John Elway deserves more credit for offseason moves

The refrain has hit the level of ludicrous.

We have left ridiculous and insane. No longer is there any level of comprehension for where we have landed.

Before now, the refrain is “John Elway has lost free agency. The season is already lost for the Denver Broncos. He’s a man without a compass at this point, he might as well forfeit the 2015 season.” That failed logic was put to rest earlier this week.

Now? Now it’s hit levels of stupidity that give Wes Welker another concussion. There are some out there (we won’t name names for their click bait or to feed the trolls) who believe the Denver Broncos and Elway have failed Peyton Manning. They say Manning didn’t restructure his contract to see – in their minds – future Hall of Famers Terrance Knighton, Orlando Franklin, Julius Thomas and Rahim Moore leave.

“Elway owes Manning an explanation.”

What wasn’t mentioned is that Manning can earn back that $4 million he restructured in his contract based on incentives. And since when did free agency end after one week?

That doesn’t take into account the re-signing of the best cornerback in the NFL, Chris Harris Jr. Or the biggest offseason move of any kind, the departure of John Fox for the arrival of Gary Kubiak. It fails to acknowledge the players Elway signed last offseason who are still on the roster. It also says everything Elway has emphatically said is not the case – that it’s all about Manning. This is about the Broncos and what puts the Broncos in the best scenario to win a Super Bowl.

Is this same nonsense written about Bill Belichick when he releases veteran players? If what is said is true about Elway, then it must be so for Belichick this offseason since he released Vince Wilfork, right?

As I said a few days ago, there sure are a lot of people who have the ability to tell the future and know with utter certainty how the Broncos’ season will play out in six months. These extremely talented individuals know who Denver plans to draft, who else will get cut, and potentially signed by the Broncos.

They know every possible move Elway and his front office staff will make between now and the opener in September. If I had that kind of talent, I wouldn’t waste it on faux outrage at Elway and the Broncos. I wouldn’t pretend to know what Manning thinks, either.

If this feels like a re-run, it’s similar to the original only the picture is fuzzy and the words are in pig Latin. It makes your head hurt and you have a red mark on your forehead.

One aspect of the NFL is crystal clear: Very, very few players are untouchable. In the history of the NFL, the same holds true. Here’s a harsh reality check: Knighton, Franklin, Thomas and Moore are not on that level. It’s actually an insult to those players who are, that this even has to be said. Let’s look at Knighton. He’s so valuable, his former team AND two teams with his former coaches passed on him.

This collection of players has yet to step foot on the field with this set of coaches. Elway knows the talent he has on his roster and trusts it can and will win a Super Bowl. The coaching has been what’s held the Broncos back, and when you look at the failures in the postseason and against teams that eventually qualified for the playoffs, you see the proof. When you include the lack of development in the younger players on Denver’s roster, you get even more proof.

Oh, yeah, the younger players. All of these talented individuals also can predict with utter certainty who is a bust and who isn’t. Who is to say Sylvester Williams isn’t a step up from Knighton? How about Ben Garland? Michael Schofield?

Manning is a very intelligent man.

If anything, he’s more motivated for this season to arrive because he trusts what Elway is doing and knows he’s in a greater position to win a Super Bowl.

The only explanation Manning deserves from Elway is how fast he will get that $4 million back.