Ja'Wuan James: Love, money, Bronco fans, winning tradition brought him to Denver By Mike Klis 9NEWS March 19, 2019

It might eventually become easier for Ja’Wuan James if he was known as ’s 9th-highest paid offensive .

That’s not how it works, though. The eight guys listed ahead of him are all left tackles.

At right tackle, the Broncos made James the highest-paid last week with a four-year deal that averages to $12.75 million a year.

An honor to be sure. But the first time he gets beat for a sack – and everyone does – social media will show no mercy. Is James ready for the lofty expectations that come with unprecedented riches?

“Oh, definitely,’’ James, who will collect $17 million this season in signing bonus and salary, said in a private interview with 9NEWS last week. “I hold myself to a high standard. I feel like you battle with yourself more than you do anybody. As long as I keep holding those standards high of myself and go out there and work, I know I can get it done and get what I deserve.’’

The NFL is forever making on-field adjustments to its game, but not in its accounting department. Many of the league’s best pass rushers like the Broncos’ Von Miller line up over the right tackle now. The left tackles often block weaker pass rushers, but the blind side generally gets more pay.

At least James was able to push a right tackle inside the top 10.

“In the past, there was a big difference, but now you’ve got guys like Von on our team, you’ve got Khalil Mack, you’ve got (Joey) Bosa,’’ James said. “They’re lining up on the (offensive) right side. A lot of guys now are lining up on the right side, so you need a good offensive tackle over there, too.’’

Money is one reason why James signed with the Broncos, but there are legitimate others. His trip here in his rookie season with the left a lasting impression. James started at left tackle that day.

“Played you guys in 2014 and it felt like college,’’ he said of the Broncos’ 39-36 win. “Like the SEC, the type of atmosphere at the game. It was an easy pick for me. My wife, her family is from out here so it all worked out.’’

Ja’Wuan James and Rainey Gaffin met while attending the on athletic scholarships. James started 49 of a possible 49 games at right tackle for the Volunteers. Gaffin was the Gatorade Colorado Player of the Year as a junior at Legacy High School for softball powerhouse Legacy High School in Broomfield.

Don’t know why. All she did her junior season was post a 23-0 record and 0.98 ERA from the pitcher’s circle, play outfield when she wasn’t pitching, and bat .693 from the left side with three homers and 41 RBIs to help Legacy win its fourth consecutive state titles.

It became five straight state championships after Rainey’s senior season at Legacy. Her mom, Dawn Gaffin, watched her every pitch and at-bat. And not just in games, but practice, too.

Dawn, you see, is the real legend at Legacy. She is Legacy’s softball coach who has notched more than 600 wins overall and six state titles for the school.

Her daughter Rainey was more left-handed hitting than right-handed pitcher her first two years at Tennessee. She finished as a third-team All American and significant other of the Vols’ star right tackle.

They met when Rainey was a freshman; Ja’Wuan a senior.

“I met her at a Mexican restaurant,’’ James said before chuckling at what he was about to say next. “She asked me if I wanted some queso. That was the line. We took it from there.’’

They got married three weeks ago – honeymoon delayed – and will set up the first years of their marriage near Rainey’s hometown.

“It’s kind of surreal, eight years later we’ve almost come full circle that this is where we ended up,’’ said Rainey, who attended her husband’s introductory press conference Friday.

James has a tall, athletic frame at 6-foot-6, 312. Or a little thicker than an NBA power forward. He doesn’t carry around the body fat of other offensive tackles, which will help as he moves out to do his part in the zone blocking scheme new Rich Scangarello and offensive line coach will teach this year.

“I feel like that helps with my athleticism,’’ he said. “That’s what I can bring to the table. That system -- running the outsize zone, the inside zone -- that’s something I’m very familiar with. I did it a lot in college, also the last two years in Miami.’’

After spending four years in Knoxville, Tenn., and five years in Miami, James’ first day as a Denver Bronco was 48 hours after the bomb cyclone blizzard paralyzed the state. Living near the wife’s in-laws is great and all. But he’s sure about this?

“I still want to be here,’’ he said. “Miami was cool, but I miss the seasons out here. I haven’t seen snow in a long time, I’m ready for it.’’

5 the Broncos should consider in the NFL draft — and how they would work in Denver By Eric Edholm Denver Post March 19, 2019

Each week leading up to the 2019 NFL draft, our draft expert Eric Edholm will be breaking down a position of need for the along with the top prospects at those positions – their strengths, weaknesses, draft range and how they might fit in with the Broncos. Today, we start with the quarterbacks.

The Broncos have two quarterbacks on their roster – Garrett Grayson and . The team’s trade for Flacco just became official Wednesday, but the agreement has been in place almost a month now.

Asked how Flacco might fit in with his new team after coming over from the , Broncos president of football operations/general manager praised his new starter’s arm strength, winning track record and high usage under center. To that last point, Elway said that Flacco fits the system that the team plans to run offensively under new coordinator Rich Scangarello.

That last part is important to consider for whatever the Broncos might draft. It appears Elway, Scangarello and head coach are seeking a QB who can fit their scheme rather than shape the plays around their passers’ strengths.

Flacco is the presumed Day 1 starter but more is needed. Grayson has been on three rosters since he was a third-round pick out of Colorado State by the Saints in 2015 and has one regular-season appearance (with zero passes attempted) to his name. Kevin Hogan is free to sign with another team after the Broncos did not extend him a tender as a restricted free agent.

Denver is likely to draft a quarterback in April, and they could add a fourth arm for training camp, possibly an undrafted rookie or another unsigned free agent.

2019 draft outlook A year after five quarterbacks were drafted in the first round, this year’s class is not considered as strong. That said, as many as four QBs could be off the board in the first 32 picks, and we could see Oklahoma’s and Ohio State’s go in the top five. There is some depth to this QB class, and one or two later-round selections could emerge as surprise performers.

Here are our top five prospects for the 2019 class:

1. Kyler Murray, Oklahoma (5-foot-10, 207 pounds)

Pros: This past season’s winner followed in the footsteps of , the top pick in the 2018 class, and hardly missed a beat in the Sooners’ high-powered offense. Murray’s combination of arm strength and rare athleticism made him a threat every time he had the ball in his hands, and defenses had to cover the entire field with Murray’s ability to throw inside or outside the pocket and with off-platform throws. Murray’s poise was also on display in the Playoff loss to Alabama in which he struggled in the first half and the Sooners fell behind, but Murray rallied the team back to make it a close game with some terrific play down the stretch. Murray can beat a defense with his scrambling ability, but he also proved to be difficult to sack and showed easy throwing mechanics, even on passes 50 yards downfield. He’s a unique prospect who has confounded some NFL scouts in terms of coming up with comparable talents.

