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Denver Post sports columnist Mark Kiszla answered questions about all things Colorado sports during a live chat on Monday. Here are the highlights.

Again, how I hate to agree with you but we need to get Trevor Lawrence. Lock is not going to be a franchise QB, everybody knows that except Lock. My question is, what will it take to get that No. 1 pick? I am thinking the first and second round picks from this year and next year and possibly two starters. What says you?

Kiszla: Trevor Lawrence is the QB the Broncos need. What’s the price for the No. 1 pick? Name it. Want three No. 1’s? How about two No. 1’s and Jerry Jeudy. I’m not saying that the No. 1 pick will be available for trade. But I am saying this: If you were currently starting a football team, would you take Patrick Mahomes or every player on the Broncos roster? I’d take Mahomes. You can have the Broncos’ 6-10 roster. It’s a QB league. There are a lot of general managers smart enough to surround a franchise quarterback with talent. Could the Jets trade the No. 1 pick? Well, I don’t know. But I do know this: The Jets hired Adam Gase to be their coach. The Jets lead the league in stupid. Then again, there’s this next question ….

Assuming Jacksonville gets the No. 1 pick, and assuming Trevor Lawrence comes out, I can鈥檛 see them trading it. They need him to not only make the team relevant but the city itself.

Kiszla: Even when the Jets win, they lose. Jets get their first victory of the season and hand the first pick to Jacksonville, at least for now. And I do think you are correct: If Jags pick No. 1, they’re taking Trevor Lawrence. For any number of reasons, one of which is: The Jags are going to be London’s team one of these years, whether for part of the season or forever. And Lawrence could be marketed as London’s QB.

Caveat: Jaguars could just maybe mess up like the Jets did, win a game by accident and hand the No. 1 pick back to New York.

Or what about a solid vet at QB?

Kiszla: It’s always about the quarterback in the NFL, isn’t it? I’ve heard the theory of obtaining a vet. There’s nothing wrong with Matthew Stafford … except he’s never been good enough to lead the Detroit Lions to anything about mediocrity. Carson Wentz? Seems to have confidence issures. Now in the unlikely event Houston wants to trade Deshaun Watson, then you have me interested. If I’m the Broncos, I’d throw in Nolan Arenado in the trade to get a deal done for Watson.

Six of the seven college football playoffs have included three teams out of Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State and Oklahoma. If this happened in a professional league there would be cries for changes to increase competitive balance. Should anything be done about college football and if so, what? Expanding the playoffs to eight teams would at least add another four to the mix.

Kiszla: I love college football. (Blame it on being born in South Bend.) And one of these years, the TV revenue will push expansion of the playoffs to eight teams. But the participation stats you cite do nothing to convince me an expanded playoff field is needed. Tell you what: Most years, four teams is too many. My Domers are gonna get blitzed by Bama. You think Indiana or Cincy vs Bama as a No. 8 vs No. 1 seed is a game that needs to be played? Sorry, but I respectfully disagree.If Clemson played Bama for the national title right now and we skipped all the travel during the holidays and COVID for the semifinals I would be more than good with it.

How much of an improvement are you expecting from Michael Porter Jr. this year? Do you see him as a possible 20 points/10 rebounds type of guy?

Kiszla: I think Michael Porter Jr is capable of 20 points per game. Ten boards? That might be a stretch. But it’s going to be hard for him to hit anywhere near those stats so long as the Nuggets have Will Barton starting ahead of MPJ at small forward.

Hi Mark. Well since politics is a part of sports I don鈥檛 mind engaging political discussion into this but the Pac 12 and their liberal political footprint got what they deserved in college football this year. While the Pac-12 was running scared from COVID, the other conferences made the determination to play and, well, the Pac-12 teams got in a handful games, the thee conferences played 10 or more, and got serious consideration for the playoffs. Meanwhile the Pac-12 was an afterthought and in a lame attempt to garner some limelight they screwed Colorado. Maybe the Pac-12 is just a reflection of the liberal politics that the league footprint overlays and that抖阴ap why it抖阴ap a complete afterthought and irrelevant in college football.

Kiszla: So what you’re trying to say is: You hated the Buffs leaving the red states of the Big 12 for the liberal Pac-12? If not, we’ve got nothing to talk about.

It seems the Nuggets and league feel that RJ Hampton was a falling gem in the NBA draft. If that was the case, why did Denver draft asked Zeke Nnaji at 22 and Hampton at 24 and not the other way around? We鈥檙e they afraid someone would grab Nnaji at 23 or the Bucks wouldn鈥檛 trade the 24th pick if he were available?

Kiszla: I don’t pretend to know the machinations of why RJ Hampton and Zeke Nnaji were drafted in their respective slots. I think Nnaji could give the team some minutes this season, though.

