DENVER BRONCOS

John Elway says Tony Romo's name never came up with Stephen Jones

Mike Klis
USA TODAY Network

PHOENIX - Do not expect John Elway to engage in Tony Romo talks with the Dallas Cowboys during the NFL owners’ meetings here this week.

Tony Romo

As most NFL owners, head coaches and top executives descended upon the Arizona Biltmore Hotel here Sunday for the league meetings, Elway, the Broncos’ general manager, has been here since Tuesday serving on the NFL competition committee along with Stephen Jones, the Cowboys’ chief operating officer, executive vice president, director of player personnel, and son of team owner Jerry Jones.

In the past six days, Elway and Stephen Jones talked about replays, unlimited challenges, 10-minute overtimes, touchdown celebrations and possible suspensions for players who deliver illegal hits.

Not discussed was Romo, the Cowboys' quarterback.

“We’ve been here all week and his name never came up,’’ Elway said as he was walking in to a hotel restaurant to have a late-lunch with his wife Paige.

The Broncos’ head of football operations then reiterated his faith in the two young quarterbacks currently on his roster, Paxton Lynch and Trevor Siemian.

Elway is expected to go forward with Siemian and Lynch even if Romo is released to free agency, although never say never with the Broncos’ boss in his quest to bring another Super Bowl trophy to Denver.

Romo is a four-time Pro Bowler with sparkling statistics in his 10-plus seasons as the Cowboys’ starting quarterback. But Romo’s body, in particular his back and left collarbone, have not withstood the punishment of NFL contact in recent years and he’s less than four weeks away from his 37th birthday.

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He is expected to become available as he has been replaced by Dak Prescott, was the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2016 after leading the Cowboys to a 13-3 record. Prescott threw 23 touchdown passes against just four interceptions.

Siemian, 25 and a seventh-round draft pick two years ago out of Northwestern, was the Broncos’ starting quarterback last season. He posted an 8-6 record with 3,401 passing yards and 18 touchdowns against 10 interceptions.

Lynch, 23, is considered the Broncos’ quarterback of the future after Elway traded up from No. 31 to No. 26 in the first round to take the 6-foot-7 talent from Memphis. Lynch played in three games last year. He was at his best off the bench in week 4 at Tampa Bay, where he replaced an injured Siemian late in the first half and completed 14 of 24 for 170 yards and a touchdown in a 27-7 victory.

In his two starts – week 5 against Atlanta and week 12 at Jacksonville – Lynch went 1-1, throwing for 327 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

As Siemian mends from surgery in early January to his left, non-throwing shoulder, Lynch will get his fair share of interaction with the first-team offense this offseason, starting April 10, when veterans report for strength and conditioning.

Siemian is expected to be a full participant once the Broncos begin organized team activities (OTAs) in late-May. Broncos’ head coach Vance Joseph has said Siemian and Lynch will compete in earnest during training camp and the preseason.

With it becoming increasingly apparent, the Broncos will go into the 2017 season with either Lynch or Siemian, Siemian or Lynch, Elway’s most pressing task, besides his work on the league competition committee, is to find a left tackle.

He is also wanting to add an influx of young talent to his roster through the NFL Draft that runs April 27-29.

Mike Klis writes for KUSA 9NEWS, a TEGNA affiliate.