Cons: At a shade over 5-10, Murray would be one of the shortest NFL quarterbacks in a generation; is the last sub-5-11 QB to start a game — in 2003. Murray also was a first-round pick of the a year ago, and most NFL teams believed he would not turn down a career and a lucrative signing bonus in that sport. He has also only started one season at the college level, having backed up Mayfield in 2017 after transferring from Texas A&M.

Murray occasionally will airmail his passes and likely will need some mechanical refinement. He won’t be considered an ideal fit in a traditional dropback offense run predominantly from under center. Even having played behind a massive offensive line in college, Murray might have some issues seeing tight windows downfield and might have to operate more often outside the pocket. His lean build — perhaps even more so than his height — has some NFL teams concerned about how much punishment he can take as a runner and whether he can hold up physically for the long haul.

How he might (or might not) fit with the Broncos: After hearing Elway’s comments about shotgun-heavy offenses and wanting his quarterbacks to fit the offense they hope to run, it’s clear Murray is not ending up in Denver barring some bizarre turn of events. Besides, he’s expected to go higher than the team’s No. 10 overall pick, perhaps as early as No. 1 to the .

2. Dwayne Haskins, Ohio State (6-foot-3, 231 pounds)

Pros: Another player who faced tough circumstances in his debut season as the starting quarterback, Haskins was able to deftly deal with the distractions cast from the suspension of head coach Urban Meyer and turn in a brilliant campaign with 50 TD passes and a Rose Bowl victory. A thickly built pocket passer with great arm talent and good accuracy, Haskins flicks the ball with ease and usually hits his targets in stride.

It wasn’t hard to see Haskins’ confidence grow with each start as he appeared to carry the team on his back when it needed him most. Haskins’ confidence also was on display at the NFL scouting combine, according to league sources, who said he was able to easily break down offensive concepts on the whiteboard. OSU’s offense was a system that required full-field reads, and Haskins appeared to go through his progressions and read coverages well, often learning from his mistakes – even during games.

Cons: Athletically, Haskins doesn’t appear special. He can be an effective short-yardage runner if needed (see the Maryland game), but is never going to be asked to be a big part of any NFL team’s run game. It also limits him in terms of moving around the pocket and escaping pressure. He can be heavy-footed and will second guess what he sees, which can lead to hits and sacks.

Like Murray, Haskins also is a one-year college starter. Although the league is changing its view of more inexperienced QB prospects, Haskins’ inexperience certainly shows at times. Purdue seemed to confuse and confound him, and teams did a good job of taking away his deep options by throwing a lot of defensive looks at Haskins and coaxing him into checking down and taking safer options. He also doesn’t appear to throw as well on the run and possesses an unusual, flat-footed throwing motion that might have some QB coaches wanting to fix that.

How he might (or might not) fit with the Broncos: It’s a lot easier to project Haskins fitting into Denver’s system than it is Murray, but even Haskins would need to adjust to running more snaps from under center and changing his eye level when making reads. It’s not as easy of a transition for some as it is others. Plus, with Haskins possibly off the board when Denver’s first-round pick rolls around, we’re not expecting this pairing to happen.

3. , Missouri (6-foot-4, 228 pounds)

Pros: Lock has 50 college starts under his belt for the Tigers over the past four seasons, having been thrown into a tough situation as a freshman amid turmoil surrounding Mizzou’s team that season. He emerged in 2016 and 2017 in ’s spread-based system, putting up huge passing numbers, but Lock adjusted well to running more of a pro-style scheme under new offensive coordinator Derek Dooley, who had spent the previous few years as an assistant with the . Although Lock’s numbers fell off as a senior, two of his top targets — WR Emanuel Hall and TE Albert Okwuegbunam — missed significant time with injuries. Missouri’s receivers also cost him production with easy drops (including many uncontested and downfield) that show up on almost any game tape you watch.

Lock has a cannon for an arm, one of the strongest guns in the entire class. He can shoot the ball with ease and a quick flick of the wrist, often surprising defensive backs with his velocity and distance. Lock also checks the boxes athletically and size-wise and easily could fit in a more traditional NFL offense. Even with some inconsistencies, Lock can make just about every throw in the book and has the type of raw skills that most NFL coaches would want to cultivate and mold.

Cons: Although Lock has made big strides in some ways through his three-plus years of starting, he still is prone to maddening mistakes. He will try to make too much and extend plays too far, and it can lead to some absolutely head-scratching throws. Lock did cut down on his turnovers (and turnover-worthy plays), but he still plays a bit too fast and loose at times. He falls in love with his own arm and will try to rip passes into tough spots instead of using touch and precision to take easier completions.

People around the program believe that Lock has NFL-starter potential but feel that, even with his vast college experience, he should sit and learn for at least a year before he’s thrust into the spotlight. It has less to do with his maturity and more with his needing to refine his mechanics, rid some bad habits and expand his knowledge of NFL defenses and terminology. Lock admitted at the (where he played well) that Heupel’s simpler system wouldn’t have had him adequately prepared for the NFL after his junior season and that he was just starting to get a feel for verbose offensive verbiage and pro- caliber defensive concepts under Dooley’s guidance.

How he might (or might not) fit with the Broncos: Surely you’ve heard by now how much time Elway reportedly has spent watching Lock, even watching his final college start at home against Arkansas. It was a rainy day for that game, with Lock performing well against a bad Razorbacks defense, but it also helped ease some NFL evaluators’ concerns about some of Lock’s prior struggles in poor weather (watch the second half of the South Carolina game in 2018).

It would be easy to envision a Flacco-to-Lock transition a year from now if the Broncos felt good enough about his upside to consider him with the 10th overall pick. But it also wouldn’t be shocking if Denver felt that was too high to draft a player with some clear areas that need improving, even with his vast upside. We can see the possible connection, and Lock checks a lot of the boxes that Elway seems to want in a QB, but ultimately Broncos fans might want to be prepared for the possibility of another draft pick coming to Denver.

4. Daniel Jones, Duke (6-foot-5, 221 pounds)

Pros: Operating behind a porous offensive line and throwing to a less-than-impressive crop of receivers, Jones put up strong numbers — all things considered — and operated with quality mechanics having been groomed by former Peyton and whisperer, David Cutcliffe. Jones possesses good physical traits and surprising athleticism and scrambling ability. (See the North Carolina game for a great display of what he can do in space when a defense doesn’t respect his running ability.)

