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If Broncos and Denver host NFL draft, thank Brittany Bowlen By Woody Paige KMGH Feb. 17, 2018

The potential managing general partner of the Broncos’ ownership was a principle reason Denver is a finalist to host the 2019 or 2020 draft.

This story never has been told.

The three-day late April “NFL Woodstock” is the prize plum Denver can pick.

The metropolitan area and (This Space Available) Field at Mile High Stadium never will be the site for the Super Bowl because the facility is not domed, and Denver is considered a “cold-weather” stadium. Temperatures the first weekend of February sometimes can be pleasant, but, more likely, could be dicey or icy.

When the state legislature began in the mid-1990s discussing and researching the possibility of a new stadium to replace the original Mile High Stadium, a proposed bill included a “retractable dome.” As one representative said then, a domed stadium would provide the city with the opportunity to be the location for the Super Bowl, an NCAA Final Four, a Big 12 championship game (when Colorado was in that conference), winter concerts and other major events that would produce tens of millions of dollars in new revenue.

However, Broncos owner Pat Bowlen, who was agreeable to putting up to $100 million into the investment, opposed a dome stadium – because of more than double the cost (perhaps to $400 million). Bowlen had made veiled threats that if the old edifice, which truly was costing tens of millions in upkeep and was in danger of severe structural issues (because of the weakening steel), wasn’t replaced, he would have to consider other options. Then-Gov. Roy Romer was favor of a new stadium, but said, “Take the roof off,’’ meaning he, too, was against a retractable dome.

Eventually, in 1998, a six-country metro-area ballot measure was passed – extending a sales tax (10 cents on $100) that had been approved by voters to construct what became Coors Field for Major League Baseball.

It was the Stadium built. Coloradans were euphoric over the Broncos’ first Super Bowl victory in early 1998 (following the ’97 season), and Elway, of course, was not only the team’s star player for 15 years, but the spokesman for the pro-stadium campaign.

After winning another Super Bowl title, Elway retired in 1999 – before the stadium with an obscene corporate name was opened in 2001 (to an Eagles concert, then the football season).

Even though the Broncos bid on a Denver Super Bowl a couple of times, the owners were not about to let the event happen without a dome here. Sure, there have been Super Bowls in cold-weather cities (Minneapolis for the second time this month, Detroit and Indianapolis, and even Dallas and Atlanta -- which had low temperatures during Super Bowl weeks). But they share a common bond – domed stadiums. And Super Bowls were promised if those places did raise the roof high.

The other NFL prime event is the NFL Combine, which annually is held in Indianapolis and won’t be moved.

But the college draft interest became so extreme the league decided to take it on the road away from New York City, where it had been held in hotel ballrooms (the New Yorker Hotel, where I would much later appear on a daily ESPN program, and for years at the Marriott on Times Square.) The draft became so popular it moved to Radio City Music Hall, but another event displaced the vent. Chicago took over two years, then Philadelphia last April. And the Draft Party during the three days of selection has become a Big Deal.

This year it will be staged at AT&T Stadium outside Dallas.

The league announced on Wednesday that the finalists for 2019 and 2020 are Denver, Cleveland-Canton (Canton because of the Pro Football Hall of Fame), Nashville, Las Vegas and Kansas City. Vegas is highly likely to be the site in ’20 because the Raiders will be transferring to the new stadium there that season.

So, Denver has at least a 25-percent chance for next year.

While everybody in Denver sports and politics seems to be taking credit for the city being on the short list, there is one person who deserves the most credit.

Brittany Bowlen.

What?

Brittany is the third oldest of Pat Bowlen’s four daughters (and there are two sons). She and older sister Beth Bowlen Wallace, who both have worked for the Broncos in the past, are the prime candidates to eventually assume the leadership role of the Broncos. Beth earned her law degree at the University of Denver, and Brittany is in the MBA program of the Fuqua School at Duke. She has interned in the "junior rotation” program with the NFL at the league office in New York, and with McKinsey & Company, an international corporation that serves as consultants for a multitude of new and established businesses. McKinsey has a Denver office.

Two years ago, when Brittany served as a business analyst with the Broncos, she was put in charge of developing and designing the franchise’s presentation to attract the NFL draft to Denver.

According to those who know, she did an exceptional job on the bid. It apparently was impressive enough that the NFL will bring the draft, which could be attended by 100,000 fanatics, tourists and looky-loos, to Denver next year or in the next three or four years.

You can thank her later.

