After a blockbuster trade fizzled, all 6 feet, 7 inches and 311 pounds of star offensive tackle Joe Thomas could cast the long shadow of what-if on the Broncos from here to the Super Bowl.
With the clock ticking down on quarterback Peyton Manning’s brilliant career and nobody certain how many more NFL seasons 71-year-old franchise owner Pat Bowlen will live to see, it must of have been extremely difficult to walk away from a deal with Cleveland for Thomas, an eight-time Pro Bowler who plays the Broncos’ greatest position of need.
But in the final minutes before the league’s trade deadline, general manager John Elway refused to pay Cleveland’s steep asking price. To land Thomas would have cost nothing less than a first-rounder in the 2017 NFL draft, when Denver might well be in full-scale rebuilding mode, plus perhaps as many as two additional draft choices the Browns sought in order to sell the move of their most-talented player to a long-suffering fan base.
It was Cleveland management’s insistence on a first-rounder in the 2017 draft rather than in the opening round in April, when the Broncos figure to pick late on Day 1, plus a disagreement on an exchange of picks in the 2016 draft that caused trade negotiations to break down, according to a league source. As the deadline expired at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Elway calculated the cost to Denver in the next two drafts as too burdensome to accept.
Did Elway swallow hard and do what’s best for the future of his football team?
Or did Elway go conservative and take a knee, when he had a chance to obtain the best offensive tackle in recent NFL history and establish Denver as the clear Super Bowl favorite?
The team’s 53-18 regular-season record since Elway took command of the Broncos’ football operations in January 2011 speaks for itself. What’s more, if a general manager doesn’t establish limits firmly in his mind, he can get cleaned out in the tough game of poker that defines every trade negotiation.
It had to gnaw at Elway’s competitive nature, however, to walk away from the table without Thomas.
At age 30, Thomas is no longer a pup. But his insertion in a Denver offensive line that has often been blamed for Manning’s 31st-place standing in the league’s quarterback ratings could have immediately made the pocket a safer place for Manning to work.
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What’s more, the three years and $29.5 million remaining on Thomas’ contract is reasonable for a player still performing at an elite level, according to recent grades by Pro Football Focus. Injured left tackle Ryan Clady would seem to be a more likely candidate for the chopping block than a roster spot in 2016, and if Denver wants the best results from rookie Ty Sambrailo when he returns from shoulder surgery, his best position might be left guard.
With Thomas protecting Manning’s blind side, the Broncos would be the best team in football.
Without Thomas, the Super Bowl favorites can be found in whichever locker room where New England quarterback Tom Brady snaps on his helmet.
Yes, Elway did pull the trigger on a trade that gave Manning help and brought in Vernon Davis from San Francisco to play tight end.
Once upon a time, when the Niners played for championships rather than laughs, Davis was great. But the last time Davis scored a touchdown was September 2014, or about 13 months before Owen Daniels’ most recent visit to the end zone.
In San Francisco, it appeared Davis lost interest. Football can be a hard job to love, even when you’re winning. Once the Niners started losing, however, he was considered one of the team’s problems rather than a player to be counted during tough times.
In other words, Davis has much to prove with the Broncos. And that might prove to be a good thing. But there’s a reason Elway could acquire Davis for nothing more than late-round draft picks in 2016 and 2017, while also receiving a pick in return from San Francisco. Yes, he’s a gamble worth taking.
The idea Elway pushed his chips to the middle of the table by acquiring Davis is balderdash, though. Davis was a wager in a nickel slot machine.
The big play was Thomas.
It would be unfair to say Elway blinked in the pursuit of Thomas. But Manning won’t be the only person wincing every time the 39-year-old quarterback gets sacked in the playoffs.
Was Cleveland’s asking price too high? Yes.
But when will Denver have such a great opportunity to win a Super Bowl again?
Mark Kiszla: mkiszla@denverpost.com or @markkiszla