Jones also showed great toughness in returning to the field a mere three weeks after suffering a broken collarbone early in the season against Northwestern. Although he had some ups and downs after his return, Jones flashed enough high-level quarterbacking skill down the stretch to earn some buzz as a possible first-round pick. He displays nice touch on his downfield passes, hung tough against pressure defenses and never appeared rattled when his receivers let him down with a barrage of dropped passes. Jones also has been credited with a Manning-esque sense of composure, which should help him transition well to the rigors of the NFL.

Cons: Jones’ arm talent appears to be average at best. He wasn’t often asked to rip the ball into tight windows, even with Duke’s pro-style system, but when Jones did it, often led to some hold-your-breath moments. Jones also can sail some passes when he’s asked to get rid of the ball quickly or throw timing routes to a spot, and he could have issues throwing the ball effectively in high winds or poor weather. Jones’ rushing ability was an occasional weapon on the college level, but you’d be hard-pressed to call him a true NFL scrambler in waiting.

Pressure often seemed to throw Jones off his game in college, and he threw too many passes up for grabs. Performing all week next to Lock on the Senior Bowl’s North Team squad, coached by the Oakland Raiders, Jones appeared to be a lesser talent than Lock as the two went through drills and threw the same routes to the same receivers during the week’s practices. (Although to be fair, Jones was named the North Team offensive player of the Senior Bowl game as he did appear to improve steadily throughout the week.)

How he might (or might not) fit with the Broncos: How high Jones goes in the draft remains a mystery. Some feel his body of work is enough to land him in Round 1 while others feel he’s more of a high Round 2 option. If Jones does start to slip a bit, his chances of going to the Broncos is something that we should not dismiss. He’s likely to get a sterling review from , who remains close to Cutcliffe and who clearly still carries weight in Denver.

And though it might not be the sexiest pick of all time, the Broncos landing Jones near the bottom of Round 1 or higher up in Round 2 might be more appealing from a value standpoint than taking Lock or someone else with the 10th pick. Don’t count out Jones as someone the Broncos will consider seriously.

5. Will Grier, West Virginia (6-foot-2, 217 pounds)

Pros: The Florida transfer really took off when he landed in Morgantown and took the reins of the Mountaineers’ “Air Raid” based offense. He consistently took risks downfield and threatened defenses with his fearless style and stepped up in big moments (watch the Texas and Oklahoma games). After coming across as immature at Florida, Grier was said to be a great leader at West Virginia, commanding the huddle, earning his teammates’ respect and giving them confidence that he was the man to lead them to wins.

Grier has good feel and rhythm in a timing passing game and can operate effectively within the confines of a scheme. Especially impressive on tape was his ability to manipulate safeties with his eyes and draw them away from his favored targets. Grier divvied the ball up well and attacked most of the field horizontally and vertically and had good touch and placement on his passes more often than not.

Cons: Grier’s arm has to be considered below-average when measured against NFL starters, and his mechanics are something that coaches might grapple with. You can see him throwing with flat feet and not torquing his body well to generate the proper velocity on longer throws. As games go on, he tends to let his mechanics get sloppier. Grier also is less effective outside of the structure of the pocket, doesn’t appear to throw effectively on the move (back to those mechanics, we believe) and he might not improve significantly in that area.

Grier also has made some crucial mistakes in pivotal moments, such as taking sacks at too high a rate while holding onto the ball too long and making poor reads and throws in tight quarters, such as when he’s backed up against his own end zone or in the opponent’s red zone. At Florida, Grier was suspended for a year by the NCAA as a freshman for testing positive for a banned performance-enhancing supplement, which is something NFL teams will want to thoroughly vet.

How he might (or might not) fit with the Broncos: We can see the fit from an intangibles standpoint, as Grier’s big-game football character is obvious. But from a football tangibles standpoint, it’s a less-easy match. Say what you will about his success rate for picking quarterbacks, but Elway typically has favored bigger, stronger-armed passers who play in more traditional offenses. Grier appears to be a better projection to one of the other 31 NFL teams in our estimation.

NFL eyes big plans for 100th season celebration By Terry Lefton Sports Business Journal March 19, 2019

NFL officials are optimistically projecting that “NFL 100,” the licensing program behind a yearlong marketing push for the league’s 100th season, will be as big as the golden anniversary from 2016.

“NFL 100 will be threaded through everything we do next season,” said Michelle Micone, senior vice president of consumer products.

To date, there are more than 20 licensees supporting the program with generic and co-branded products, including Fanatics, Northwest, Tervis, Vineyard Vines and WinCraft, which was displaying huge NFL 100th banners at the show.

“It’s got a good chance to perform well, because the league really wants it to be a significant historical marker, like ,” said WinCraft CEO John Killen.

Most of the products will begin appearing in the months before next season, but the 100th season logo will start to get familiar at the April 25-27 NFL draft, when it will appear on the New Era caps made for that event. Meanwhile, the Super Bowl ad that kicked off the NFL’s 100th season, winning USA Today’s Ad Meter, has been viewed 30 million times, according to NFL Chief Marketing Officer Tim Ellis.

“One of our biggest missions is recruiting the next generation of NFL fans without losing our core,” Ellis said. “We have to find ways to bridge those generations.”

Since the potential top draft pick, Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray, plays both football and baseball, like Seattle QB , a spot supporting the draft will show Wilson encouraging Murray in a “legends helping create the next legends” scenario.

As for growth areas in the markedly mature sports-licensed business?

“There’s still opportunity,” Micone said. “It’s about being on trend quickly and finding the white space.”

Micone offered FOCO’s licensed floral shirts and Sports Licensing Solutions’ football-shaped step stools as examples.

“If we can be sharp, take advantage of things like data and analytics to give fans the right messages at the right time, I see no reason why we can’t grow apparel also,” she said.

GAME WITHIN THE GAME: More NFL licensees, including Nike, WinCraft and Fabrique Innovations, are starting to sell products based on esports intellectual property.

Rachel Hoagland, who joined the league in June as head of gaming and esports, told the Consumer Products Summit audience that the opportunity to engage NFL fans with esports is enormous. Stats she cited supporting that contention: The esports industry will surpass $1 billion in revenue for the first time in 2019, and by the end of the year the global audience of esports fans will total 454 million — 70 percent of whom are those always-elusive millennial males.

