ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- It was clear just how seriously the Denver Broncos were going to take their pursuit of a quarterback in free agency when John Elway made it clear both Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders were in the team's plan for 2018.
Because, frankly, it would be difficult for the Broncos to present themselves as an attractive landing spot for a free-agent starting quarterback if either Thomas or Sanders, or both, had been caught up in the Broncos' desire to create some additional cap space.
And make no mistake: There was a time earlier in this offseason when it was not guaranteed Elway, as the team's chief football decision-maker, would bring both of those players back.