Denver Broncos go all-in to get Russell Wilson, but with a little pragmatism on the side - Denver Broncos Blog- ESPN

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -– For weeks Denver Broncos general manager George Paton had used words like «aggressive» and «chomping at the bit» and «all-encompassing» whenever he has been asked about his pursuit of a quarterback for a team that has clamored for one since Peyton Manning retired following the 2015 season.

For a little over a year, Paton has also waxed on about the need for thoughtful decisions, sticking to plans, getting input, crunching the numbers and «all of us being on the same page.»

Then Paton took all of that aggressiveness, composure, thoughtful analysis, consensus-building and football prudence, mashed it all together and made the absolute most pedal-to-the-metal move when he traded for former Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson on Tuesday.

Some in the league might have wondered if the everything-in-its-place Paton had this wild side as he turned a detail-oriented career as a scout into a steady, highly productive climb up the ladder into his first general manager gig. They need wonder no more.

• Ranking the top 100 free agents » • Overrated, underrated free agents » • Deepest, thinnest positions » • NFL execs on QBs » | Franchise tags »More NFL free agency coverage »

He dealt the Broncos' franchise player in pass-rusher Von Miller just after Halloween to get more draft picks to go to work later and on Tuesday swung for the fences to land Wilson. It's a deal that was weeks in the making, a deal to which Wilson has given his blessing with one of the few real, rock-solid no-trade clauses in the league and a deal that's one of the biggest in NFL history.

Yet Paton still found a way to sprinkle in a little pragmatism, because Wilson is 33 years old and has missed three starts in his career — he had