is back after last year’s Week 1 season-ending Achilles injury. Kendall Fuller (acquired in the Alex Smith trade) is one of the league’s best slot CBs, and DE Chris Jones is developing into a top-tier pass-rusher. BOTTOM LINE: Head coach Andy Reid finds a way to win more often than not, and K.C. is 16-2 against the AFC West over the past three seasons. While there’s uncertainty with a new QB taking over, Mahomes is surrounded with too much talent to fail. OVER 8 OAKLAND RAIDERS Regular Season Wins Prop: OVER 8 (-120) / UNDER 8 (+100) OFFENSE: QB Derek Carr needs more from his supporting cast. New head coach Jon Gruden wants to resuscitate Amari Cooper after his nightmare 2017 season. Cooper will either have to work from the slot or go in motion, because he struggles mightily against press coverage. Jordy Nelson looked done last year, Martavis Bryant is maddeningly inconsistent and Marshawn Lynch will only be effective if his touches are limited. DEFENSE: Defensive Player of the Year candidate Khalil Mack is not only a lethal pass-rusher, but also an exceptional run defender. He and outside backer Bruce Irvin combined for 18.5 sacks last season, but Oakland got very little production from the rest of the front seven. The young secondary was problematic last season, though 2017 first-rounder CB Gareon Conley should be an asset as he returns from a shin injury that limited him to two games last season. BOTTOM LINE: After nine years out of coaching, it’s anyone’s guess as to how effective Gruden will be in his return to Oakland. Aside from Carr and Mack, there isn’t much to like about this roster. A last-place finish in the tough AFC West is a distinct possibility. UNDER 8 DENVER BRONCOS 2018 Regular Season Wins Prop: OVER 7 (-140) / UNDER 7 (+120) OFFENSE: The Broncos are hoping to catch lightning in a bottle with Case Keenum coming off a breakout season in Minnesota. He inherits a formidable receiving duo in Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders, though there are nothing but question marks elsewhere in the receiving corps. Denver hopes third-round draft pick Royce Freeman will energize the running attack, but he has a poor offensive line to work with. DEFENSE: Even with Aqib Talib gone, the cornerback combo of Chris Harris and Bradley Roby could be one of the league’s best. Harris held opponents to 26 yards per game and has the versatility to cover the slot. The Broncos held opponents to a league-best 3.3 yards per carry, and the pass rush should get a boost

from the arrival of No. 5 pick Bradley Chubb. He and perennial DPOY candidate Von Miller will be a nightmare for opposing QBs. BOTTOM LINE: The Denver defense is still playoff-worthy, but did not always play to its potential in head coach Vance Joseph’s first season. The offense should improve with Keenum under center, though plenty of other problems are still prevalent on that side of the ball. UNDER 7

John Elway’s Comments Could Prove Problematic for the NFL in Colin Kaepernick’s Collusion Case By Michael Mccann MMQB August 17, 2018 During a press conference on Thursday, Denver Broncos general manager John Elway was asked if his team—which is exploring the possibility of signing a veteran free-agent quarterback—regards free-agent quarterback Colin Kaepernick as a “viable option.” Keep in mind, the Broncos’ quarterback situation is in flux. Paxton Lynch, the team’s first-round pick in 2016, was recently demoted to the No. 3 on the depth chart behind Case Keenum and rookie Chad Kelly. Elway responded to the question as follows: "You know what, and I said this a while ago: Colin had his chance to be here. We offered him a contract. He didn't take it. And as I said at my deposition—and I don’t know if I’ll be legally able to say this—but he had his chance to be here. He passed it." Elway’s reference to “my deposition” concerns when he gave sworn testimony in May. With Kaepernick in attendance at Elway’s deposition, the 58-year-old GM responded to questions posed by Kaepernick’s attorneys. Members of Kaepernick’s legal team, which includes Los Angeles attorneys Mark Geragos and Ben Meiselas, have deposed more than two dozen NFL owners and team executives as part of the grievance process. Kaepernick’s attorneys believe that some combination of NFL officials, NFL owners and team executives have conspired to keep Kaepernick out of the NFL, and that they are animated by fear of President Donald Trump—one of Kaepernick’s sharpest critics. As explained below, Elway’s comments do not undermine Kaepernick’s grievance. Just the opposite, actually, they could prove problematic for both him and the NFL. KAEPERNICK BEING OFFERED A CONTRACT IN 2016 DOESN’T DISPROVE COLLUSION IN 2017 For two important reasons, the Broncos offering Kaepernick a contract in 2016 in no way negates the possibility that Kaepernick later experienced collusion. First, Elway’s reference to an offer concerns a situation in April 2016—long before the relevant time period for Kaepernick’s grievance. Kaepernick was given the opportunity to facilitate a trade from the 49ers to the Broncos. A precondition to the trade was Kaepernick agreeing to sign a new contract. The new contract, however, would have reduced the guaranteed portion of Kaepernick’s contract from $11.9 million to $7 million. Unsurprisingly, Kaepernick refused to accept a reduction of approximately 42% in guaranteed money. He instead remained with the 49ers through the 2016 season, during which time Kaepernick began to kneel while the national anthem was played. He opted out of his contract with the 49ers on March 3, 2017. It’s now 531 days later. The 30-year-old Kaepernick, who led the 49ers to a division championship in 2012 and a Super Bowl appearance in 2013, remains unsigned and unwanted.

