Good morning, Broncos Country!

Well, it’s that time of the year. The time when there is literally no “news,” so people start making it up.

Like Vic Lombardi’s random claim that Broncos may go after Cincinnati Bengals backup quarterback A.J. McCarron should he become an unrestricted free agent this week.

From @PFT_Live, @VicLombardi says Broncos will make a run at A.J. McCarron, if he's an unrestricted free agent https://t.co/ytuCqZjIYr — ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) February 14, 2018

Lombardi, of Altitude Sports, told “PFT Live” on Wednesday that the Broncos would be interested in McCarron if he is deemed an unrestricted free agent (the NFL argues the QB’s rookie season on the non-football injury list makes him a restricted free agent this year).

So, aside from the fact that McCarron might not be available, and aside from the fact that Lombardi mentions no actual source for this information (which, if you’re counting, that’s a lot of important facts to disregard for this to even be plausible) - the idea of John Elway going after McCarron is ludicrous.

And if in fact Elway is doing that, then I am here to tell him it’s stupid.

Mike Florio on PFT offered that McCarron nearly prevented the Broncos from claiming their No. 1 seed in the AFC in 2015 - and therefore could have derailed their Super Bowl run - with his Monday Night heroics in the Week 16 game.

The idea of John Elway going after McCarron is ludicrous. And if in fact Elway is doing that, then I am here to tell him it’s stupid.

Coming in for injured starter Andy Dalton, McCarron led his offense to score and force an overtime that the Broncos ultimately won - but it wasn’t easy. And McCarron did about as much as he could to beat the Steelers two weeks later in a Wild Card game that more resembled an MMA fight than an NFL matchup.

Regardless, the argument is that McCarron’s availability and price tag could be a fit for Denver, who is in dire need of a better quarterback. It’s true McCarron would be an inexpensive option compared to several of the other free agents - but you can’t build a Super Bowl-winning team on the cheap. Pretty sure the Broncos should have learned that lesson (again) by now.

Which brings me back to my original point:

NO FREAKIN’ WAY.

I don’t have anything against McCarron (he even comes from one of my alma maters, so Roll Tide!). I don’t even have my mind set on which path forward would be the best for the QB chess game the Broncos are playing.

Is it better to pay a ton for Kirk Cousins and still take an elite player in the first round of the draft, even if we have to unload some of our top money stars like stars like Aqib Talib or Emmanuel Sanders? Or would it be smarter to draft Baker Mayfield/Josh Rosen/Josh Allen and try to fill some holes on the O-line and linebacking corps with free agents?

The idea that McCarron - a backup QB who has played 11 games in three seasons - is an upgrade for the current QB mess in Denver is mind-boggling.

I don’t know the best answer, but I have various thoughts on the two scenarios and could live with either one. I could even - heaven help me - be OK with a lesser free agent (like Case Keenum or possibly Nick Foles) if he were brought in as a stop-gap until Mayfield/draft-pick-of-choice could be groomed as starter.

But the idea that McCarron - a backup QB who has played 11 games in three seasons - is an upgrade for the current QB mess in Denver (even as low as that bar has been set) is mind-boggling.

McCarron threw six touchdowns and two interceptions during his seven games (including three starts) in 2015. He threw ZERO passes in 2016 and then completed a whopping 7-of-14 passes last season for a total of 66 yards.

This is John Elway’s option if Cousins won’t come to Denver at a reasonable price? This is better than a stud rookie - even a gamble on a stud rookie - from the Draft? This is better than what we have now?

I don’t think so (and that’s saying a lot considering No. 3 above).

You have to be smoking some of that Colorado wacky weed to even think this is a good idea for the Broncos.

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