The Broncos need quarterback Tony Romo to save them now.

The big-money results from NFL free agency are in. And they ain’t pretty for Denver.

New England crushed the Broncos. Maybe you can’t win the Super Bowl in March. But, during the last 72 hours, Denver general manager John Elway lost big ground to Tom Brady and the Patriots. Related Articles March 10, 2017 Ronald Leary won’t recruit Tony Romo to Broncos, but will bring physicality to OL

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Here’s what New England did: 1) Signed Pro Bowl cornerback Stephon Gilmore; 2) Traded for receiver Brandin Cooks, who had more receiving yards and touchdown catches last season than Denver’s Emmanuel Sanders; and 3) Added Dwayne Allen, a tight end so aggravating that Broncos cornerback Aqib Talib once tried to gouge him in the eye.

Those moves by Bill Belichick screamed: That’s our Vince Lombardi Trophy. Keep your mitts off it!

Here’s how Elway responded to his AFC archrival: 1) Came in second place to Jacksonville in the free-agent race for Calais Campbell, a run-stopper so strong that Broncos defenders openly lobbied for his addition; 2) Signed Ron Leary, a road-grader of a guard who wishes he could fly like Michael Jordan; and 3) Replaced disappointing nose tackle Sylvester Williams with Domata Peko, which is no upgrade at all.

Those attempts to upgrade the Denver roster could be described in one word: Zzz.

The apologists paid to kiss Elway’s rings will tell you the Broncos got down and dirty in free agency, emphasizing substance over sizzle. Yes, NFL games can be won in the trenches. But remind me again how many touchdowns Leary will score for Denver in 2017 compared with the number of times Cooks hauls in a pass from Brady in the end zone.

When I asked Leary what role the opportunity to win played in his decision to join the Broncos, he said: “This is a championship organization. That’s the goal every year.”

It’s a sincere, laudable goal. But, so far, Denver hasn’t done much to improve from being a 9-7 football team.

Nobody can blame Elway for letting offensive tackle Russell Okung walk as a free agent, especially seeing how the Chargers overpaid Okung by enough money to buy a beach house in Malibu. But trying to hide the deficiencies in Denver’s offensive line by signing tackle Menelik Watson was some weak sauce. Want some cold, hard numbers? Read these and weep: The video analysts at Pro Football Focus gave Okung a grade of 73.5 in 2016. Watson graded out at 49.4.

The eye in the sky doesn’t lie. The video on Peko, signed off the Bengals’ roster for two years and $7.5 million, reveals he’s more experienced than Williams, but no better at playing nose tackle. Let’s compare their Pro Football Focus scores: Williams, 43.5; Peko, 42.6.

What the Broncos need now is a Hail Mary. Or a hello, Tony.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is trying to make Elway beg — and surrender a draft pick — for Romo. But, unlike the time Peyton Manning was deemed dispensable by Indianapolis in 2012, no NFL team is going to send a private jet to woo Romo. So the Broncos have a pretty decent chance of staying in this game merely by exhibiting patience and waiting for Dallas to cut Romo.

But make no mistake. The Broncos need Romo more than they did a week ago.

While the addition of Leary was solid, Elway has done little else to close the gap on the scoreboard when the Patriots come to Denver for a regular-season game in the fall. With a large hole still to be plugged at left tackle, the Broncos have painted themselves into a corner of drafting for need in the first round rather than for impact, increasing the likelihood they will select somebody like Utah tackle Garett Bolles rather than somebody like Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey, which would generate far more buzz in town.

The Broncos not only surrendered their championship to the Patriots, they watched as the eyes of the NFL nation drifted from Denver to New England and Dallas. Romo might break his back trying, but know what he could immediately do for the Broncos? Put them back in the center of the NFL conversation.

Trevor Siemian can’t steal the spotlight from Brady. Romo might.

All we’re asking for is a chance.