“The size of the fan base, the revenue opportunity and the sizable crossover make this a really interesting tactic for us to drive fan engagement,” she said. “If you’re in the business of trying to attract that group [millennial males], as we are here at the NFL, esports is a big opportunity.”

We await the first esports/NFL cross-licensed apparel.

AWARD WINNING: As always, the NFL handed out awards honoring its community of licensees and retailers. The Dallas Cowboys won Club Retailer of the year; Lids won Retailer of the Year; and in just its third year as a licensee, Pegasus Sports was named to the Million-Dollar Club, meaning it sold enough to generate $1 million in royalties to the league.

Pegasus started with licenses for furniture covers, pillows and other domestic products but scored a huge hit with its Hover Helmet, a replica NFL helmet that levitates and spins, with the help of electromagnets — enough of a breakthrough that it made the cover of the Sharper Image holiday catalog.

STEADY STATE: Time doesn’t heal every wound. Almost two months after the beat New Orleans in the NFC Championship Game, Saints fans all the way up to the team president are still unhappy about the non-call that they feel decided the game.

“We won the Super Bowl, except for the call that wasn’t made right over there,” Saints President Dennis Lauscha said during an address at the summit, held on the floor of the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

COMINGS & GOINGS: Former MLB licensing chief Steve Armus has resurfaced as vice president of licensing and business ventures for VF Corp.’s Kontoor Brands spinoff. Based in Greensboro, N.C., Kontoor includes the Wrangler and Lee jeans brands, along with 70-plus VF Outlet stores. … Lids President David Baxter has departed after three years, following the licensed retail chain’s sale in December to Ames Watson Capital, the owner of licensed sports apparel retailer Fanzz. … Adam Blinderman, vice president of consumer products and retail marketing, has been fired by MLB after 18 years with the league.

Two-round 2019 NFL Mock Draft: Bengals grab Dwayne Haskins at No. 11, Giants wait until Round 2 to find QB By Ryan Wilson CBSSports.com March 19, 2019

Another week, another mock draft with Kyler Murray going first overall to the Cardinals. It almost seems like a foregone conclusion at this point. More interesting, perhaps, are what the quarterback-needy teams behind Arizona do. It sure seems like the Giants could pass on a passer at No. 6, and we have them eschewing one at No. 17 too. Same for the Broncos, despite John Elway's reported infatuation with Drew Lock. Then there are the Dolphins, who just traded to the Titans and watched return to the Saints, then signed Ryan Fitzpatrick over the weekend.

I joined Will Brinson, Tom Fornelli and R.J. White to do a Mock Draft on Monday's Pick Six Podcast (you can listen below).

So how does it all unfold in our latest two-round mock draft? Let's find out.

1 CARDINALS Kyler Murray, QB, Oklahoma As we get closer to the draft, the more likely it seems that the Cardinals will, in fact, take Murray first overall. The Heisman Trophy winner checked another box with a solid pro-day performance and now all that appears to be left is the waiting. 2 49ERS , EDGE, Ohio State This is the best-case scenario for the 49ers, who desperately need a pass rusher and get the best one in this class. Bosa went through all the drills at the combine and his 4.79 40-yard time was better than his brother's from three years ago. Bosa is a game-changer from Day 1. 3 JETS , EDGE, Kentucky Josh Allen had a fantastic senior season, a strong combine and remains one of the best edge rushers in this class. With needs at edge rusher for the Jets, this is a no-brainer. 4 RAIDERS Brian Burns, EDGE, Florida State Burns played at 235 pounds last season but showed up at the combine at 249. He quickly alleviated questions about how that weight would affect his speed by blazing a 4.53 40-yard dash. He reminds us of Aldon Smith on the field and he immediately solves the pass-rush void left by Khail Mack's departure. 5 BUCCANEERS , DT, Alabama Williams is a monster. He dominated just about every during the 2018 season and he came to the combine and dominated there too. He blazed a 4.83 40-yard dash, which only confirms what we already knew: His physical abilities are off the charts, and he's not only a legit top-5 talent, he has an argument as the top-overall pick. Yes, the Buccaneers drafted a year ago but Gerald McCoy is 31 years old and will count roughly $13 million against the cap in each of the next three years. 6 GIANTS , EDGE, Mississippi State Here's what we know: The Giants need to replace Eli Manning. But not only is Manning returning for a 15th season, there's speculation that the team won't target his replacement in Round 1. Sweat reportedly has a pre-existing heart condition, according to NFL.com , and it's unclear how it might affect his draft stock. If NFL teams clear Sweat, who dominated the Senior Bowl and dominated the combine (the man ran a 4.41, which is faster than , Odell Beckham and ) he will be an impact player, particularly in New York, who shipped Olivier Vernon to the Browns. 