The Denver Broncos have one of the NFL’s most-talented rosters, but have a big question at quarterback. Philip Rivers has never won or even competed in a Super Bowl. NFL legend Deion Sanders has a solution. Get Rivers to the Broncos.
“Give me Philip Rivers, send him to the Denver Broncos, and get ready to get your ring sized. Okay?” Sanders said in a video posted to the NFL’s Facebook page. “If he’s ever going to win it all, he’s going to have to leave, baby.”
There are a few issues with this.
First of all, trades in the NFL are rare. Trades between division rivals — like the Broncos and Los Angeles Chargers — are even more unique. This is mitigated somewhat by the fact that the Denver is a strong contender while Los Angeles is at best a sleeper team. Still, you’d have two front offices that would be hesitant to help the other team out.
Additionally, while Rivers would stabilize the Broncos quarterback situation, he certainly wouldn’t make Denver the clear favorites in the AFC, let alone the NFL. Even with Rivers, are the Broncos better than the New England Patriots, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Oakland Raiders? Throw in NFC powers like the Dallas Cowboys, Green Bay Packers, Atlanta Falcons and Seattle Seahawks, and winning a Super Bowl gets even harder.
During Rivers’ peak years, the Chargers were consistently one of the most-talented rosters in the NFL. Still, they managed only four playoff wins and one trip to the AFC Championship Game.
To be fair, Denver’s defense is better than the ones Rivers played with in San Diego. But while quarterback is probably the Broncos’ most notable question, it’s certainly not the only one. Another issue is that that Denver’s offensive line is well below average, something that hurt the development of Trevor Siemian in 2016. Rivers is 35. Putting him behind that line has disastrous potential.
Rivers would unquestionably make the Broncos better in 2017 than they’ll be with Siemian or Paxton Lynch. But to say that he’d make Denver a Super Bowl favorite is a stretch. To say he’d guarantee the Broncos a ring is an even bigger one.