There's almost no premium you can place on keeping your All Pro, All World, future Hall of Fame quarterback as healthy as possible going into his 18th NFL season and eyeing one final run at a playoff berth and Super Bowl victory.
As such, the Denver Broncos and John Elway are reportedly discussing a deal with the Baltimore Ravens for center Gino Gradkowski, ostensibly in an effort to add further protection for the aging and increasingly injury-prone Peyton Manning.
"#Broncos and #Ravens are working on a deal that will send C Gino Gradkowski to the #Broncos, per league source," ESPN's Adam Schefter tweeted Wednesday.
Jeff Legwold of ESPN added shortly thereafter that, "When formally filed/announced #Broncos-#Ravens trade will include at least one draft from each team in deal w/Gradkowski also to #Broncos."
Gradkowski, 26, is a former fourth-round selection for Baltimore in the 2012 NFL Draft out of Delaware. Gradkowski started 16 games for the Ravens in 2013, but seemed to fall out of favor last season and appeared in just eight as Jeremy Zuttah took over.
The 6-foot-3, 300-pounder is entering the final year of his rookie deal.
"#Broncos have been shopping hard for a center for weeks. Gradkowski is on the final year of his rookie deal. $1.542 M base salary," Caplan added.
With Denver swapping out John Fox for Gary Kubiak at the head coaching position, some roster turnover was bound to occur. Gradkowski, of course, played under Kubiak with the Ravens last season.
The Broncos employed two starting centers during 2014, Manny Ramirez and Will Montgomery. Montgomery is currently a free agent and Ramirez took over the right guard position after losing the starting center spot to Montgomery.
With last year's sixth-round pick Matt Paradis the only center currently on the roster; the Broncos were in dire need of an addition. Gradkowski has the talent to be a starter in the league and it seems he'll be given every opportunity to win the starting job over Paradis.
His potential addition would strengthen the Broncos line as a whole as it would allow Ramirez to remain at right guard long-term.
For the Ravens, as Jamison Hensley of ESPN notes, they can use either or both of John Urschel or Ryan Jensen to back up starting center Jeremy Zuttah.