Obviously, Brittany Bowlen is on a track to have an important role in the Broncos’ future.

ESPN willing to “back up the truck” to lure to “Monday Night Football” booth, per report By Daniel Boniface Denver Post Feb. 17, 2018

ESPN is aggressively pursuing former Peyton Manning as an analyst on “Monday Night Football,” according to a report by the New York Post.

The report, citing an unnamed source, says the sports network is willing to “back up the truck” in order to land Manning as the replacement for Jon Gruden, who left the network to coach the Oakland Raiders. Gruden reportedly earned $6.5 million annually at ESPN.

Manning has done some work in the past for ESPN, serving as host of the 2017 ESPYs.

The report says Manning is also being courted by Fox.

Manning has turned down TV offers in the past and the report says his long-term goal is to “be like John Elway and have an ownership stake in a team, while running football operations.”

The report says ESPN is considering a complete overhaul of its “Monday Night Football” franchise, which could include a split with current play-by-play man Sean McDonough.

Recapping the Broncos' Random Acts of Kindness Week activities By Staff DenverBroncos.com Feb. 17, 2018

Feb. 12: Passing out Valentine's Day cards to senior citizens at Forest Street Compassionate Care Center

Jeff Heuerman helped the Broncos kick off Random Acts of Kindness Week by joining 10 kids from the Denver Broncos Boys & Girls Club and two cheerleaders to deliver homemade Valentine’s Day cards and treats. The group distributed the cards and spent time interacting with residents at Forest Street Compassionate Care Center, which is predominantly an Alzheimer’s and memory-care facility.

Feb. 13: Visiting Children's Hospital Colorado

Heuerman and Corey Nelson continued Random Acts of Kindness Week with a visit to Children’s Hospital Colorado. Heuerman, Nelson, their significant others and Miles the Mascot delivered Valentine’s Day candy and Thank You notes to caregivers (nurses, doctors, etc.) at the Highlands Ranch location.

Feb. 13: Thanking nurses at UCHealth

Trevor Siemian participated in Random Acts of Kindness Week by visiting UCHospital. Siemian was joined by two cheerleaders and Miles the Mascot to deliver Valentine’s Day cupcakes and Thank You notes to the nursing staff in four units (Internal Medicine and Transplant, Surgical Specialties, Inpatient and Ambulatory, and STICU) at the hospital.

Feb. 14: Rose Andom Center Valentine’s Day party

The Broncos hosted a Valentine’s Day party for families served by the Rose Andom Center, which is a place for domestic violence victims to find the safety, support and services needed to rebuild their lives and heal their families. The team supplied food and beverages for the party, as well as gifts for all the parents in attendance.

Feb. 15: South Metro Fire & Rescue Visit Kicking off a day dedicated to first responders, Siemian and Ring of Famer Billy Thompson visited South Metro Fire Station 35 to deliver coffee and breakfast items to the firefighters and tour the station. That specific station serves the area around UCHealth Training Center and is key to our team’s safety.

Feb. 15: Douglas County Sheriff’s Office visit and his family visited the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office to deliver cake and coffee to the officers on-site and tour the station and jail. Kreiter had visited injured Deputy Jeff Pelle in the hospital after the tragic shooting on New Year’s Eve, and this was a continuation of his and the team's outreach for the county's officers.

Feb. 15: Visiting the Denver Police Department

Todd Davis, Thompson and Miles the Mascot visited the Denver Police Station in District 1. They delivered cake to the officers on-site, learned more about the day-to-day duties of Denver Police Officers and toured the station.

Feb. 15: “Early Man” movie screening

The Broncos hosted an advance screening of the movie "Early Man" in partnership with former Broncos safety David Bruton Jr. Kids from Bruton’s Books and Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver and their families were in attendance and received free movie tickets, popcorn and soda.

The difficult decisions all 32 teams have ahead in the 2018 NFL offseason By Jason La Canfora CBSSports.com Feb. 17, 2018

In the next two weeks a slew of veteran players will be hitting the NFL's free agent or trade market. A purge of contracts and cap space will begin, albeit likely to a lesser degree that in years past now that the cap itself continues to soar.

With the combine in Indianapolis now less than two weeks away, teams are finalizing their offseason plans and preparing to meet with agents to discuss the future of their clients. By now, in most front offices, the executives have already conducted a full review of every other roster in the league to determine players they believe will be cut, asked to take a pay cut, or who will be shopped ahead of the start of the league year. It's an inexact science, to be sure, but one that signals that the 2018 offseason is, basically, about to launch.