Whether Kaepernick’s NFL career would have been better off had he joined the Broncos in April 2016 is an interesting football question, but it is immaterial to his grievance. Under Article 17 of the collective bargaining agreement between the NFL and NFLPA, collusion concerns actions that occurred, or were reasonably discoverable, during the preceding 90 days. Kaepernick filed his grievance on October 15, 2017. This means the alleged collusion took place, or could have been discovered, at point(s) between mid-July and mid-October 2017—in other words, long after Kaepernick declined to take a massive pay cut to join the Broncos. Second, even if Kaepernick had rejected an opportunity to join the Broncos within 90 days of his collusion filing, that decision wouldn’t have disproved collusion. A finding of collusion doesn’t require a league-wide conspiracy. It only takes two or more teams, or the league and at least one team, conspiring to deny Kaepernick of the collectively-bargained right to sign with a team. There are 32 NFL teams. Taking one team out of the equation doesn’t change much. There remain numerous combinations of 31 teams that could lead to two or more teams (or one team and the league itself) conspiring against a player. ELWAY’S COMMENTS COULD PROVE PROBLEMATIC FOR THE NFL BOTH PROCEDURALLY AND SUBSTANTIVELY In his statement, Elway wondered if he was “legally able” to reveal his deposition testimony. Elway was right to wonder. In hindsight, he should have refrained from the topic altogether. First, those who partake in Kaepernick’s grievance do so under a protective order. The order forbids disclosure of any sensitive information contemplated in the grievance. The order governs all players, team executives, team owners, league officials and anyone else who participates in the grievance. The grievance’s arbitrator, University of Pennsylvania law professor Stephen Burbank, issued the order—possibly at the behest of the NFL, which (like other businesses) normally prefers confidentiality in arbitration. Elway openly discussing his testimony would appear to violate the protective order. Such disclosure is also at odds with the CBA, which requires confidentiality of collusion grievances. Burbank could conceivably sanction Elway and the NFL for the disclosure; separately, the NFL could consider fining Elway. Regardless, this is an inopportune time for the NFL to annoy Burbank. He is currently deciding whether to grant summary judgment in favor of the NFL. Under Section 7 of Article 17, Burbank is considering whether the evidence Kaepernick has offered thus far is sufficient enough to raise a genuine issue of material fact. This consideration occurs after the two sides completed the discovery process, which involves witness testimony and release of physical and electronic evidence. In order to prevail in his grievance, Kaepernick must show, by a clear preponderance of the evidence, that he experienced collusion. Such evidence could include testimony, texts, emails and other materials and correspondences. If Burbank finds that Kaepernick has already shown enough evidence to defeat a motion for summary judgment, he would deny summary judgment. Such a move would concern NFL officials and could lead them to worry that Burbank is inclined to rule in favor of Kaepernick. Such anxiety might propel the NFL to seek a financial settlement with Kaepernick. It is also worth noting that Kaepernick’s attorneys only targeted certain team owners and executives. It stands to reason that they pursued Elway in hopes that he might offer the very comments he spoke on Thursday. With that in mind, Burbank almost certainly wants to know the answer to the following question: If Elway wanted to sign Kaepernick in April 2016—before the kneeling began—why would he not want to sign Kaepernick in 2017 or 2018?

