With free agency looming, Broncos in ‘tough spot’ in retaining Paradis

Feb 25, 2019, 4:53 PM Updated: 11:59 pm

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Among the free agent puzzles the Denver Broncos must solve this offseason is whether to retain starting center Matt Paradis — and at what price.

A “model of consistency,” as “Stokley and Zach” co-host Zach Bye called him on Monday, Paradis hadn’t missed a snap since becoming the starter in 2015 until he suffered a broken fibula in

“Stokley and Zach” co-host Zach Bye called Paradis, who hadn’t missed a snap from the time he stepped until breaking his fibula Week 9 last season.

And Paradis, whom Pro Football Focus graded as the second-ranked center in the NFL in 2018, is the Broncos best offensive lineman, said Bye’s co-host Brandon Stokley.

Be that as it may, Stokley said on Monday he believes Paradis to be a “solid” center in the league but not in the “special category,” and Denver can ill-afford to overpay to retain him this offseason.

“If you’re the Broncos, you can’t just say here, take it, and make him the highest-paid center. I think that’s bad business,” Stokley said. “But at the same time, you don’t want to see him walking out the door. He’s your best offensive lineman.

“So, they’re in a tough spot.”

Bye said that if the Broncos move on from Paradis, is a “step back on a position where you’re already sort of ragtag.”

But Stokley said that sometimes in the NFL teams need to “start from scratch and hope it ends up being better.”

“That’s just the NFL. You can’t just say because of our screw-ups and because we don’t have much depth along the offensive line, we’re going to overpay for this guy when we have so many other needs,” Stokley said. “They’re not one player away from being a Super Bowl contender, and especially at the center position.”

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