7 JAGUARS Jawaan Taylor, OT, Florida If is the face of the franchise (temporarily or otherwise), you're going to need to protect him. Taylor could be the first offensive linemen taken and it would make perfect sense; he's a monster in the run game and was rarely fooled in pass protection last season. 8 LIONS T.J. Hockenson, TE, Iowa After signing Trey Flowers and Danny Amendola, the transformation to Patriots Midwest continues with Hockenson, who has drawn comparisons to . He reminds us more of but either way, a legit target for . 9 BILLS Ed Oliver, DT, Houston Oliver is a top-5 talent but he's been out of sight, out of mind since early in the college football season. It's not his fault, but other players have flashed in the meantime and the Bills, who lost Kyle Williams to retirement, land Oliver, who will be a 3-technique terror in the NFL 10 BRONCOS , LB, LSU Quarterback is the obvious need but John Elway sounds like he's all in on Joe Flacco. We'll see. In the meantime, the Broncos replace Brandon Marshall with White, one of the most dynamic players in the draft. He's a sideline-to-sideline thumper who would immediately solidify the middle of the defense, making life easier for both the front four and the secondary. 11 BENGALS Dwayne Haskins, QB, Ohio State It's a new day in Cincinnati. Marvin Lewis is gone and new coach has a new quarterback. has two years left on his eminently affordable contract so there will be no rush to get Haskins on the field. 12 PACKERS Cody Ford, OT, Oklahoma Right tackle has one year left on his deal and Ford, who protected Kyler Murray at Oklahoma, can play both tackle and guard. 13 DOLPHINS Drew Lock, QB, Missouri The Dolphins signed Ryan Fitzpatrick over the weekend -- and perhaps the plan is to still Tank for Tua in '20 -- but if new coach Brian Flores wants to turn things around before then, the team could target Lock, who could sit and learn behind Fitzpatrick, and possibly even see playing time next season. 14 FALCONS , EDGE, Clemson The Falcons have need at but it's hard to pass on Ferrell, who was arguably the best player on Clemson's defensive line chock full of first-rounders. He racked up 11.5 sacks and 20 tackles for loss last season for the Tigers. 15 REDSKINS D.K. Metcalf, WR, Ole Miss Metcalf, who blazed a 4.33 40-yard time at the combine, has game-changing talent. The Redskins appear to have their short-term solution at quarterback in Case Keenum, and Metcalf gives him someone to throw the ball too. 16 PANTHERS , EDGE, Michigan Julius Peppers retired and , 31, has just one year left on his deal. The Panthers need to improve the pass rush. Gary busted out a 4.58 40 at the combine, confirming his status as a freakish athlete among some of the most freakishly athletic players on the planet. Gary played out of position at Michigan and NFL teams are hoping he can be a dominant edge rusher at the next level. 17 GIANTS From Cleveland , OT, Alabama After whiffing last offseason on fixing the O-line, the Giants are back at it. They traded for guard Kevin Zeitler, and Williams can play right tackle in the NFL and even kick inside to guard if needed. 18 VIKINGS , G, Boston College had an uneven debut season for the Vikings. And while he deserved some of the blame, Minnesota's porous offensive line did him no favors. Lindstrom is coming off a strong season for the Eagles and he'll be a welcome addition to an O-line that wasn't even replacement level in '18. 19 TITANS , WR, Oklahoma Brown suffered a Lisfranc injury in February and may not be ready to return to the field until late summer, but he's a game-changing talent, which would be welcome news for . 20 STEELERS , WR, Iowa State Butler flew under the national radar last season but he had 60 catches for 1,318 yards and 9 in 2018. At 6-5, he's not only a huge target, but his 4.48 40 at the combine confirms that he can run by just about anybody too. And while the Steelers have other needs -- mostly on defense -- Butler would make life easier for and JuJu Smith-Schuster in a post-Antonio Brown world. 21 SEAHAWKS , DT, Clemson Wilkins returned for his senior season and put up the best numbers of his career. He can rush the passer and play the run, and that versatility will bolster a defensive line that ranked in the bottom third in the league against the run and the pass last season, according to Football Outsiders. 22 RAVENS Devin Bush, LB, Michigan C.J. Mosley left in free agency for the Jets and the Ravens find his replacement in Round 1. Bush has sideline-to-sideline speed and can wreak havoc in the run game, rush the passer, and smoothly drop into coverage. 23 TEXANS , CB, LSU Here's the question Williams will have to answer: Is he willing to tackle? Because he didn't always do that at LSU. But when he's focused to putting his athleticism to work there's no better in this draft. The Texans cut former first-rounder Kevin Johnson and let Kareem Jackson leave in free agency. 24 RAIDERS From Chicago

