The Denver Broncos have had a spectacular season. The team leads the AFC West division with a 13-3 record and has put up exceptional performances. Special credit goes to its defense, which has earned it a second position in PFSN’s Defense Impact Rankings.
But what about the offensive side?
While the Broncos have a decent attack and play-calling expertise, their legendary quarterback and former GM, John Elway, spoke about the team’s offense. He revealed the one regret he has, something that could have altered the history of the Broncos’ attack forever.
John Elway’s Only Regret As the Broncos GM
If you could imagine any other elite quarterback in the Broncos squad, who would it be? Well, for Elway, it was always that one quarterback from the 2018 NFL Draft. And no, it wasn’t No. 1 pick Baker Mayfield or No. 3 pick Sam Darnold.
It was Josh Allen, the man who looked perfectly aligned with Elway’s plan. But unfortunately, his vision could never become a reality. Speaking to host Shannon Sharpe on his podcast “Club Shay Shay,” the GM broke down why he could not sign the quarterback he actually wanted.
Speaking of the regret, Elway said, “I really liked him. But the problem is in the way that I work. I wanted buy-in from the coaching staff, and I could not get the buy-in from the coaching staff.”
While the coaching staff could not see what Elway saw, he knew why he wanted to have him in the Broncos. Addressing Allen’s potential, Elway added, “When he was coming out, he wasn’t perfect. He was very, very raw. And his accuracy was the biggest question. He was athletic as hell, big, strong, competitive, and all those type things.”
Elway then explained why he called it a ‘regret’, saying, “I loved him. And that’s why I say I regret it is because I didn’t overrule everybody and say, ‘I’m taking him.’ Now it’s upto you to make him good.”
So, why did the coaches bat an uninterested eye at Allen? Well, it was because they were looking at another top draft prospect. “They were all hot on getting Bradley Chubb, and I just couldn’t get the buy-in.”
If the Bills had not picked the current NFL MVP as the seventh overall, the Broncos could have picked him next. However, the coaches prioritized the approach they believed would be most effective in the long run.
Chubb played as a Defensive End for the NC State Wolfpack and had bagged multiple national honors throughout his illustrious career. The 2017 ACC Defensive Player of the Year was widely seen as one of the top prospects for the 2018 draft. After being drafted, he spent four years with the Broncos before being traded to the Miami Dolphins.
While the Broncos’ approach to concentrating on strengthening the defense appears to have paid off this season, the possibility of having drafted Allen could remain one of the biggest what-ifs for the franchise.