I went through the payroll, depth chart and cap situations with two executives trying to hash out what's likely to come for every organization in the NFL, comparing notes and theories about the state of these teams and where they are likely going. Obviously, some teams have more work to do than others, and there are difficult decisions looming for a wide swath of the league in February that will set the stage for March.

Here's a thumbnail on each NFL franchise gleaned from my conversations this week:

Arizona The Cardinals have to find a quarterback, and the hunch I get is that its far more likely they go for a bridge guy like than a mega-deal with . I expect them to draft one high as well. A David Johnson extension will be on the front burner, and they have until March 14 to make a determination on Tyrann Mathieu; his $11 million in combined salary and roster bonus becomes guaranteed then. The execs I spoke to believed the Cardinals would pay that but seek to get Deone Bucannon off the $9 million fifth-year option and on a longer-term deal at a lower cap number.

Atlanta There is little secret here -- quarterback Matt Ryan, a former NFL MVP, is entering the final year of his deal, and signing him to an extension is paramount. With and Cousins in line for free-agent deals and in line for an extension, the price of doing business with Ryan continues to soar. Getting Jake Matthews off a fifth-year option and on a less cumbersome deal would also make sense.

Baltimore Ownership has made it clear drafting a quarterback in the first round isn't on the table, but 2018 is likely 's last season with this team given the structure of his contract. (I'd target Tom Savage for that role; abundant upside, played well against the Ravens this year, and they've signed Texans backups before). Finding skill players on offense is the priority, in draft and free agency, and before that happens I expect the Ravens, ever tight against the cap, to purge some of the elders they brought in a year ago in free agency (Jeremy Maclin and Danny Woodhead) to clear some cap room. They've always been remiss to pay big for free agent receivers, but exploring a trade for would make sense. Can they get anything for Breshad Perriman in trade? Extending C.J. Mosley is the only real in-house business to take care of, another sign of their recent draft struggles.

Buffalo Bills GM Brandon Beane isn't even a year on the job yet, but already established himself as a wheeler- dealer willing to listen to anything. He was open to moving tackle Cordy Glenn in-season and will definitely consider that option this offseason as well; he's done well moving on from big-ticket items left over from the previous regime. Sources said the Bills will also seek a trade partner for -- Denver is one team that leaps to mind -- but teams may simply wait until March to sign him, knowing the Bills are highly unlikely to pick up his $6 million roster bonus on the March 16. They are loaded with picks and looking diligently at the first-round in this draft.

Manage your taxable return with these tax-efficient investing strategies. Carolina This is literally a team in limbo without a general manager for now -- they should have given Marty Hurney an extension when Ron Rivera got his weeks ago -- and with an interim owner, with Jerry Richardson under NFL investigation and the team up for sale. In other words, don't expect a whole lot of activity from them. Maybe they get an extension done with a high-character veteran like Greg Olsen. Finding legit outside receivers will be the primary objective to open up the offense.

Chicago Go ahead and swallow that $19 million you gave Mike Glennon to start about one month for you. League sources said that quarterback will be gone. His a symbol of a brutal 2017 free-agent class. "Their free agent class from a year ago was a joke," one personnel exec said. "You can count on pretty much all of those guys being out of there this year." Indeed, the team got next to nothing out of Glennon, , Markus Wheaton, , Kendall Wright et al. a year ago). Pernell McPhee's injury woes have other teams believing the Bears might save that $7 million by moving on from him, and Willie Young is another who could be gone. Re-signing corner should be a priority but he's going to find a lucrative market ahead and will not be returning to Chicago, according to a source with knowledge of the situation.

Cincinnati Will this be the final year for Geno Atkins and Carlos Dunlap with the Bengals? They have been the heart of that defensive front for a long time, but both enter the final year of their deal. Michael Johnson has not produced in his second stint with the team the way he did in his first, and they could save $4.5 million by letting him go. Adam Jones has been a favorite of ownership and highly productive into his 30s, but with a $5.3 million option looming on March 14, do they move on? My guess is he's back with the Bengals for another season.