Justin Layne, CB, Michigan State A former , Layne (6-foot-1, 4.5 40 at the combine) is a physical cornerback with exceptional ball skills who would immediately upgrade Oakland's secondary. 25 EAGLES , S, Delaware Adderley is a converted cornerback who can cover in the slot or play centerfield. His athleticism makes him a great fit in Philly's defense. 26 COLTS , DT, Notre Dame We've loved this pick for a couple weeks now. Matt Eberflus transformed the Colts into a good defense in 2018. To go from good to great, Indy needs to add a few more pieces. Tillery was dominant at times last season and if he can play with more consistency he could end up being one of the biggest surprises of this class. 27 RAIDERS From Dallas , TE, Iowa Edge rusher and cornerback have been addressed with the first two first-rounders, Antonio Brown was acquired via trade, and Fant replaces the lost production of , who led the team in receiving last season. 28 CHARGERS , OT, Washington State Dillard is the best pass-blocking tackle in this draft and with expected to play indefinitely, protecting his blindside is a priority. 29 CHIEFS , CB, Georgia Baker is only 5-foot-11 and 190 pounds but he faced off against the best best wideouts in the country and rarely lost. He's not as athletic as Greedy Williams but he's a more consistent playmaker, something this Chiefs' secondary lacked a season ago. 30 PACKERS From New Orleans Dalton Risner, OT, Kansas State Risner was one of the best college right tackles last season and he did nothing to change that with solid performances at the Senior Bowl and the combine. He'll likely make his living as an interior linemen in the NFL but his versatility will serve him well in Green Bay. 31 RAMS , CB, Washington Murphy didn't test well at the combine, and while he may be undersized, he is a tenacious defender who would immediately upgrade a Rams secondary in need of depth. 32 PATRIOTS , DT, Mississippi State Same as last week. Simmons is a top-5 talent. Unfortunately, he tore his ACL in February, which means he won't be healthy until midway through the season, best case. But the Patriots can wait and they'll take a first-round flier on Simmons, who could be ready to go in time for another Super Bowl run. Round 2 1 (33) CARDINALS , DT, Clemson At 340 pounds, there are questions about whether Lawrence is a three-down player. But don't be fooled by his size because his athleticism is eye-popping. He'll join a defensive line that now includes and . 2 (34) COLTS Kelvin Harmon, WR, NC State Harmon ran a pedestrian 4.60 40 at the combine but he remains one of the best wideouts in this class. Just watch his tape for the Wolfpack last season for verification. He's a precise route runner who can make contested catches at every level. He'd pair nicely with T.Y. Hilton in Indy. 3 (35) RAIDERS , RB, Alabama One more weapon for . Jacobs is the best running back in this class and will also be a weapon in the passing game. The Raiders' offensive makeover continues. 4 (36) 49ERS A.J. Brown, WR, Ole Miss Brown is a "big" slot receiver who played alongside D.K. Metcalf in college. Tough after the catch, Brown has big-play ability and will replace veteran Pierre Garcon, who wasn't re-signed. 5 (37) GIANTS Daniel Jones, QB, Duke The Giants address edge rusher and offensive line in Round 1 and find their next quarterback here. Jones is as close to Eli Manning is in this draft class (he played for David Cutcliffe at Duke) and could be the target amid reports that the team could pass on a passer with their two first-rounders. 6 (38) JAGUARS Irv Smith Jr., TE, Alabama Smith is a first-round talent who gives Nick Foles a reliable middle-of-the-field playmaker. 7 (39) BUCCANEERS Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, S, Florida After the 2017 season there were questions about Gardner-Johnson's tackling ability but he proved he's more than capable in '18, and his coverage ability makes him an attractive option for the Buccaneers. 8 (40) BILLS Amani Oruwariye, CB, Penn State Oruwariye is a long, physical corner who tested well at the combine but didn't have as strong a Senior Bowl as he would've liked. But he's only going to get better and the Bills add secondary depth in Round 2. 9 (41) BRONCOS , C, NC State Bradbury ran a 4.93 40 at the combine -- he's a center! -- and he was already the best interior lineman in the class. If you're banking your 2019 season on Joe Flacco you might want to protect him. 10 (42) BENGALS , LB, Alabama Wilson didn't work out at the combine but he's the second-most athletic in this class after Devin White. 11 (43) LIONS Joejuan Williams, CB, Vanderbilt A long, physical corner who has had a strong pre-draft season and will match up well against bigger NFL receivers. 12 (44) PACKERS , S, Washington Rapp can play anywhere on the field and that versatility will make him an integral part of the Packers' secondary from the moment he's drafted. 13 (45) FALCONS Charles Omenihu, DL, Texas At the combine, Omenihu described himself as "a bigger version of Chandler Jones." would no doubt welcome the help. 14 (46) REDSKINS Erik McCoy, C, Texas A&M The Redskins need to upgrade the center position, especially given all the issues at quarterback. McCoy is the second-best center in this class and he can also play guard at the next level. 15 (47) PANTHERS , S, Alabama Thompson could end up being the best safety in this class but after a strong start to his 2018 season, he hit a few bumps in the road down the stretch. He didn't work out at the combine because of a wrist injury but at 6-foot-1, 195 pounds, he's a rangy playmaker who can patrol centerfield. 16 (48) DOLPHINS Yodny Cajuste, OT, West Virginia Cajuste was great as Will Grier's blindside protector and would immediately upgrade the right side of the Dolphins' line. 17 (49) BROWNS , S, Virginia Thornhill had a quietly effective 2018 campaign and he used the combine as an exclamation point on the season. He ran a 4.42 40, had a 44-inch vertical, and that, coupled with his game film, makes him a Day 2 pick, and perhaps even a first-rounder. 18 (50) VIKINGS N'Keal Harry, WR, Arizona State Laquon Treadwell is gone and Harry could be be a huge weapon in an offense that includes Adam Thielen, and Dalvin Cook. 19 (51) TITANS Jachai Polite, EDGE, Florida First-round talent whose stock could fall because of a poor combine performance. But he fills a need for the Titans and he'd join last year's second-round pick, Harold Landry, on the defensive line. 20 (52) STEELERS , EDGE, Michigan Winovich's nonstop motor, great hand usage and quickness will give the Steelers much-needed depth at edge rusher alongside T.J. Watt and Bud Dupree. 21 (53) EAGLES Greg Little, OT, Ole Miss Little was mentioned as a first-round prospect early in the college season but inconsistent efforts saw him fall out of that conversation. He didn't have a great combine either, but he can be a reliable starter if he can put it all together. 22 (54) TEXANS Kaleb McGary, OT, Washington was sacked 62 times last season. SIXTY-TWO! The Texans have to improve the O-line. 23 (55) TEXANS Deebo Samuel, WR, South Carolina Samuel is a four-down player who can line up anywhere. He'd be a lot of fun to watch alongside Nuk Hopkins and a healthy Will Fuller. 24 (56) PATRIOTS , CB, Notre Dame An undersized-but-physical cornerback who had 39 passes defended the last two seasons for the Fighting Irish. 25 (57) EAGLES David Montgomery, RB, Iowa State An elusive-in-the-hole runner who can also make plays in the passing game. Ran only a 4.63 40 at the combine but plays much faster than that. 26 (58) COWBOYS , S, Mississippi State Abram is a thumper and tone-setter in the middle of the defense. 27 (59) COLTS Trayvon Mullen, CB, Clemson Mullen had a fantastic national title game against Alabama but his 2018 tape was up and down. He looks like an NFL cornerback but he needs to play with more consistency. 28 (60) CHARGERS Dre'Mont Jones, DL, Ohio State An athletic interior lineman who had 8.5 sacks and 13 tackles for loss for the Buckeyes in 2018, Jones -- along with and -- would give the Chargers one of the most physically gifted defensive lines the NFL. 29 (61) CHIEFS Parris Campbell, WR, Ohio State Campbell ran a 4.31 40-yard dash at the combine, and while not many of his routes were deep ones, he's a crafty underneath technician who will flourish in an Andy Reid offense offense, especially if faces sanctions from the league. 30 (62) SAINTS , TE, Texas A&M Max Unger's retirement means New Orleans needs a center but unless they're willing to trade up, Bradbury and McCoy are already off the board. Sternberger, meanwhile, is the latest name in a deep class. He's not the blocker that Hockenson or Smith may be but he's every bit as dynamic when it comes to stretching the field. 31 (63) CHIEFS Miles Sanders, RB, Penn State Sanders sat behind in 2017 but rushed for 1,274 yards last season (5.8 YPC) and 9 touchdowns. He's also a threat in the passing game and would go a long way in replacing Kareem Hunt, who was released in 2018. 32 (64) PATRIOTS Jaylon Ferguson, EDGE, Louisiana Tech Ferguson had 17.5 sacks last season and 45 in his college career. He shows good quickness for his size but questions about his flexibility see him fall to Day 2.