If the answer is Elway felt that Kaepernick’s play in the 2016 season had revealed a regression between the player he sought in April 2016 and the one that became available in March 2017, Elway would seem to possess a meritorious reason. One problem with that explanation, though, is that Kaepernick played better in 2016, when he threw for 16 touchdowns and only four interceptions, than he did in 2015. In fact, his QB rating in 2016 was 90.7 whereas it was 78.5 in 2015. Also, if Kaepernick was worth $7 million to the Broncos in April 2016, was he not worth engaging at all when he became available in March 2017 and remained available thereafter? Alternatively, if the answer is Elway was annoyed that Kaepernick turned down an opportunity in 2016 and then held a grudge against Kaepernick, Elway would have acted against his own self-interest: he wouldn’t have signed a player he otherwise wanted merely because the player had previously rejected him. Although this explanation is plausible, it runs counter to how general managers normally operate: they want to win and will do everything within the rules to win. There have been plenty of general managers who sign players after those players previously said “no” or had left the team. To that point, Elway didn’t hold a grudge in signing Brock Osweiler in 2017, two years after Osweiler departed the Broncos to sign with the Houston Texans. As yet another possible answer, if Elway and the Broncos didn’t sign Kaepernick in 2017 because of the controversy over kneeling, Elway would need to explain how he reached that conclusion. If the team came to that conclusion on its own—and without any consultation with other teams or league officials—the team would not have colluded. It might not have been a wise decision in terms of football and winning games, but it would have been okay in terms of the rules: a team, acting independently, could decide it doesn’t want Kaepernick because of the anthem controversy. But that explanation would beg another question: why would a team worry about the impact of signing a player who is connected to the anthem controversy? The answer could lead to testimony that the team’s worry was shared by other teams. To that end, if there were consultations between the Broncos and other teams about not signing Kaepernick, then Kaepernick’s theory would be greatly advanced. The MMQB will keep you posted on all key developments in Kaepernick’s collusion grievance.

Elway not interested in revisiting Kaepernick as QB By STAFF NFL.com August 17, 2018 The Denver Broncos might consider bringing in a veteran backup quarterback at some point. If they do, it will not be Colin Kaepernick, general manager John Elway said Thursday. "Colin had his chance here," Elway said, per NFL Network's James Palmer. "We offered him a contract. He didn't take it. So, as I said it in my deposition, I don't know if I'll be legally able to say this, but he's had his chance to be here. He passed it." Proper context is needed for Elway's comment on Kaepernick. The Broncos dalliance with the quarterback came back in 2016, before Kaepernick began protesting social injustice and racial inequality by kneeling during the national anthem in his final season in San Francisco. Back in 2016, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported the Broncos wanted Kaepernick to take a pay cut to facilitate a trade. Elway and Kaepernick met, but an agreement never materialized. No reported offers have been made since. Kaepernick has not been on an NFL roster since he made 11 starts for the 49ers in 2016. The quarterback has since filed a collusion grievance against the NFL. Chad Kelly recently leapfrogged Paxton Lynch into the Broncos' No. 2 QB role behind starter Case Keenum. Elway said this week he might consider adding a veteran presence to the quarterback room in case Keenum went down with injury.

John Elway’s Comments on Colin Kaepernick Could Complicate N.F.L. Collusion Case By Ken Belson New York Times August 17, 2018 The collusion case against the N.F.L. brought by the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick has been shrouded in mystery. Dozens of league executives and owners have been questioned, but their depositions remain confidential. But John Elway, the general manager of the Denver Broncos, gave a rare glimpse into the thinking of at least one executive who knows why his team has not signed Kaepernick, who became a free agent in March 2017. Elway told a reporter from NFL Network that he did not sign Kaepernick because the Broncos had offered the quarterback a contract once and he turned the team down. “Colin had his chance here,” Elway said. “We offered him a contract. He didn’t take it. So, as I said in my deposition, I don’t know if I’ll be legally able to say this, but he’s had his chance to be here. He passed it.” James Palmer✔ @JamesPalmerTV Elway on Kaepernick as an option for a vet backup QB spot: “Colin had his chance here. We offered him a contract. He didn’t take it. So, As I said it in my deposition, I don’t know if i’ll be legally able to say this, but he’s had his chance to be here. He passed it" Elway’s comments come as an N.F.L.-appointed arbitrator weighs a motion by the N.F.L. to throw out the grievance brought by Kaepernick, who accused the N.F.L. of shunning him because he protested during the national anthem, sparking protests across the league. The N.F.L. asked the arbitrator, Stephen B. Burbank, to determine whether the evidence unearthed by Kaepernick’s lawyers was sufficient for the case to go forward. The N.F.L. is betting that Burbank will say no, and dismiss the case. But if Burbank ruled that Kaepernick’s lawyers had indeed gathered sufficient evidence for the case to proceed, then a full hearing, in a trial-like setting, would follow. Elway’s comments could affect that ruling. Burbank may look askance at Elway’s comments because the executive was prohibited from speaking publicly about them while the case is going on. More curiously, Elway did not include that he had offered Kaepernick a contract in advance of the 2016 season. The timing is relevant because Kaepernick had not yet begun protesting during the national anthem at that time, and he was set to receive $12 million from the 49ers. Kaepernick said no to Elway because in the potential trade he would have had to take a pay cut to join the Broncos.

