AP

While Broncos G.M. John Elway waits for a final answer from quarterback Peyton Manning, Elway needs to have a plan in place for quarterback Brock Osweiler.

Appearing on Thursday’s Pro Football Talk on NBCSN, Elway was asked about the difficulty of gauging Osweiler’s value.

“Well, I think that’s the hard part,” Elway said. “When you look at where the salaries are on quarterbacks, either above $15 million or below $5 [million]. There’s no middle class of quarterbacks. So that’s where you hope you could get a fair deal with Brock’s people and his representatives. And I think we’ll be able to do that, you never know, but that’s the toughest thing, Mike. Putting that value on that and obviously sometimes what we think the value is and what their value is, is different, but we’ll see if we could come together on that.

Elway then was asked whether he has the impression Osweiler would take less to stay in Denver.

“I think as a quarterback, and I tell you looking it as a quarterback and not looking at it as Brock, and I’m not looking at it from being a G.M. of the Broncos,” Elway said. “But if I look at Brock Osweiler, if I’m in his shoes, I look at a place where I could be successful and in a system that fits me. And I will tell you this now, and I’m putting on my G.M. hat, I think we do have a system that fits Brock very well. So for Brock to have continued success, I don’t think will be, this won’t be his big contract, but this will be a contract where he’ll be able to make very good money and be able to prove himself that could lead to that next big contract.”

That answer means there’s no way the Broncos would use the franchise tag on Osweiler, since it would be the gateway to “his big contract.” Instead, it looks like Denver will offer a short-term deal in that middle-class market and hope for the best.