ESPN is reportedly going after future Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning for a spot in the “” booth.

ESPN reportedly pursuing Peyton Manning for 'Monday Night Football' again By Sam Cooper Yahoo.com March 19, 2019

ESPN is reportedly going after future Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning for a spot in the “Monday Night Football” booth.

With leaving the media world to return to the Dallas Cowboys, the network has an opening alongside and Booger McFarland for its Monday night broadcasts. In an effort to potentially fill that void, ESPN executives flew out to Denver on March 11 to meet with Manning, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

Per the Hollywood Reporter, it’s not clear whether Manning, who retired in early 2016 after winning Super Bowl 50 with the Denver Broncos, is interested in making a move into broadcasting.

ESPN’s interest in Manning is not surprising

Manning, with his prodigious football acumen and well-documented sense of humor, has been pursued by ESPN — and other networks — in the past. When left the MNF booth before the 2018 season to take the head-coaching job with the Oakland Raiders, Manning reportedly turned down an offer to join ESPN.

When Manning declined the opportunity, ESPN went with the three-man booth of Tessitore, McFarland and Witten with mixed results. Witten, a first-time broadcaster, became an internet punching bag for some of his rookie moments in the booth. The trio’s chemistry improved as the season progressed, as did Witten’s comfort level in his role.

When Witten, seemingly out of the blue, decided to return to the field for the Dallas Cowboys, ESPN was left to look for a replacement. Manning, who has a presence at ESPN breaking down quarterback play for ESPN+ show “Detail,” could bring the kind of buzz the network is seeking, especially with Tony Romo’s ascendance at CBS.

What will ESPN do if Manning says no?

If Manning decides once again that broadcasting is not for him, ESPN would be wise to stick with the duo of Tessitore and McFarland. The two entered the 2018 season with familiarity from their days on ESPN’s college football coverage. McFarland, despite his strange perch from the so-called “Booger mobile” on the sideline, held his own all season long while Witten was widely criticized.

According to writer Jim Miller, who wrote the definitive book about ESPN, the network plans to move forward with those two if Manning turns them down.

"They're going to have a two-man booth unless somehow Peyton changes his mind," Miller said on the “ Media Podcast.” "They have a relationship with Peyton because of the ESPN+ show right now and Peyton has thought about this, but if you're Peyton, what's the upside?"

"I believe from everything I've heard it's going to be the two of them [Tessitore and McFarland] and the only third possibility would be Peyton. Peyton is the only reason to pull up a third chair. If they start auditioning people and bringing somebody else in as a third that isn't Peyton, I'd be surprised and I'd ask, why?"

2019 NFL free agency's worst contracts: Broncos raise eyebrows By Gregg Rosenthal NFL.com March 19, 2019

Good players often get paid like superstars in free agency. That's just how it works. The regrettable deals -- from a team perspective -- detailed below often go further than that, creating inflexible contract terms with big risks.

NOTE: All contract figures are from Over The Cap or from numbers filed to the NFL Players Association and the NFL.

Ja'Wuan James, OT, Denver Broncos: I'm always wary of monster free-agent contracts given out to cover the sins of previous free agency mistakes. The Broncos have attempted to solve their right tackle problem since Peyton Manning was still part of the GOAT conversation, going from Ryan Harris to Michael Schofield to Menelik Watson to Jared Veldheer. None of them worked. James is a better player than anyone in that group, but the Broncos paid a huge tax for John Elway's previous misfires, giving James $13 million per season. That's a -level contract, when James has been closer to a league- average starter in Miami. The MMQB had a piece last week that said the Dolphins spent a lot of energy each game to hide James and were "already laughing" about this contract.

Kareem Jackson, CB, Denver Broncos: Jackson was excellent in 2018, but it's difficult to expect another career year from a player turning 31 years old and changing teams. The Texans didn't even offer Jackson a contract, probably because they based his value more on the previous three seasons rather than just one year. (Perhaps it was one game for the Denver brass, because Jackson destroyed the Broncos in Week 9 of the 2018 season.) Even with all that said, Jackson is only on this list because he's fully guaranteed $23 million over the next two seasons. In this era of teams prizing flexibility, it's that second year of guaranteed money that got Elway into trouble with Case Keenum -- and could get him in trouble with Jackson.

Kwon Alexander, LB, : I've read analysis about Alexander's surprisingly generous four-year, $54 million deal with the 49ers, pointing out that "only" $14.25 million is fully guaranteed and it all comes in Year 1. That's viewed as a positive. In theory, the 49ers could get out of the deal after one year with only $3 million in dead money on the cap next year. In this scenario, however, the 49ers would have paid $14.25 million for one year of work to an inside linebacker coming off a torn ACL who underperforms. And they'd be back to the drawing board at the same position where they burned a first-round pick on Reuben Foster. It's a market-moving contract in which the 49ers are projecting Alexander will be better, post-surgery, than he was in Tampa. In a best-case scenario, there's not much value here.

Mitch Morse, C, : Plenty of the Bills' contracts (John Brown, , ) were relative bargains, but Morse's deal is the rare example of one that's better for the player when examining the details. Morse is due more than $28 million in the first two years of his contract, and only $16 million in the last two. So it's a front-loaded pact where any flexibility for Buffalo to leave the deal after two years will only come after paying Morse as the best center in football. To put it another way: Teams that can't develop their own linemen often pay double for it. The recent stretch of ex-Chiefs starters who have struggled away from Kansas City -- guys like Jeff Allen and Zach Fulton -- doesn't help Morse's case.

Jesse James, TE, : General manager Bob Quinn was not shy about spending money. Defensive end Trey Flowers received $28 million just to sign. Justin Coleman went from an afterthought in a trade from New England to Seattle in 2017 to one of the highest-paid slot in football. But at least coach Matt Patricia knows what he's getting in both defenders. James has never gained more than 423 yards in a season or scored more than three touchdowns and he still will get $8 million in 2019 pay and a fully guaranteed 2020 contract. The lack of options at tight end pushed the market up, including Tyler Kroft's deal in Buffalo.

Za'Darius Smith, DE/OLB, : Smith is another good player whose contract projects him to be more than what he's shown throughout his career. With the 26-year-old due more than $34 million over the next two seasons, the Packers better hope he's not a one-year wonder. Smith's first three seasons in Baltimore were relatively quiet. There also has to be a concern that playing on the edge for the Ravens juices pass-rushing stats because the team so often wins before the snap with play calls.

James Carpenter and Jamon Brown, OG, : Paying a premium in the first days of free agency for mid-tier guards who didn't impress in previous spots is a sign of a position group gone wrong.

Almost everything the did: Bringing back some familiar veterans is fine, but the numbers behind Cincinnati's moves to re-up struggling tackle Bobby Hart and linebacker Preston Brown were surprising, with both guys signing three-year pacts that could end up paying out more than $20 million. Other moves, like signing guard John Miller (three years, $16.5 million) and cornerback B.W. Webb (three years, worth up to $13 million), made bargain shopping look expensive.

2019 NFL free agency's best contracts: Le'Veon Bell's worth it By Gregg Rosenthal NFL.com March 19, 2019

NOTE: All contract figures are from Over The Cap or from numbers filed to the NFL Players Association and the NFL.