Elway’s reasoning that he did not sign Kaepernick when he became a free agent the following year also seems to fall apart in light of the fact that Denver had no trouble signing Brock Osweiler to a minimum salary deal after he had snubbed Denver to sign a lucrative free agent deal with the Houston Texans in 2016. Kaepernick would potentially have accepted similar terms to Osweiler in order to get back onto an N.F.L. roster. Elway did not say explicitly that he shunned Kaepernick because he protested during the anthem. But the reasons he gave for not offering him a free-agent contract could convince Burbank that, combined with other depositions and documents, are enough for the case to go forward. A ruling is expected in the next couple of weeks.

Denver Bronco Adam Gotsis Dodges Prosecution on Rape Charge By Michael Roberts Westworld August 17, 2018 In March, Denver Broncos defensive lineman Adam Gotsis was busted on a rape charge out of Georgia, casting a shadow over his professional football career and making the Broncos the NFL team with the most arrests since 2000. Now, however, Gotsis is in the clear after prosecutors announced that they were dropping the matter. In a statement, Fulton County District Attorney Paul L. Howard Jr. wrote: "After a careful and thorough investigation, the Fulton County District Attorney's office has decided not to proceed with the case against Mr. Adam Gotsis. My office understands the sensitivity and significance of these investigations, but the evidence presented does not warrant any further action in this case." The alleged incident took place on March 9, 2013, during a period when Gotsis was playing football for Georgia Tech. His accuser said that he had "placed his penis in her vagina against her will." She belatedly went to authorities this past February, and on March 7, Gotsis turned himself in to authorities with the Fulton County Sheriff's Office and was subsequently released on a $50,000 bond. Days later, the Broncos released the following statement: "We were recently informed of an investigation into an alleged incident involving Adam Gotsis that occurred in 2013 when he was in college. Our organization was aware of his arrest on March 7, and it is our understanding that no determination has been made at this time as to whether any charges will be filed. The Broncos take an accusation of this nature very seriously and will continue to closely monitor the legal proceedings. This issue was promptly reported to the NFL as soon as we learned of it, and we will remain in communication with the league office regarding this matter." At Broncos training camp yesterday, Gotsis made his first public statements about the arrest, as seen in the following video: "I'm just relieved that everything's been taken care of," he told reporters. "I've got faith in the legal system and got faith in the Lord and family and friends. Great support from everyone around me: Broncos, friends, family." After noting that he's "just glad it's over with and I can just focus on football now," Gotsis acknowledged that the situation was "frustrating at times... . It's more when you're alone and you're thinking about it. That's what you've got friends and family for, to support you when you've got nobody else." According to the NFL player arrest database maintained by USA Today, Gotsis's arrest was the fiftieth of a Bronco since the dawn of the millennium (one more than the next closest squad, the Minnesota Vikings) — and things aren't going nearly as well for number 49, receiver Carlos Henderson, cuffed in Louisiana on a marijuana beef in January. Henderson hasn't shown up for camp, reportedly because of unspecified personal issues. Then, on August 15, he was given a one-game suspension by the NFL for allegedly violating the league's Policy and Program on Substances of Abuse.