Cleveland It's all about finding a quarterback, finally, for this franchise, and it will focus on the first-overall pick in the draft. Securing a veteran to run the offense to start the 2018 season makes sense as well (a Josh McCown type would be perfect), and moving DeShone Kizer out of there might be the best step, too. Extending Duke Johnson should be a no-brainer given the $100 million or so in cap room they have. But coming off an 0-16 season, there aren't a ton of extensions in order and the Browns will be active in free agency. (Personally, I'd part ways with Josh Gordon as well given all of the drama and baggage there.) Dallas The sense I got around the league is that Jerry Jones will not release Dez Bryant ("He'll get him to restructure that contract," one personnel director told me. "Jerry has a way of getting those things done.") The Cowboys don't have oodles of cap room, however, and need to franchise DeMarcus Lawrence and then try to extend him, while David Irving is an RFA and Zack Martin is the next offensive lineman in line for a massive new deal. The Cowboys' focus will be from within.

Denver A year from now, and Emmanuel Sanders are likely to be gone, and rival execs would not be surprised at all if one of them is dealt in the coming weeks. Aqib Talib is gone. could be gone once the Broncos solve their quarterback conundrum. I'd put my money more on a younger bridge guy like Taylor or AJ McCarron than I would them landing Cousins in the end. Sign a guy making half of what Cousins will make, and draft a quarterback in the first round (again).

Detroit Executives I talk to believe the Lions have to roll the dice and tag Ziggy Ansah, injury concerns and all. "He has a chance to set the market on that side of the ball in free agency if they let him hit the market," one exec said. Tight end Eric Ebron has been the subject of trade rumors before and likely will be again. Significant focus will be paid to getting a feature back and adding talent to the defense for rookie head coach Matt Patricia.

Green Bay It's time to extend Rodgers again, and while you could make the case for the Packers moving on from either receiver Jordy Nelson or Randall Cobb, I wouldn't bet on it. "Rodgers is back healthy, he got the GM in the seat that he wanted, and he loves both of those receivers," said one exec with ties to that organization. "He'll make it clear he doesn't want to lose them. I don't think they're going anywhere." Clay Matthews isn't the player he once was and they could save over $10 million in cash and cap by letting him go, but I don't anticipate that happening, either. They need to upgrade on defense, obviously.

Offsetting capital gains with capital losses can help lower your tax bill. Houston Brian Cushing is very likely to be gone, saving about $8 million in the process. As much money as possible needs to be funneled to , who is entering the final year of his deal at a time when longtime defensive anchors J.J. Watt and Whitney Mercilus are both trying to come back from major injuries. Watt's long-term health has to be a concern, which makes extending Clowney Objective No. 1 (and 2 and 3) for the Texans.

Indianapolis They've been open to listening to trade suggestions on tackle Anthony Castonzo in the past, and some in the league believe the right side is where he should be. Buttressing the offensive line in hopes of 's return is as much a need as is sprinkling talent at all positions on defense With around $80 million in cap space, the Colts will be players in free agency, and much of that money could be sunk into the offensive and defensive lines.

Jacksonville I wouldn't rule out, at all, them sniffing around on guys like Cousins, but in the end I believe it's more likely they land a top dollar backup like Josh McCown than add a new uber-expensive starter. I expect to be back. The Jags must decide by next week whether to pick up a $4 million option on tight end Marcedes Lewis -- "I'd be surprised if they don't given how he's been there and his ability to block and help in the run game," one exec said -- though the exec does anticipate the Jags release running back Chris Ivory and save over $5 million in the process.

Kansas City The gutting of the Chiefs defense is underway; if you are over 30, you may have to go. Derrick Johnson and Darrelle Revis are gone, and Tamba Hali is expected to be next behind them. "They are cleaning house on defense," one exec said. The team's highest-paid player, Justin Houston, wont be a part of that purge, I'm told, though the Chiefs are expected to rework his contract to create much-needed cap space to pour back in that defense.

Los Angeles Chargers Is this finally the end for Antonio Gates? We've been saying that for years, but the free agent has always ended up back there. Two of the better corners in the NFL are entering the final years of the deal with the Chargers, and getting Jason Verrett off the fifth-year option and securing Casey Heyward for a few more years will be the primary objectives. They have the ability to add a few key pieces in free agency, too.

Los Angeles Rams The Rams won a battle of wills with Aaron Donald a year ago, and his holdout accomplished very little, if anything at all. But I wouldn't suggest going down that road again. Getting the game's premier defensive player locked up for the future is a must. After franchising him two years in a row, corner Trumaine Johnson will not be back with the Rams, according to a league source. He leaves with $30 million in his pocket from the last two years. I'd also be shocked if Tavon Austin is back with the Rams; they save $8 million in cash by letting the former first-round pick go. Some have suggested Rodger Saffold could go, but the Rams really like him as a player and a person, and his versatility is a plus. I expect him to be back.

