Klis: Broncos decision on Romo not a ‘no-brainer’ like Manning

Certainly, the easy comparisons exist. Back in 2012, Peyton Manning was a high-profile free agent available to teams like the Denver Broncos to sign and crack wide open that Super Bowl window.

Tony Romo too is —potentially — available, a high-profile, well-established starting quarterback who could possibly help a team, like the Broncos, shoot for a championship.

But, despite his many accolades and accomplishments — and no offense intended — Tony Romo is no Peyton Manning.

So, the decision on whether to pursue the All-Pro quarterback in the 2017 offseason, and how vigorously to do so, isn’t the “no-brainer” to the Denver brass as it was five year’s previous with Manning, 9News Broncos Insider Mike Klis told 104.3 The Fan’s Brandon Stokley on Tuesday.

“I get mixed signals up there at Dove Valley, and I think it’s because it’s unlike Peyton Manning in 2012, where the whole building was saying go get Peyton Manning,” Klis said.

“… They’re split upstairs at Broncos headquarters because you’ve got a first-round draft pick who you need to bring along and you have Trevor Siemian, who played pretty good in his first year as a starter. And Tony Romo, as good as he is, he’s not quite Peyton Manning.”

Klis said he’s not convinced Denver’s done in pursuing Romo, that if anything they’ve only recently “leaned a little bit toward trying to douse their interest,” as opposed to cracking open the door to bringing in the veteran, like they did at the NFL Scouting Combine.

And it’s hard to know where the Broncos stand until Romo’s released, Klis said, but because the team hasn’t dismissed the possibility they likely will “kick the tires.”

“And that could amount to a visit, it could amount to medical, it could amount to talking turkey right away, it could amount to just get back to us, so we’re not sure where they’re at,” Klis said.

What is for certain, however, is that linebacker DeMarcus Ware retired this week, potentially shortening the window how long Denver’s defense can remain top-notch.

“That defensive window, it’s not a five-year window anymore. It’s not a three-year window anymore. It’s less than that. Two max, probably just one, when you consider Talib is getting up there and has been dealing with some injuries,” Klis said. You probably have one more year where this defense is special.”

So, do the Broncos go “all-in with Romo” to capture another Lombardi Trophy and hope Paxton Lynch can take over after all that?

Said Klis: “That will be something John Elway still has to decide.”

Follow digital content producer Johnny Hart on Twitter: @JohnnyHart7.