Le'Veon Bell, RB, : I don't know whether to be heartened or annoyed by the exhaustive tweets in the wake of Bell's contract, trying to figure out exactly how much his holdout cost him. On one hand, this is the dorky contractual nitty gritty that has kept me away from my children in March for years, dissecting the difference between guaranteed vs. "rolling guarantees." On the other hand, the transformative talent Bell brings to the field has been too lost in the shuffle.

Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio broke down the full contract, which fully guarantees $27 million over the next two seasons. That's equal or less money in the first two years than , Ja'Wuan James, Trent Brown and Za'Darius Smith received last week. You can repeat your position scarcity and running back value arguments from now until when Ben Roethlisberger wins another Steelers team MVP award and I still won't believe them. There are only a few other running backs with the three-down assets Bell possesses, so he'll provide the Jets an advantage every time he's on the field. It's cool to pay for a running back when it's the right one.

Tevin Coleman and Mark Ingram, RB, San Francisco 49ers and Baltimore Ravens: Every veteran running back wasn't underpaid in free agency, but the best ones were. 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan already knows he can cook up big plays for Coleman, who is at home in Shanny's zone scheme, as evidenced by their time together in Atlanta. He's due less than $9 million over the next two years, which he'd be worth at just 125 touches. The Ravens' signing of Ingram is a perfect match of team identity and skill set, providing some stability to a backfield that has included too many questions in recent years. It was curious to see the Saints pay nearly as much total cash (four years, $14.4 million) as Ingram got a day later (three years, $15 million), because Ingram is far superior.

Earl Thomas, S, Baltimore Ravens: $32 million fully guaranteed is not too much when a defensive scheme and a future Hall of Famer's skill set complement each other this beautifully. So many of the best free-agent signings in NFL history weren't about value contracts, but simply being right about an elite player fitting into a new situation. Thomas in Baltimore fits like a glove.

Daryl Williams and Matt Paradis, OL, : I listed so many bad offensive line signings in the "worst contracts" half of this exercise that it's worth noting there were some values. Williams, a second- team All-Pro in 2017, has a great chance to turn his one-year, $6 million contract into a big extension a year from now. Making calculated risks on injured players has long been a source for free-agent value. Paradis, who inked a three-year deal that will earn him an average around $9 million annually, is coming off a broken leg, an injury that typically doesn't present as many long-term issues as a ligament or Achilles tear. The Panthers got better up front without breaking the bank.

Bradley Roby, CB, : The Texans and Broncos swapped cornerbacks in free agency, with Kareem Jackson heading to Denver. Houston got the younger, more talented player at this stage of his career on a one-year, $10 million contract. The tricky part for the Texans will be if this contract goes too well. Their one-year deal for made my "best contracts" list a year ago, but they weren't able to keep him.

Ronald Darby, CB, : You'll notice a trend on this list. These one-year, "prove it" deals are a smart way for players and teams to do business in the ultimate year-to-year league. Pacts like Darby's one-year, $8.5 million contract help explain why the Philadelphia front office folks are so comfortable with the unknown, dealing with a snug salary cap each year. They always find a way.

Jordan Hicks, LB, Arizona Cardinals: Sometimes value comes in comparison to rest of the market. Hicks is an awfully similar player to C.J. Mosley, yet he received less than half the guaranteed money ($20 million, on a four-year, $36 million deal). Kwon Alexander also got more money, yet is coming off a torn ACL and is not as consistent as Hicks down to down.

Bryce Callahan, CB, Denver Broncos: It was telling that Broncos coach Vic Fangio went after his former Bears charge Callahan, not safety . In a crowded slot cornerback market, Callahan's three- year, $21 million contract is the rare long-term pact with a good chance of being completed.

Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, S, : Two years ago, Clinton-Dix would have been making top-shelf free- agent money. While he might not have the upside once believed, he is remarkably durable and can provide average starting snaps (at worst) for an extremely low $3.5 million in 2019. The Bears smartly waited out an insanely deep safety market.

Odell Beckham and Michael Bennett, WR and DL, and : I wanted to include these vastly disparate players here as a reminder that contracts accepted in trades can be bargains, too. By avoiding Beckham's big signing bonus a year ago, the Browns got even more value because they received the best part of his reasonable $90 million extension. It seems like only a matter of time until he'll require an upgrade, but the five years left on the deal means that the Browns have OBJ as long as they want him. In Bennett, the Patriots got a quality starting defensive end under contract for only $7.2 million this season. His production would be worth at least $10 million on the open market.

Shaquil Barrett, DE/OLB, : Barrett's one-year, $5 million contract is the type of low-risk, high-reward deal that more teams should make in free agency. Barrett has rare edge-rushing skills and is just entering his prime at age 26. He doesn't even need to outplay his established role as a super sub to be worth this money -- and there's a chance he provides much more.

Malik Jackson, DT, Philadelphia Eagles: Jackson's three-year, $30 million contract with the Eagles is part of a trend throughout the NFL of 30-something pass rushers staying in form longer in their career. In this age of rotations, Jackson's ability to play multiple positions at a high level, even if only for 500-to-600 snaps, still has incredible value in a league built around pass rushers. And actually, he doesn't turn 30 until next January. Most everything the did: Tennessee general manager Jon Robinson targeted logical players to fill specific needs and didn't overspend. Slot receiver Adam Humphries, defensive end Cameron Wake and guard Rodger Saffold all addressed huge needs without sacrificing long-term flexibility. Few teams improved more than the Titans over the last week.

John Elway was willing to let Matt Paradis walk because of ankle By Darin Gantt Pro Football Talk March 19, 2019

The Panthers were eager to add former Broncos center Matt Paradis, for their one foray into outside free agency.

But his old team didn’t sound interested in investing him at all.

Via CBSSports.com, Broncos executive John Elway said he had “big concerns” about his former center’s medical report.

Paradis suffered a broken fibula in early November, and he said when he met with Panthers reporters last week that he expected to be cleared by June. The Broncos replaced him in the lineup with former fifth-round pick Connor McGovern.

“Connor is our center right now,” Elway said. “I think that obviously we didn’t want to lose Matt, but we had real concerns about the ankle. That is why that didn’t work out. I’m happy for Matt. I really am. I’m happy for Matt that he got the opportunity in Carolina. It had nothing to do with Matt’s ability, but we had big concerns about that ankle. Like I said, I’m happy for Matt that he got what he got from Carolina. I hope that works out for him.”

The Panthers gave Paradis a three-year, $27 million deal with $12 million guaranteed, with the anticipation of him replacing in the middle of the line. Having him healthy enough to do that would be a big first step.