Miami While others might move on from after his recent injury woes, Adam Gase has championed this quarterback since he arrived there and remains bullish on him. He wants to win with him and see this through, and while they could save $18 million by walking away, that's not in the cards here. They anticipate him running their offense when OTAs start. The Dolphins are super tight on cap space, which adds intrigue to the decision to possibly franchise tag , a player they have mulled dealing in the past. Tight end Julius Thomas is very likely gone, creating $6.5 million in cash and over $4 million in cap savings.

Minnesota They have to find a quarterback, and I personally wouldn't be shocked to see Case Keenum and back there. They have plenty of cap flexibility. With Anthony Barr and in the final year of their deals, there is extension work to be done there, and I continue to hear it will unfortunately be very difficult for Sharrif Floyd to play again due to a lingering knee problem.

New England With two years left on his deal, could get paid again before the season starts. Rob Gronkowski almost surely will, and with the Patriots up against the cap, a purge of older players is coming, primarily recent additions. Parting with Dwayne Allen, Martellus Bennett, Alan Branch, Kenny Britt and David Harris would create about $19 million in cap space. "The guys they brought in last year are gone," said one AFC exec, "and Bill (Belichick) will go bargain hunting again." Given the exodus of young talent on defense in recent years (Chandler Jones chief among them), a Trey Flowers extension would be smart, too.

New Orleans Re-sign Drew Brees, hopefully not at $30 million a year, and go into what will likely be a two-year window to win a Super Bowl with him. There isn't much other contract work that needs to be done besides maybe getting longer deals done with some restricted free agents (like Willie Snead). And if they can find a way to keep Alex Okafor from leaving in free agency, that would be a major plus.

New York Giants Draft a quarterback in the first round, and explore an Eli Apple trade given all of the tumult in that locker room last year. From every signal being sent, Eli Manning is the QB for 2018, and ownership wants to keep Odell Beckham. Brandon Marshall, meantime, is not in the team's plans, I'm told. The Giants are somewhat hamstrung by the cap, but extensions for Beckham and might be the best ways to spend what they do have. Dave Gettleman is going to have to make serious hay in the draft.

New York Jets First order of business will be moving on from Muhammad Wilkerson, the team's highest-paid player. That is coming, sources said, and will free up $17 million more in cash and $11 million in cap, giving the Jets upwards of $90 million in space to use to woo Cousins. They will be hard to beat for his services, and they'll add other weapons on offense, too. Moving on from Matt Forte is likely as they seek younger, more explosive backs as well.

Oakland League sources said Sean Smith and Michael Crabtree are not in the team's plans, which creates about $16 million in cap and cash savings. Will Marshawn Lynch click with Jon Gruden enough to keep him? Also, what kind of fit is tight end Jared Cook in this new offense? Oh, and they face an arduous tack in signing arguably their best player, , as he enters his fifth-year option. That could be quite tricky.

Philadelphia The more executives I talk to, the more I am convinced that Howie Roseman will keep deep into the offseason and not trade him for anything but significant value. I'm not buying the alleged two first-round pick evaluation, but at least a second-rounder and something else. We'll see if that market develops, but Foles's value while recovers from knee surgery is high. I do, however, expect him to be proactive in what he can get for left tackle Jason Peters. "The offense operated well without Peters, and he'd have some value," one exec said. "The kid who filled in is nothing special, but the offensive line as a whole was fine without Peters." Philly is in a cap bind, but Torrey Smith's $5 million option might be too steep. And the Eagles want to extend Brandon Graham and began talks with him in season.

Pittsburgh The Steelers are almost always in a bit of a cap bind, as comes with having a strong roster that allows them to complete most years. They love Joe Haden, but sources said they can't retain him at $9 million (they'll try to bring him back at a lower number, I assume). William Gay is also gone from that secondary I'm told, while Mike Mitchell will be a tough call too, as he could save them $6 million in cap space. Tight end Vance McDonald didn't do much after being acquired and he'd save over $4 million against the cap if let go as expected. The Steelers will tag Le'Veon Bell again if need be.

San Francisco It's already mission accomplished there by getting Jimmy Garoppolo signed long-term. It's huge and vital and franchise-changing. Love the contract from both sides. And they still have more cap space then the need to continue adding to the roster. Figuring out the extent of Reuben Foster's troubles and determining if he is someone they can continue to keep around will be imperative.

