Instead, enjoy the race, root for the best and then adopt the winner as your own.

Good morning, Broncos Country!

As the QB Derby heats up and all the horses start lining up in the gates, I have a little advice for the fans (I know, I know...but I can’t help it):

Don’t go all in on one horse.

There are several contenders out there. Some have youth and speed, some have strength and raw talent, some have experience and smarts...

But you never know which horse will win.

Baker Mayfield appeared to take a strong lead last week at the Senior Bowl when John Elway and Vance Joseph requested Mayfield as their quarterback. Wanting to get a good look at the upcoming first-round draft pick, the Broncos got a lot of positive feedback.

Although Josh Allen is the dark horse, Elway has been rumored to have some affinity for the Wyoming QB’s big arm.

And then Josh Rosen is a coveted newcomer, reportedly displaying the finesse of a pro-style QB. According to Yahoo Sports’ Charles Robinson, a league source confirmed that Elway and Gary Kubiak “believe UCLA’s Rosen has the purest passing stroke in this draft. An appreciation that is said to be so strong, Rosen would be a virtual lock at the fifth overall.”

But, of course, the obvious front runner du jour for the Broncos is veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins. Having been in several races, his strengths - and weaknesses - are a known commodity to coaches and players. But so is his price tag.

As the odds-on favorite for the Denver Derby, Cousins could command between $24-$30 million for his services. But with recent news that the soon-to-be-former Redskins QB will become a free agent and won’t be able to drive up his price with an expensive franchise tag as leverage, Denver just catapulted to perhaps the top of the list of quarterback-needy teams that could be attractive to Cousins.

“I haven’t been there before,” Cousins said of heading into free agency. “But I want to win. I’ll make sure that any fact-gathering that I do, or business that I take, or coaches that I meet – it’ll all be centered on do I feel like this is a place where I can win, or we can win? That’s what it’ll all boil down to.”

What if Cousins doesn’t come to Denver and instead becomes the lead horse in New York, Cleveland or Minneapolis?

Or what if the Broncos end up with Mayfield at No. 5?

In a weird turn of events, what if Broncos trade up and get the chance to draft Rosen?

It would have been a shame to have “hitched your wagon,” so to speak, to a horse that doesn’t finish his race in Denver. Or worse, give up early on the one who does.

It would be refreshing to go through the offseason without fans having to draw lines in the sand over their favorite quarterback for the team - leading inevitably to a completely made up “QB competition” that leads to a media-favorite “QB-controversy.”

Can’t we just marvel at the potential in front of us as we watch the Derby - and realize with great delight that every contender is better than what we have in the stable?

Horse Tracks - docllv’s pick of the day

Should the Broncos’ home field be called Mile High Stadium? Wellington Webb has an idea for making it happen – The Denver Post
Former Denver Mayor Wellington Webb has long said he wants Mile High Stadium to be the sole name of the Broncos home field. And now that the naming rights are up for grabs, he has an idea to make that happen: Let the fans by the stadium's naming rights.

Horse Tracks

Vikings, Jaguars lead the seven best landing spots for Kirk Cousins - The Washington Post
Cousins ends his six-year run with the Redskins with the fourth-most passing yards and sixth-most touchdowns in team history.

Some people are going crazy over the Redskins losing Kendall Fuller. Here’s why. - The Washington Post
Fuller was one of the best secondary defenders in the league this past season and seen by some as a key building block to Washington's defense.

Twitter is buzzing about possibility of Broncos signing Kirk Cousins | Broncos Wire
Will free agent quarterback Kirk Cousins sign with the Denver Broncos during the NFL offseason? Twitter certainly seems to think so.

C.J. Anderson the latest Bronco to pine over Cousins - NFL.com
Set to break the bank in free agency, Kirk Cousins looms as the biggest open-market prize since Elway lured Peyton Manning to Denver. Can Elway do it again with Cousins? C.J. Anderson hopes so.

Top targets for QB-needy teams in 2018 | NFL Analysis | Pro Football Focus
Senior Analyst Steve Palazzolo ranks the top quarterbacks who will likely be available in the 2018 NFL offseason, an offseason that promises to be a wild ride.

QB Kirk Cousins wants to play for a winner and Denver fits
Shortly before the Redskins traded for Alex Smith, Cousins made it clear that he wants to play for a winner. Holding Denver back from contention: a QB.

At the Super Bowl, the NFL digests the Redskins’ trade for Alex Smith - The Washington Post
The trade reverberated around Minnesota as players and pundits discussed its impact.

The Alex Smith trade could sentence the Redskins to long-term mediocrity - The Washington Post
Washington wouldn’t commit big money to its nice, reliable QB. Then it traded for one — and signed him to a big-money extension.

A QB trade, a Kirk Cousins goodbye and Twitter mayhem: Tuesday night was peak Redskins - The Washington Post
Forget politics — the football team provided the best show in town.

These 5 teams may give Broncos competition for Kirk Cousins | Broncos Wire
These five teams may give the Denver Broncos competition for quarterback Kirk Cousins during 2018 NFL free agency.

Jaguars keeping Blake Bortles may impact Broncos’ offseason | Broncos Wire
The Jacksonville Jaguars have decided to keep Blake Bortles, which may help the Denver Broncos land Kirk Cousins during NFL free agency.

Roger Goodell: Time to 'start over again' on catch rule - NFL.com
On Wednesday ahead of Super Bowl LII, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell discussed how the league plans to address and potentially change its catch rule.

Goodell: Signing Kaepernick up to individual teams - NFL.com
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell told reporters at Wednesday's State of the League address that Colin Kaepernick not signing with a team in the 2017 season is a decision that is up to the teams.

Kelce: 'Without a doubt' can win with Patrick Mahomes - NFL.com
The Chiefs made a stunning move Tuesday when they agreed to trade Alex Smith to the Washington Redskins. Can they reach Super Bowl glory with Patrick Mahomes. One player doesn't doubt it.

Roger Goodell: NFL prefers Panthers staying in Carolina - NFL.com
The ongoing sale of the Carolina Panthers has raised questions as to whether the NFL would allow a new team owner to relocate the team out of Charlotte, North Carolina.

Von Miller to debut 'Von Miller's Studio 58' on Facebook Watch
The show, which will give fans an up-close look at Miller's offseason adventures, debuted Wednesday at 6 p.m. MT.

Horse Tracks - Super Bowl stuff

Eagles must follow 'The Model' to stop the Patriots - NFL.com
We've been over this. Just ask Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware.

Rob Gronkowski limited during Patriots practice - NFL.com
A day after saying he believed he would play in the Super Bowl on Sunday, Rob Gronkowski was a limited participant in practice as he continues to recover from a concussion.

Tom Brady: 'Why does everyone want me to retire?' - NFL.com
Because we are tired of losing to you.

Eagles vs. Patriots: The player-on-player matchups that will decide the 2018 Super Bowl - The Washington Post
Given the tendencies of Philadelphia and New England, the big game could down to these 10 players.