The infractions for which Broncos have been arrested over the past eighteen years or so vary as widely as the charges against Gotsis and Henderson. The database includes plenty of driving-under-the-influence and failure-to-appear offenses, but there are also some even more serious allegations, including those involving Perrish Cox, accused of fathering the child of a woman who said he raped her. Back in 2014, 104.3/The Fan co-hosts D-Mac and Alfred Williams argued that Cox's actions were worse than Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice's beating of his fiancée, which was caught on camera. In the end, however, Cox was acquitted. Look below to see our picks for the nine most serious Broncos arrests, listed in reverse chronological order and deploying NFL Player Arrest Database text. John Boyett Safety 10/22/14 Arrested assault. Accused of being drunk, head-butting and hitting a cab driver and trying to hide from police by stealing a shovel and covering himself in mulch. Additional note: Resolution undetermined. Team cut him the next day. Elvis Dumervil Linebacker 7/14/12 Arrested for suspicion of aggravated assault after a road rage incident in Miami. Ryan McBean Defensive tackle 10/14/11 Arrested on allegation of stalking in Denver. Kevin Alexander Linebacker 12/20/10 Arrested on suspicion of assault and battery in domestic incident with girlfriend. Additional note: Team announced he was cut from the team the same day. Perrish Cox Cornerback 12/9/10 Arrested, charged with sexual assault stemming from incident on Oct. 28. Additional note: Acquitted. Brandon Marshall Wide Receiver 3/6/08 Arrested in Atlanta after his longtime girlfriend claimed in an affidavit that Marshall hit her in the mouth and left eye March 4. Additional note: NFL suspended him one game after this, his third arrest in a year. Acquitted. David Kircus Wide Receiver 5/20/07 Charged with felony assault after alleged fistfight at party. The other man in the fight was hospitalized with broken bones in his face. Willie Middlebrooks Cornerback 1/1/05 Arrested on suspicion of third-degree assault, domestic violence and harassment of his girlfriend early New Year's Day. Additional note: Pleaded guilty, 36 weeks domestic violence class, 18-month deferred sentence. Rod Smith Wide Receiver 1/24/00

Arrested on misdemeanor charges of third-degree assault and harassment for allegedly choking and hitting the mother of his two children at the couple's home in Parker, Colo. Additional note: Pleaded guilty to verbal harassment, $25,000 conditional NFL fine, group therapy.

Elway’s Kaepernick comments could be problematic for NFL By Mike Florio Pro Football Talk August 17, 2018 As the NFL tries to show that the collective shunning of Colin Kaepernick didn’t result from collusion, one of the teams at the heart of the before/after anthem protest attitude toward Kaepernick may have made things a bit more difficult. Broncos G.M. John Elway, who recently opened the door to bringing in a backup quarterback from outside the organization, attempted on Thursday to explain his lingering lack of interest in Kaepernick, a player for whom the Broncos tried to trade in 2016. Here’s Elway’s full quote, from Ian Rapoport of NFL Media: “Colin had his chance here. We offered him a contract. He didn’t take it. So, as I said it in my deposition, I don’t know if I’ll be legally able to say this, but he’s had his chance to be here. He passed it.” There are two potential problems with this response. One logical, one legal (as Elway seemed to realize while he was uttering the words). First, here’s what happened in March 2016. The Broncos needed a starting quarterback, after Peyton Manning retired and Brock Osweiler (more on him in a second) left via free agency. Kaepernick had a contract that paid him $12 million for the coming season, and it was due to become fully guaranteed on April 1 of that year. So if the Broncos traded for Kaepernick, they would have been saddled with his $12 million salary. Elway wanted to pay less. Kaepernick didn’t want to take less, and he had no reason to take less. He had undergone a trio of offseason surgical procedures, he wouldn’t have passed a physical before April 1, so he was getting $12 million for 2016, no matter what. Thus, while Elway clearly wanted to trade for Kaepernick, Elway didn’t want to pay Kaepernick as much as Kaepernick could have gotten from the 49ers. It’s no different than what Osweiler did that same month. Elway wanted to keep Osweiler, Elway offered Osweiler a contract, and Osweiler declined to accept the contract (signing instead with the Texans) because Osweiler wanted more. And what happened a year later, after Osweiler was unloaded by the Texans to the Browns and later cut by Cleveland? When Elway needed a backup quarterback, did he say, “Brock had his chance here. We offered him a contract. He didn’t take it. So . . . he’s had his chance to be here. He passed it”? Nope. Elway brought Osweiler back. Second, when Elway said that he doesn’t know “if I’ll be legally able to say this,” Elway wasn’t talking about any potential illegality arising from the substance of his comments but from the fact that he was commenting on what he said during his sworn deposition in Kaepernick’s collusion case. As lawyer Mark Geragos explained it last month, an order issued by arbitrator Stephen Burbank precludes any public