So, Broncos. Now what?

Kiszla: Until the Broncos resolve their ownership mess, does it matter?

I think perhaps not.

So settling the dispute among the Bickering Bowlens is atop my list.

And the next question: Is John Elway still the man to fix this roster, or is it time to give somebody else a chance to rebuild the Broncos?

Is the best course of action patience … or a bold new direction?

If the Broncos cannot get their hands on Lawrence this draft, what would you do go get a franchise QB? Also, is Elway so ingrained in old school QBs that he definitely needs to go and get somebody in who knows the present day football game?

Kiszla: OK, it’s not likely the Broncos get Trevor Lawrence. So draft a QB every year until you find the guy. If Drew Lock beats out a QB taken in the 2021 draft, so be it.

Hey Mark. You have to love covering sports in Denver. You have five professional teams that all seem to rotate in terms of league competitiveness. The Nuggs and Avs are up right now, the Broncos and Rockies stink. Must be fun

Kiszla: I am truly blessed. While there have been weekend shifts and 16-hour shifts at The Denver Post over the past 37 years, I’ve never worked a day in my life. There’s never a dull moment in this sports town. But can I add something? Man, oh man, do I miss all of you fans at the games. Sports in an empty stadium might be OK to watch on TV, but the games seem a bit contrived and hollow to me without spectators going wild in the stadium/ballpark/arena. When it’s my turn, I’ll rush to join the line for a COVID-19 vaccine.

Just a probably obvious observation but how disappointing to have two of our four major sports teams (Rockies and Broncos) be so inept from an ownership and management standpoint. The Rockies have never moved forward since the loss of Kelli McGregor and the Broncos without Mr B just seems totally rudderless. The Rocks will probably always be average under Monfort. The Broncos need to be sold to remove the Bowlen intra family squabbles and, god love him, but Elway really needs to admit he has played out his hand. Take the good memories we all have and move on.

Kiszla: I don’t think Broncos president Joe Ellis has much stomach for firing John Elway, especially without resolution to the ownership mess. But might Elway decide he has played out his hand and walk away? That doesn’t quite fit with the famous competitive fire in Ellway’s belly. But strangers things have happened.

Kiz, do you have ANY insight whatsoever to the Bowlen’s and how they plan to handle this huge morass? I know a mention of selling is floating out there. Any more news there? I’m sure it’s tough for the Bowlen family to sell something that is truly ingrained in their lives. BUT. This has to stop. (I think Elway has been allotted sufficient time to prove he can do this – Yay, he brought PFM to Denver. And now, we’ve lost every season since.) This stinks. I moved here when the Broncos were just heating up. To say the last few seasons are a disappointment. I think we all get it.

I think a bold(ish) rebuild might be good, and I like your idea to draft a QB until SOMEONE sticks.

Kiszla: I’m oversimplifyng here, but I see the Broncos ownership mess as being resolved one of two ways:

No. 1: Brittany finds a way to buy out the shares of Beth and whatever other sibling wants to take a cut of a franchise that’s probably worth at least $3 billion.

No. 2: The Bowlen kids sell to new ownership.

I just hope one of those two things happen during the course of 2021.

What are your thoughts on Brendan Rodgers? Will he ever live up to the hype he had coming up the farm system? I feel like things would be different if we dealt him for a quality arm during the Rockies’ playoff runs and then re-signed D.J. LeMahieu.

Kiszla: Nope. At this point, I’d be shocked if Brendan Rodgers ever lives up to his hype. That’s not harsh criticism. Or deep insight. It’s just a gut feeling. Yep, the Rockies miss DJ LeMahieu. Trade Nolan Arenado. And bring DJ back. (Just spit-balling here.)

Regarding the college football playoffs I agree that four teams is plenty. I guess the real question is: What if anything can be done to dethrone the usual suspects? Clemson vs. Alabama always makes for a good game but it would be nice to see some legitimate newcomers.

Kiszla: Might have to wait for Alabama coach Nick Saban to retire from football and find something better to do. (We know his future is not in AFLAC commercials. Are those horrible, or what?)

There seems to be a lack of chemistry between Drew Lock and Jerry Jeudy. Jeudy either drops and easy pass or Lock forces it to him. Was Jeudy overhyped or is it just the result of a dysfunctional passing game overall?

Kiszla: Fair question. Harder to tell in 2020, when COVID restrictions have cut down media access. Jerry Jeudy is a very good young receiver. He’s not as good as Justin Jefferson, but Jeudy is no slouch. Chemistry issues? Perhaps. Maybe it’s all about touches, but I’m not certain if Jeudy is sold on playing for the Broncos.

Now that hockey is officially back on, when the Avs play at home can we refer to it as Puck Arena?

Kiszla: Ball Arena. Puck Arena. I see what you did there.

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