With Broncos trade for Joe Flacco, has Matt Paradis become expendable?

Feb 27, 2019, 3:01 PM Updated: Feb 28, 2019, 8:05 am

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When asked about the future with the club for center Matt Paradis, an unrestricted free agent this offseason, head coach Vic Fangio said on Wednesday from the NFL Scouting Combine the team “definitely would like him back” but deferred to general manager John Elway.

Later in the day, Elway said the Broncos are hopeful to re-sign Paradis, “but we’ll have to see where Matt falls.”

“We’ve told him that we would like to have him back, but he’s coming off of a pretty significant injury. We have to evaluate that process,” Elway said. “Matt has been a great warrior for us for four years. But obviously, with the injury that he did have, that changes the thought process. We’ll have to see where that falls.”

On Wednesday, “The Drive” co-host DMac didn’t have the Broncos prospects of retaining Paradis ranked highly, saying Fangio’s comment in particular was “code for he’s going to free agency.”

But DMac’s co-host Wednesday, Orlando Franklin, said the deal in principle for the Broncos to acquire quarterback Joe Flacco from the Baltimore Ravens, coupled with the addition of highly-touted offensive line coach Mike Munchak, may have sealed the veteran’s fate.

“Right there, Matt Paradis became expendable,” Franklin said.

With Munchak, Franklin said he doesn’t believe the Broncos need to spend a “ton of money in free agency,” and they could instead opt to “see what the wizard at the offensive line position can do with this offensive line.”

“Give Mike Munchak and (assistant offensive line coach) Chris Kuper the opportunity to get these guys better that you guys have in-house,” Franklin said. “Because you’re going to see improvement from those guys because where Mike Munchak has been in the past, all he has done is improve that offensive line.”

And Franklin said he trusts Flacco to help improve the offensive line with the quality of his own play.

“So, you’re saying a better, a smarter quarterback improves the quality of the center automatically? So, now you don’t have to go pay big bucks,” DMac said. “Nothing against Matt Paradis. It’s probably a compliment to him. But you just don’t have to go there.”

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