Seattle Can they find a way to afford keeping Sheldon Richardson on a tag of some sort? Perhaps savings from moving on from Cliff Avril and Jeremy Lane, and maybe Michael Bennett, would help. They entertained offers for Richard Sherman a year ago, and execs I spoke to anticipate they do the same this year. Some things will be stripped down to try to build back up, for sure. "There's going to be a housecleaning, for sure, but to what extent," as one personnel director put it.

Tampa Bay Bringing Mike Glennon back as a backup quarterback is something other teams expect to happen. Working out an extension with Mike Evans is a priority. And the Bucs will have more cap space than they need after parting with Chris Baker and Doug Martin, moves I am hearing are forthcoming and save close to $12 million in the process.

Tennessee They don't have too much internal business to conduct, save for trying to work out an extension for tackle Taylor Lewan. Some execs believe they could move on from Johnathan Cyprien, who has a roster bonus looming next month. "He didn't really make a lot of plays for them," as one exec put it. Some are asking questions about the run game moving forward – "Derrick Henry doesn't seem to fit what they're going to be doing there now," one personnel guy mentioned to me.

Washington Things are a mess there, again. No one is buying a tag-and-trade scenario with Cousins, at least not that I've talked to. There are rumblings about Josh Norman's future there as well, and they could save $15 million in cash and $8 million in cap space by parting with him. "You just moved on from a franchise quarterback and paid a guy to replace him who you didn't have to pay, so anything is possible there," a personnel director said. "There is no way I would have extended like that. I hear that Norman hates the front office and would want to leave anyway. Something could happen there." Given all of the drama between Washington and Su'a Cravens, he could be gone too, now that he has been reinstated.

With QB bonanza impending, here are the best (and worst) options by tier By Charles Robinson Yahoo.com Feb. 17, 2018

With NFL free agency less than one month away, the league that can’t get enough talent at quarterback is suddenly overrun with offseason options.

Following backup AJ McCarron winning his free-agency rights in a grievance on Thursday, as many as eight starting-caliber quarterbacks are poised to hit the market in some form or fashion next month. That creates some rare terrain for NFL teams, when franchises will drive into one of the most robust offseason quarterback markets in league history. It also sets the stage for one of the more frenzied NFL Combine events at the end of this month – one in which the evaluation of draft prospects could end up being the sideshow to a flurry of trade talks and backchannel free-agent negotiations.

But undoubtedly, the next few months will belong to the quarterbacks, thanks in large part to a field of talent that will headline both free agency and the draft. In many ways, it should be reminiscent of the 2012 offseason – when multiple franchises lined up to woo Peyton Manning in free agency and four quarterbacks were plucked in the first round of the draft.

As it stands, at least five teams will be looking for new starters this offseason: the , Denver Broncos, , and . Two others – the and – have yet to sign new deals with their presumptive 2018 starters, Drew Brees and Case Keenum. Meanwhile, the and could both take long looks at quality second options to Eli Manning and Blake Bortles.

That’s nine teams with some high-level quarterback business ahead, not to mention a cross-section of other franchises that will be looking for young players to groom. And that will create an overwhelming amount of heat in the quarterback market. Most of which will manifest in two stages: The hot pursuit in free agency and the trade market, and then the fallback option in the NFL draft for teams that miss out on their targets. The latter part of that equation – the perceived franchise players in the draft – are still in the sorting process. But they’ve already begun settling into tiers along with the veterans. Those look like this:

TIER ONE

Kirk Cousins: Regardless of the thin postseason résumé, Cousins is the prize this offseason. He’ll turn 30 in August, but he’s the best free-agent quarterback to hit the market since Manning in 2012 and should have a solid six years of his prime ahead. You simply don’t see quarterbacks of his age/output/experience hit the free-agent market. The only teams that won’t make a pitch to Cousins will be the ones that don’t want to pay a free agent quarterback $25-million-plus per season and dole out $80-million-plus in guaranteed money. He’ll have no shortage of suitors.

Drew Brees: He’s a future Hall of famer who will be going back to the Saints. Only some kind of catastrophic breakdown in negotiations could change that. He’ll retire in New Orleans. Book it.

TIER TWO

Sam Darnold///: For the teams that take a serious swing at Cousins and miss, the attention will turn to one of the Big Four quarterbacks in this year’s draft. While there is still plenty of time between now and the selection process, each one of this quartet currently has some level of “franchise quarterback” belief in NFL circles. That elevates all four to solid second options in a failed pursuit of Cousins. While one or more of those four players could fade in the draft process, it’s also a solid possibility that a fifth quarterback could make a push up the draft board and sneak into the bottom of the first round. However it goes down, first-round quarterbacks are chosen to be long-term options – and that elevates them into Tier Two.

