Pritchard: If Broncos go with McCarron, Elway ‘might as well retire’

With A.J. McCarron winning his grievance against the Cincinnati Bengals last week, and subsequently earning unrestricted free agent status come March 6, the gunslinger has impacted the offseason quarterback market significantly.

And with his availability, and reports of the previous interest, some have called the Denver Broncos an ideal landing spot for the former Alabama standout.

Others said bringing McCarron to Denver would only be “more of the same,” including “Pritchard and Cecil” co-host Mike Pritchard.

“At this point, the Broncos need a solution at quarterback. They don’t need to extend the issue. A.J. McCarron extends the issue,” Pritchard said on Friday. “They still don’t have a franchise quarterback. And then you’re still searching.”

Pritchard’s co-host, Cecil Lammey, said if the Broncos think McCarron’s the future of the franchise under center, they’re kidding themselves like a majority of NFL teams.

“I’ve always said it. There are 20 teams kidding themselves at quarterback. There are 12 teams that have it figured out,” Lammey said. “If you get Kirk Cousins, you’re one of the 12. You’ve got it figured out. If you get A.J. McCarron, you’re one of the 20. You’re kidding yourself.”

Pritchard said that if general manager John Elway truly wanted to solve the Broncos quarterback issues, there’s only one quarterback to “fits the description” — Cousins.

“That solves your problem, and then also it might propel you to compete for a championship,” Pritchard said.

But with just a few years remaining on Elway’s contract as a Broncos executive, Pritchard said pursuing McCarron would just be a waste of time.

“After 2018, Elway’s got three years remaining. And then what? So, if you go with A.J. McCarron, wow, you might as well retire,” Pritchard said. “Seriously. If A.J. McCarron is your solution, your answer to what ails the Broncos, then hang ’em up.”

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