NFL teams
Jeff Legwold, ESPN Senior Writer 8y

John Elway happy with Mark Sanchez, calls Colin Kaepernick talks 'dormant'

NFL, NFL Draft, San Francisco 49ers, Denver Broncos

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- As the clock winds down toward next week's NFL draft and with trade talks for Colin Kaepernick now termed as "dormant,'' John Elway still looks, and acts, like a guy comfortable waiting for a chance to make a play.

In his pre-draft media gathering Thursday, the team's executive vice president and general manager said the Broncos will stay patient with their decisions at quarterback and that one of the main reasons the team has not felt compelled to pick up the pace in recent weeks is because of Mark Sanchez.

"We're happy with Mark; I mean Mark was a starting point for us,'' Elway said. "Now we want to find somebody to come in and compete with him. I know Mark's excited about being here, we're excited about having him ... That's why we took our time ... We're going to continue to wait and see.''

The Broncos made a trade to acquire Sanchez from the Philadelphia Eagles last month. With the draft a week away, Sanchez and Trevor Siemian, a seventh-round pick by Denver in the 2015 draft, are the only two quarterbacks on the roster.

Sanchez has a significant head start on any of the other potential candidates that the Broncos could bring in at the position. He is taking part in the team's offseason program and he had organized workouts in California earlier in the offseason with some the other Broncos players, including Siemian and wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders.

For his part, Siemian was the team's No. 2 quarterback during games last season when the now-retired Peyton Manning was recovering from a foot injury.

"He's very talented, he's got great arm talent,'' Elway said. "... Trevor is going to compete, too, whether we bring in three or even four -- we've talked about just staying at three and throwing the ball out there and seeing who comes out with it. He will be in the hunt, he will be right in the middle of it and competing.''

The Broncos have had trade talks with the San Francisco 49ers for Kaepernick. They have had several of the quarterbacks in this year's draft, players like Paxton Lynch, Dak Prescott and Jeff Driskel, in for visits.

And on Wednesday night and Thursday, team officials met with quarterback Brian Hoyer, who was released by the Houston Texans earlier this week. 

Elway was asked Thursday how the team has continued to remain patient even with at least one, possibly two, more spots, still open on the depth chart for training camp.

"First of all we feel good about Mark,'' Elway said. " ... To have to rush into a decision, we didn't really want to do that ... I just didn't want to get us where we were going down one road and didn't have the option to look at all of the others. That's why we stayed patient, again what's helped is having Mark.''

Kaepernick's contract, which runs through 2020, has been the focus of the trade discussions with the 49ers. The Broncos have wanted the 49ers to pay $4.9 million of Kaepernick's guaranteed $11.9 million base salary for 2016 season as well as have Kaepernick take a significant pay cut -- from a $14.5 million base salary to $7 million, in 2017.

Elway said the Broncos' offer stands. 

"He's been working out (with the 49ers) from what I understand,'' Elway said. "So, that's all I can really say on it.''

Asked if the Broncos would re-visit talks, Elway added: "Everything is right there, so that's kind of where it is." 

Then asked if the team's offer would stand, without adjustment, Elway said: "It's there.''

On Hoyer, Elway said the 30-year-old had another team visit scheduled -- he also has met with the New York Jets.

"We had a good visit,'' Elway said. "He's got another trip lined up, but he's a possibility. He's a good football player, we wanted to have him in and get to know him a little bit. Nothing to report there ... But a guy that's definitely a possibility for us.''

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