TIER THREE

Case Keenum: Keenum will be a bit of a wild card. He had an impressive run with the Minnesota Vikings and should be considered a starting-quality player in free agency if an extension isn’t reached with Minnesota. But he also lost a huge advocate in , who departed to coach the Giants. If Keenum remains with the Vikings, a franchise tag seems like the most likely option to get that done – buying one more season to cement himself for the long term. But if that doesn’t pan out, it’s hard to be certain what Keenum’s market will look like across the NFL. He’ll certainly be attractive to teams that run spread offenses. But his overall résumé as a starter is still somewhat limited. That makes him an uncertain commodity who could fall into the “Mike Glennon” category, translating into a deal elsewhere that is basically a one-season “prove it” contract.

Nick Foles (trade block): He opened some eyes across the league after settling into the ’ offense and having the playbook opened up. Now he’s a legitimate trade chip, should the Eagles choose to dangle him on the market. Unfortunately for Foles, his biggest believers at the moment are all inside franchises that already have cornerstones at quarterback. That will limit his market. His best bet may be sticking it out in Philadelphia one more season and entering the market as a free agent in 2019, when there isn’t a logjam of quarterbacks available. But one thing is certain: He bought himself some serious consideration as a starter in the postseason. And the Eagles are typically willing to listen to trade offers. That solidifies him inside this market.

With NFL free agency less than one month away, the league that can’t get enough talent at quarterback is suddenly overrun with offseason options.

Following Cincinnati Bengals backup AJ McCarron winning his free-agency rights in a grievance on Thursday, as many as eight starting-caliber quarterbacks are poised to hit the market in some form or fashion next month. That creates some rare terrain for NFL teams, when franchises will drive into one of the most robust offseason quarterback markets in league history. It also sets the stage for one of the more frenzied NFL Combine events at the end of this month – one in which the evaluation of draft prospects could end up being the sideshow to a flurry of trade talks and backchannel free-agent negotiations.

But undoubtedly, the next few months will belong to the quarterbacks, thanks in large part to a field of talent that will headline both free agency and the draft. In many ways, it should be reminiscent of the 2012 offseason – when multiple franchises lined up to woo Peyton Manning in free agency and four quarterbacks were plucked in the first round of the draft.

As it stands, at least five teams will be looking for new starters this offseason: the Cleveland Browns, Denver Broncos, Buffalo Bills, New York Jets and Arizona Cardinals. Two others – the New Orleans Saints and Minnesota Vikings – have yet to sign new deals with their presumptive 2018 starters, Drew Brees and Case Keenum. Meanwhile, the New York Giants and Jacksonville Jaguars could both take long looks at quality second options to Eli Manning and Blake Bortles.

That’s nine teams with some high-level quarterback business ahead, not to mention a cross-section of other franchises that will be looking for young players to groom. And that will create an overwhelming amount of heat in the quarterback market. Most of which will manifest in two stages: The hot pursuit in free agency and the trade market, and then the fallback option in the NFL draft for teams that miss out on their targets. The latter part of that equation – the perceived franchise players in the draft – are still in the sorting process. But they’ve already begun settling into tiers along with the veterans. Those look like this:

TIER ONE

Kirk Cousins: Regardless of the thin postseason résumé, Cousins is the prize this offseason. He’ll turn 30 in August, but he’s the best free-agent quarterback to hit the market since Manning in 2012 and should have a solid six years of his prime ahead. You simply don’t see quarterbacks of his age/output/experience hit the free-agent market. The only teams that won’t make a pitch to Cousins will be the ones that don’t want to pay a free agent quarterback $25-million-plus per season and dole out $80-million-plus in guaranteed money. He’ll have no shortage of suitors.

Drew Brees: He’s a future Hall of famer who will be going back to the Saints. Only some kind of catastrophic breakdown in negotiations could change that. He’ll retire in New Orleans. Book it.

TIER TWO

Sam Darnold/Josh Rosen/Baker Mayfield/Josh Allen: For the teams that take a serious swing at Cousins and miss, the attention will turn to one of the Big Four quarterbacks in this year’s draft. While there is still plenty of time between now and the selection process, each one of this quartet currently has some level of “franchise quarterback” belief in NFL circles. That elevates all four to solid second options in a failed pursuit of Cousins. While one or more of those four players could fade in the draft process, it’s also a solid possibility that a fifth quarterback could make a push up the draft board and sneak into the bottom of the first round. However it goes down, first-round quarterbacks are chosen to be long-term options – and that elevates them into Tier Two.

