NFL Trade: Philadelphia Eagles Send Mark Sanchez To Denver Broncos
The NFL trade season is under way, and the Denver Broncos have potentially come away with their new starting quarterback. The position was empty after Peyton Manning announced his retirement and Brock Osweiler decided that the Houston Texans would be a better choice for his career. General manager John Elway knew something needed to be done. According to ESPN, the Broncos traded a late-round conditional draft pick to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for Mark Sanchez.
Deep down inside, Peyton Manning felt that he had some football left in his body. For a period of time, he was contemplating another season to show his fans that the lackluster performance he had last year wasn’t a sign his time was up. Manning knew that he would need to find another home in the NFL, because the Denver Broncos were ready to move on. In the end, he decided that it would be best to walk away from the game of football.
Brock Osweiler once envisioned himself as the starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos for years to come. That was before Broncos head coach Gary Kubiak decided to send him back to the bench in favor of Peyton Manning. Osweiler was steaming on the inside, but he said all the right things on the outside. Manning eventually led Denver to the Super Bowl, and he received all the credit and adulation that comes with bringing an NFL Championship to an organization and its fan base.
Once Peyton Manning and Brock Osweiler were both out the door, John Elway started looking around the NFL to see if he can find a quarterback solution for the Denver Broncos. He reportedly contacted the San Francisco 49ers to see what it would take to get Colin Kaepernick, the embattled quarterback who desperately wants to leave the Bay Area. A deal between the Broncos and Niners appears to be on hold, as San Francisco is also talking to the Cleveland Browns, where Kaepernick would prefer to play.
Another quarterback who is desperately seeking a new home in the NFL is Robert Griffin III. He was recently released by the Washington Redskins. The franchise has decided to move on because they no longer believe that Griffin III can be their franchise quarterback. They have opted to go with Kirk Cousins instead. Griffin III has interest from a couple of teams, so there might be a bit of a bidding war there.
There’s also talk that John Elway contacted Ryan Fitzpatrick to gauge his interest in signing as a free agent with the Denver Broncos. Fitzpatrick had a great season for the New York Jets, and he’s currently trying to get them to reward him with a big contract. Negotiations are not going as well as Ryan had hoped. The Broncos aren’t interested in giving Fitzpatrick a huge deal, but they would be more than willing to pay him a fair price to be their starter for at least a year.
Now that the Denver Broncos have acquired Mark Sanchez, it appears that they will not be acquiring Ryan Fitzpatrick, Colin Kaepernick, or Robert Griffin III. Unless he shocks the entire NFL, Sanchez is not a long-term answer for the Broncos. The team wants him to start for the following season and perhaps mentor a rookie quarterback. Denver will more than likely use one of their early picks on the position.
Things don’t always go as planned in the NFL. Ask anyone that has ever been a general manager, and they would tell you that. John Elway wanted the Denver Broncos to compete in multiple Super Bowls, but it looks like those plans are now on hold.
[Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images]