discussion of the collusion case. And it’s clear that Geragos strongly disagrees with the gag order, which means that the NFL wanted the gag order. So, by making direct reference to his deposition testimony in the Kaepernick collusion case while commenting publicly about the lack of interest in Kaepernick, Elway arguably has violated the terms of the gag order that the NFL wanted to be imposed. It’s unclear what the consequences could be; it’s not as if Burbank will, or even could, throw Elway in jail for contempt of court or fine him for violating the gag order. As a practical matter, Burbank could take a dimmer view of the NFL’s current effort to knock out the Kaepernick case via the pending motion for summary judgment, and Burbank eventually could look more skeptically at the NFL’s overall defense if there’s a full-blown collusion hearing. Regardless, Elway’s remarks will do nothing to make the NFL’s case stronger. They easily could make the league’s position weaker.

Von Miller isn’t a fan of the rookie haircuts By Mike Florio Pro Football Talk August 17, 2018 There’s a fine line between what’s fair game and what isn’t when it comes to the hazing of NFL rookies. In Denver, one lingering tradition includes the giving of messed-up haircuts to the new players. One veteran doesn’t feel the need to welcome new players by taking clippers to their scalps in creative ways, like what they did to linebacker Josey Jewell (pictured). “I’m not into that,” linebacker Von Miller told reporters on Wednesday. “I have never been a part of rookie cuts. It’s just not my thing. I’m a prankster, I like to do a lot of stuff. I like to mess with the rookies, of course, but haircut is just not my thing. I don’t know who did that to [Bradley Chubb]; the haircuts are terrible. Rookies have got to do a better job of entertaining these vets when they come in. If you don’t entertain the vets, then the vets want to do stuff to you. That’s what they come up with. I didn’t have any part of it. I’m just sitting back, watching and laughing like everybody else.” Miller seems to realize that there’s an element to the involuntary grooming effort that may not be part of normal fun and games. “The rookies, it’s not like they want to get their hair cut. I don’t think it’s straightforward, it’s just not my deal,” Miller said. “I’m just different.” It’s a shame more guys aren’t like him. Plenty of rookie rituals continue simply because those who once received it now get to be the ones who dish it out. As the more humiliating (and expensive) rites of rookiedom fade, the haircut thing maybe should be one to eventually go away, too.

John Elway on Chad Kelly: He deserves a chance to play with the twos By Charean Williams Pro Football Talk August 17, 2018 Earlier this week, John Elway wouldn’t guarantee the Broncos will stand pat at backup quarterback. The Broncos aren’t going to sign Colin Kaepernick, and they might not sign anyone if Chad Kelly continues to progress. Kelly, who missed his rookie season with a wrist injury, gets a chance to convince the Broncos not to make a move. He passed Paxton Lynch on the depth chart by going 14-of-21 for 177 yards and two touchdowns in the preseason opener against the Vikings. “I had a feeling he would play well,” Elway said, via Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic. “He’s a competitive guy. He’s played a lot of snaps. He’s instinctive. He took advantage of the opportunity that he had. He was looking forward to going out and playing and champing at the bit. It did not surprise me at all the way he played. He played very well, and he’s got good instincts. He deserves a chance to play with the twos this week.” The Broncos will get a better idea of where they stand after another preseason game or two. They likely have seen enough from Lynch to know he’s not the answer, but they need to see more from Kelly to be sure.

John Elway on Chad Kelly: He deserves a chance to play with the twos By Charean Williams Pro Football Talk August 17, 2018 Earlier this week, John Elway wouldn’t guarantee the Broncos will stand pat at backup quarterback. The Broncos aren’t going to sign Colin Kaepernick, and they might not sign anyone if Chad Kelly continues to progress. Kelly, who missed his rookie season with a wrist injury, gets a chance to convince the Broncos not to make a move. He passed Paxton Lynch on the depth chart by going 14-of-21 for 177 yards and two touchdowns in the preseason opener against the Vikings. “I had a feeling he would play well,” Elway said, via Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic. “He’s a competitive guy. He’s played a lot of snaps. He’s instinctive. He took advantage of the opportunity that he had. He was looking forward to going out and playing and champing at the bit. It did not surprise me at all the way he played. He played very well, and he’s got good instincts. He deserves a chance to play with the twos this week.” The Broncos will get a better idea of where they stand after another preseason game or two. They likely have seen enough from Lynch to know he’s not the answer, but they need to see more from Kelly to be sure.

