Forget Big Mac. Definitely no on BMac. And miss me with the cheese and mac.
But is it time for the Broncos to bring home CMac?
Everything about acquiring Christian McCaffrey moves the needle. The Broncos landed their Joker in Evan Engram, and McCaffrey could make him look like The Penguin with his magical feet in space.
The Broncos are back. But they are not drunk. They are not waiving their credit card around at 2 a.m. at the five-star hotel bar.
You can hit the throttle without becoming Thelma & Louise. The Broncos need a running back. And two years ago McCaffrey was the league’s best offensive player. He also wins the argument as Colorado’s best high school player in my lifetime, eclipsing Darnell McDonald, LenDale White, Calais Campbell and Justin Armour.
Bringing home the former Valor Christian star would make a great Disney script. But it lacks context. The Broncos have reframed expectations by signing 49ers safety Talanoa Hufanga, linebacker Dre Greenlaw and Engram.
All three players represent different degrees of injury risk, missing 35 of 51 games last season. McCaffrey played in four games in 2024, sabotaged by Achilles, calf and knee problems. The Achilles — and any accompanying tendonitis — is the most annoying and concerning issue for a skill player who turns 29 in June. And this draft is bursting with dynamic running backs available in the first two rounds, including Ashton Jeanty, Omarion Hampton, TreVeyon Henderson, Kaleb Johnson and Quinshon Judkins.
Given their downsizing, the Niners should trade McCaffrey. But they are recalibrating, not rebuilding. Plus, keeping him for one more year gives Brock Purdy a chance to live up to his next contract (the 49ers are 23-8 when McCaffrey plays, 7-8 when he does not).
McCaffrey to the Broncos? It makes total sense — as a niche player in 2026.
Rock the boat: Rockies owner Dick Monfort is in the news again, citing the need for a salary floor and cap for major league baseball. He lamented its absence before last season, telling The Denver Post, “In the NFL, every team feels like they have a chance.” Given that both big- and small-market owners are grousing about the Dodgers ruining baseball, MLB, perhaps spearheaded by Monfort, is headed for a work stoppage after the 2026 season. Does MLB need a cap? Yes. But save your Kleenex for more worthy causes than owners who don’t like the current business model and refuse to spend in the margins with scouting and analytics.
Rollback prices: Jarrett Stidham’s new two-year contract features interesting numbers. The Broncos backup quarterback gets $6.99 million in guaranteed money with $1.99 million and $5.99 million in salaries. Sean Payton once teased former backup Ben DiNucci about becoming a Walmart greeter. Is this deal Stidham’s version of Walmart’s rollback prices?
Dallas drama: The Cowboys are a reality show disguised as a football team. The drama between DeMarcus Lawrence and Micah Parsons symbolized it. Lawrence said part of the reason he signed with Seattle was because he knew he would never win a title in Dallas. Parsons called him a jealous clown, in so many words. Lawrence then punked him with the “If you spent less time tweeting and more time winning, I wouldn’t have left.” This is what happens when an owner is more concerned with attention, valuing controversy over culture.
Final thought: Could the Broncos have used a receiver like Cooper Kupp? Yep. Is he worth $ 15 million-plus? Nope.
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