TIER THREE

Case Keenum: Keenum will be a bit of a wild card. He had an impressive run with the Minnesota Vikings and should be considered a starting-quality player in free agency if an extension isn’t reached with Minnesota. But he also lost a huge advocate in Pat Shurmur, who departed to coach the Giants. If Keenum remains with the Vikings, a franchise tag seems like the most likely option to get that done – buying one more season to cement himself for the long term. But if that doesn’t pan out, it’s hard to be certain what Keenum’s market will look like across the NFL. He’ll certainly be attractive to teams that run spread offenses. But his overall résumé as a starter is still somewhat limited. That makes him an uncertain commodity who could fall into the “Mike Glennon” category, translating into a deal elsewhere that is basically a one-season “prove it” contract.

Nick Foles (trade block): He opened some eyes across the league after settling into the Philadelphia Eagles’ offense and having the playbook opened up. Now he’s a legitimate trade chip, should the Eagles choose to dangle him on the market. Unfortunately for Foles, his biggest believers at the moment are all inside franchises that already have cornerstones at quarterback. That will limit his market. His best bet may be sticking it out in Philadelphia one more season and entering the market as a free agent in 2019, when there isn’t a logjam of quarterbacks available. But one thing is certain: He bought himself some serious consideration as a starter in the postseason. And the Eagles are typically willing to listen to trade offers. That solidifies him inside this market.

Tyrod Taylor (trade block): He carved out a 22-20 record as a starter for some fairly mediocre Buffalo Bills teams. He was also efficient statistically in that span – to the point that he may just need a coaching staff that both believes in him and knows how to structure an offense around his skill set. At this stage, it’s hard to know which team or coaching staff might fit that bill. But at the very least, Taylor is experienced and brings what amounts to a one-year contract to the table. At worst, he could be a bridge starter for a team that takes a quarterback in the first round. At best, he could land in the right setting and blossom into a player worthy of an extension following next season.

TIER FOUR

AJ McCarron: He has started a grand total of four games (including one playoff game) and is the epitome of this offseason’s Mike Glennon. In reality, he has even less starting experience than Glennon had when he landed his surprising one-year deal last offseason. He’s also older than you’d think, turning 28 in September. But McCarron showed enough to like that the Cleveland Browns were willing to surrender a second- and third-round pick for him in a failed trade last season. Normally, that would be a great deal. But that same Browns regime is 1-31 in the last two seasons and it’s fair to say its quarterback assessments shouldn’t be considered reliable at this stage. Just because McCarron was worth that much to Cleveland does not mean he’ll have a wide and deep market. Time will tell.

TIER FIVE

Sam Bradford: There is an overwhelming amount of concern across the NFL that Bradford’s knee makes him an uncertain commodity from this point forward. The bottom line: His health history has more red flags than a Chinese military parade. He has showcased more talent than others in higher tiers, but signing him at this point is rolling the dice that he’ll hold up as a starter. His medical evaluation will be paramount. And even then, any suitor will need to have a very reliable option next to Bradford on the depth chart.

Jay Cutler: Even with a serviceable season as a starter after coming out of retirement, Cutler remains a desperation signing at best. That’s what he was for the , and that’s what he would be for anyone else in 2018. He’ll turn 35 in April and will always have the arm to sling it, but the book has been written on him repeatedly in the NFL. He’s not waking up next season and becoming anything more than a middling option with a ton of talent keeping him employed.

Amazon, YouTube, Twitter, Verizon bidding on streaming Thursday nights By Michael David Smith Pro Football Talk Feb. 17, 2018

The NFL now knows who its TV partner will be for the next five years of after agreeing to a deal with FOX worth more than $3 billion. But the league will make a little more money when it finds a streaming partner.

Four giants in the space — Amazon, YouTube, Twitter and Verizon — are bidding for Thursday night games, according to Variety.

Amazon streamed Thursday night games last year after Twitter did it the year before. Amazon said its streams reached 17 percent more viewers than Twitter’s, which would be a rare case of NFL viewership increasing last year. The NFL’s streaming audience, however, is tiny compared to the network television audience.

Facebook has previously shown interest in streaming NFL games but is not bidding on Thursday Night Football this year.

Some day the league may sell a package of games exclusively to a streaming partner. But that day appears to be several years off, at least. For now, the streaming rights are a small add-on to the league’s huge TV contracts.