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John Elway is looking to free agency for his fix at quarterback following a season in which all three of his drafted QBs fell flat in Denver.

After sitting out the playoffs in each of the last two years following their Super Bowl 50 triumph Browns Baker Mayfield Jersey , the Broncos have apparently found their next signal-caller. Case Keenum plans to sign with Denver when free agency opens Wednesday, ESPN reported early Tuesday.

That would leave the Vikings, Cardinals and Jets vying to land ex-Washington Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins, who is expected to sign a record-breaking contract this week.

The 30-year-old Keenum is considered the second-best QB available on the open market. He guided Minnesota to the NFC championship game after replacing an injured Sam Bradford last season.

Keenum went 11-3 with 3,547 yards passing, 22 touchdowns and seven interceptions and threw that last-second heave to Stefon Diggs to stun the New Orleans Saints 29-24 in the playoffs.

The Vikings, who were subsequently blown out at Philadelphia in the conference championship, decided to let all three of their QBs – Keenum, Bradford and Teddy Bridgewater – test free agency.

With a sparkling new stadium, stacked roster and head coaching stability, the Vikings jumped to the head of the line of potential suitors for Cousins.

The Broncos, who own the fifth pick in next month’s NFL draft, also considered Cousins following a 5-11 season in which Trevor Siemian, Brock Osweiler and Paxton Lynch all struggled behind a porous offensive line and questionable play-calling before Mike McCoy was replaced by Bill Musgrave as offensive coordinator.

All three quarterbacks were draft picks by Elway, the Hall of Fame quarterback who has only had success at quarterback in free agency.

Six years ago, Elway landed Peyton Manning Youth Paul Worrilow Jersey , the biggest free agent prize in NFL history, following his release by the Colts and a series of neck fusion surgeries.

Manning had a spectacular closing chapter in Denver, leading the Broncos to the playoffs in all four of his seasons, reaching two Super Bowls and winning one.

Manning retired a month after Denver’s 24-10 win over Carolina in Super Bowl 50, and Elway brought in veteran Mark Sanchez, then moved up to grab Lynch in the first round of the draft.

But it was Siemian, a seventh-rounder from Northwestern, who emerged as Manning’s surprise successor in 2016.

Gary Kubiak stepped down as head coach over health concerns following a 9-7 season that ended the Broncos’ five-year playoff run.

Siemian again handily beat out Lynch last summer, but the Broncos would cycle through their trio of homegrown QBs during a 5-11 season that nearly cost rookie head coach Vance Joseph his job.

Keenum is a player the Broncos know well because Kubiak, now the Broncos’ senior personnel adviser, coached him for two seasons while he was head coach of the Houston Texans.

Keenum would have veterans Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders as his targets in Denver after Elway chose not to release either of the expensive wide receivers.

At the NFL scouting combine this month, Elway said, ”we’ll continue to look at all of the options out there when it comes to quarterback.”

That included choosing among the draft prospects that include Josh Allen, Josh Rosen, Sam Darnold, Baker Mayfield and others.

Despite his swings and misses at QB before Rick Leonard Color Rush Jersey , Elway said, ”Believe me, I’m not done swinging and missing. Misses don’t bother me. We just have to figure out a way to get it right. That is what we are working on.”

Siemian, Lynch and Chad Kelly, a seventh-rounder last year who sat out his rookie season with injuries, remain on the roster.

Elway insists the Broncos can get right back into the playoff picture with the right quarterback and tweaks to other areas of the roster.

”I still think we’re not too far away,” Elway said at the combine. ”Obviously, we have to get better at that (quarterback) position. We didn’t play well there last year. That doesn’t all go on the players. There were some things that we should have done differently that we didn’t do. I feel like we can get right back in the thick of the things rather quickly.”

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LeBron James used to downplay winning division titles.

Not this time. Not after what these Cleveland Cavaliers have been through this season.

This one is worth appreciating.

”I’ve kind of like been a hypocrite of that because I’m always moving and trying to figure out how we can be better the next day or whatever the case,” James said. ”So it’s always hard for me to be like, OK, another division crown after everything that’s gone on with our team and our ballclub this year, but it’s a pretty cool thing.”

James had 26 points and 11 assists, Kevin Love scored 28 points, and the Cavaliers got their 50th win along with that Central Division title by beating the New York Knicks 123-109 on Monday night.

The Cavs reached 50 wins for the fourth time in four seasons since James returned from Miami and the 11th time in franchise history. James has won a record 10 straight division titles in Cleveland and Miami.

Cleveland pulled within a half-game of Philadelphia for the No. 3 spot in the Eastern Conference, bouncing back from its loss to the 76ers on Friday and winning for the sixth time in seven games.

A division title and 50 wins would have been considered shoo-ins for the Cavs before the season, but after injuries Authentic Kalen Ballage Jersey , trades and a leave of absence for coach Tyronn Lue, nothing seemed certain.

”It’s been it feels like a number of seasons within the season, but it’s also gone by pretty fast,” Love said. ”I know I was injured for a number of games, but it still feels like it was a little bit of a blur, so we got one more left at home and as we always say the real things starts.”

J.R. Smith and Jordan Clarkson added 16 points apiece for the Cavaliers, who made 19 3-pointers and won for the ninth straight time at Madison Square Garden.

Wearing black sneakers that read ”I’m” on the left shoe and ”King” on the right, James also had six rebounds and a few of his usual powerful dunks, including one where he broke in with a head of speed and Michael Beasley appeared in position to stop him before seeking safety and running by him out of the way .

Beasley scored 20 points for the Knicks in their final home game of the season, which opened a home-and-home series. Rookie Frank Ntilikina added a career-high 17 and Courtney Lee also had 17.

”I feel like I’m getting better,” Ntilikina said. ”I’m feeling more comfortable.”

The Knicks remained without injured starters Tim Hardaway Jr. and Enes Kanter.

The Cavs led by only six with under 4 minutes left, but James found Love for a basket, then followed Clarkson’s two 3-pointers with one of his own to put away the game.

”They’re a great team, and when LeBron’s out there it makes it very difficult on guys. You can’t guard him one-on-one,” Knicks coach Jeff Hornacek said. ”But, our guys didn’t quit Customized Carolina Panthers Jerseys , so it was good.”

TIP-INS

Cavaliers: Cleveland nearly had its whole roster available, but Rodney Hood was ruled out with a sore left Achilles tendon. Guards George Hill (sprained left ankle) and Jose Calderon (sore left hamstring) both returned. … James can play in 82 games for the first time in his career if he plays Wednesday instead of resting for the playoffs, and that’s the way he’s leaning. ”I’m healthy, so I’m playing,” he said.

Knicks: Hornacek said Hardaway and Kanter most likely wouldn’t play Wednesday, but didn’t rule it out. … Hardaway was called for a technical foul at the end of the first half.

MASTERS MAN

Masters champion Patrick Reed was seated courtside, wearing his green jacket. Love and actor Chris Rock were among those to greet him.

COURTING THE KING

James said Monday morning he hadn’t seen the billboard that went up near MSG urging him to play for the Knicks next season, though he was aware of it. Similar billboards had already gone up in Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Portland and his hometown of Akron, Ohio.

”Same reaction as I had to every last one of them this year,” he said of the newest entry. ”I think it’s very humbling that cities and organizations want me to play for them, especially at this juncture of my career, so that’s it.”

UP NEXT

The Knicks will try to win in Cleveland for the second time this season, after a 114-95 victory on Oct. 29.

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