Does Watson think like Stafford or does he see what Broncos offer?

This past weekend, Matthew Stafford was traded from the Lions to the Rams. It was reported that the Broncos made an offer for the quarterback, but they were never seriously in consideration.

In part, that’s because Stafford wasn’t interested in the Broncos. While he was open to being shipped to any team other than the Patriots, his top three destinations were the Rams, 49ers and Colts.

That begged a simple question: How attractive of a landing spot is Denver?

There are plenty of reasons why it wouldn’t be appealing at the moment. The Broncos haven’t made the playoffs in five years and have suffered through four-straight losing seasons. The team’s ownership situation is in flux. They have a new, unproven general manager. And the head coach is still learning on the job.

Connecting the dots, those things added up to Stafford not being interested in coming to Denver. Does the other marquee quarterback looking to be traded this offseason think the same way?

Deshaun Watson having the same mindset as Stafford would be make any trade offer a non-starter. If he feels differently, however, it would be a game changer.

If he is willing to waive his no-trade clause if a deal is struck with Denver, that puts George Paton in a position to make a serious offer. It puts the Broncos squarely in the running.

Why would Watson be interested in coming to Denver? Perhaps it the team’s storied history, as they’ve been to eight Super Bowls and won three Lombardi Trophies. Maybe it’s the fan base, as Broncos Country is passionate and loyal. Or it could be the young talent on offense.

Right now, before free agency or the draft, the Broncos could tell Watson the other 10 starters who would line up alongside of him on offense. It’s Garett Bolles, Dalton Risner, Lloyd Cushenberry, Graham Glasgow and Ja’Wuan James up front. It’s Courtland Sutton and Jerry Jeudy at wide receiver, with K.J. Hamler in the slot. Noah Fant is the tight end and Melvin Gordon is the running back.

That’s a talented bunch. It’s also a young group, one that the 25-year-old quarterback can work with for years to come. It’s what Paton referred to as a “sleeping giant.”

Now, the question is whether Watson wants to come to Denver or not. If he is, are the Broncos are willing to give up what is necessary to make it happen?

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