Broncos won’t consider Colin Kaepernick as backup QB option By Josh Alper Pro Football Talk August 17, 2018 Broncos General Manager John Elway said this week that the team may look outside the organization for a backup quarterback option. If they do, it won’t be Colin Kaepernick. “He had a chance to be here, he passed on it,” Elway said, via Lindsay Jones of USA Today. Elway said on Thursday that he said the same thing when he was among many figures from the NFL deposed during Kaepernick’s collusion grievance earlier this year. Assuming no offer was made since the end of the 2016 season (and it’s hard to imagine that would have stayed secret), that chance came before the 2016 season when Kaepernick was still a member of the 49ers and looking for a trade to another team. That was also before Kaepernick took a seat during the national anthem in the 2016 preseason and the reaction to that act is central to his collusion case. The Broncos made a trade offer contingent on Kaepernick taking a pay cut to $7 million in order to make the move to Denver. Kaepernick, who had a guaranteed $11.9 million salary from the 49ers with more in bonuses, passed on that opportunity and played out the year for the Niners instead. Chad Kelly has jumped Paxton Lynch for the No. 2 in Denver behind Case Keenum. Kelly, the final pick of the 2016 draft, has not played any regular season snaps after missing all of last season following wrist surgery.

Broncos add defensive tackle DeQuinton Osborne, waive Paul Boyette By Curtis Crabtree Pro Football Talk August 17, 2018 The Denver Broncos made a change at the defensive tackle position on Wednesday, adding DeQuinton Osborne and waived/injured Paul Boyette. Osborne initially signed with the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in May out of Oklahoma State. He waived by Dallas later that same month. Boyette played 10 defensive snaps and two plays on special teams in Denver’s preseason opener against the Minnesota Vikings last week. He had signed a futures contract with the team in January. He appeared in four preseason for the Oakland Raiders last year after signing as an undrafted free agent out of Texas.

Malcolm Jenkins stays in tunnel for anthem By Charean Williams Pro Football Talk August 17, 2018 Malcolm Jenkins raised his fist during the national anthem last week, a gesture he made for part of the previous two seasons. On Thursday night, he did something different. The Eagles safety remained in the tunnel during the anthem before Philadelphia’s game against the Patriots, John Clark of NBC10 reports. He was joined by defensive back De’Vante Bausby, who also raised a fist last week. Defensive end Michael Bennett remained in the locker room during the anthem Thursday, per Clark. Jenkins’ pregame T-shirt of choice this week read: “You Aren’t Listening.” Last week, several Eagles wore a T-shirt that said “More than 60% of prison populations are people of color” on the front and “nearly 5,000 kids are in adults prisons and jails” on the back.

Blue Lives Matter not interest in working with Gang Green By Charean Williams Pro Football Talk August 17, 2018 The Jets recently reached out to pro-police organization Blue Lives Matter about a potential partnership. The group told Gang Green to get lost. “Although I’d love to work with an NFL team right now I feel it is not the right time,” Blue Lives Matter founder Joe Imperatrice told Jets executive Anthony Bulak in email messages “shared with” the New York Post. “All over the United States players feel entitled to disrespect our first responders, our military members both past and present and our flag. These players make more money in a season than some people make in a lifetime and their ‘issues’ are made up, exaggerated, and more times than not false.” Bulak, the team’s Senior Manager of Premium Partnerships, reached out to Blue Lives Matter about a partnership — one which surely would have entailed BLM paying the Jets for some sort of formal relationship. In responding, Imperatrice suggested that the group’s money “could better be spent on the families of officers killed in the line of duty protecting the ignorance of these individuals rather than contributing to their paycheck.” Bulak replied by pointing out that no Jets player has taken a knee during the national anthem. While that’s accurate, it wasn’t persuasive. Imperatrice noted that the team has given employment to running back Isaiah Crowell, who posted on Instagram while with the Browns an image of a police officer’s throat being slashed. Apparently not mentioned by Imperatrice was the reality that Jets acting owner Christopher Johnson has said that he won’t fine players who choose to protest during the anthem, under a since-suspended NFL policy allowing teams to do so. Here’s the broader point in all of this: The Jets apparently lack the degree of institutional self-awareness necessary to realize that not only were they wasting their time by soliciting BLM but they also were creating a trail of electronic communication that inevitably would be handed to the media.