Could Chad Kelly really be IN in Denver?

Here’s what this week in sports has taught us:

Out: O.J. (literally).

In: That kid that likes Charlie Blackmon.

Out: Elway – on vacation, that is.

In: Elway – don’t sweat it, Denver, he’s here for the long haul, says Woody.

Out: The 10^th Fairway at Royal Birkdale (at least if you’re teeing off on the 9^th).

In: Tidy haircuts when interviewing with NFL owners.

Out: Hugh Freeze.

In: Freeze’s favorite quarterback, “Mr. Irrelevant” himself, Chad Kelly.

What a week, huh?

And thank you, Bill Polian. For everything, really – for Peyton Manning, for refusing to bury the hatchet with Tom Brady and Bill Belichick – and, most especially, for your comments on Kelly. In case you missed it, Polian, the kind-of-crusty former GM of the Indianapolis Colts turned TV analyst, recently declared Kelly the most “talented” quarterback on the Broncos roster.

“By the way, in the bullpen is Chad Kelly, who is more talented than either of these two guys, but has a lot of growing up to do,” Polian told his cohosts on Wednesday’s edition of ESPN’s “NFL Live.”

Of course, we already knew about the “growing up” part, something that Kelly’s Hall of Fame Uncle Jim urged Broncos fans – on Mile High Sports Radio, no less – that his nephew’s off-the-field issues were a thing of the distant past.

“All the stuff that happened to him in the past, that everybody brings up, happened three years ago, tell people to get over it,” Kelly told hosts Danny Williams and Ryan Edwards. “It drives me nuts. It’s like, ‘People, that’s three years ago, is that all you got in your playbook, is to bring up the negative stuff?’

“That’s three years ago, when he was a punk kid, that’s what he was,” said Jim. “He’s grown up, he gets it, he understands. His work ethic, as I said before, I never had that work ethic.”

Think about that, Bill Polian. The most talent at the quarterback position in Denver plus a work ethic that Jim Kelly never had? Look out AFC West.

I’m not so sure this is a good thing though. Did Denver really need another quarterback in its current quarterback controversy? Perhaps “controversy” is too strong, but you’d better believe that at no point this season will there be a clear-cut choice for the Broncos under center. You already know how divided Broncos Country is when it comes to Paxton Lynch and Trevor Siemian, but you might be surprised how Polian’s comments are already being considered.

In a Mile High Sports Twitter poll yesterday, nearly two-thirds of you people said that Kelly should be allowed to compete for the starting job either this year or next year.

Is that what it’s come to, Broncos fans? Just two years removed from the Peyton Manning Era, you’re more than willing to let the 253^rd pick in the NFL Draft try on the shoes once worn by the great John Elway? I supposed Pick No. 250 slipped his not-so-nimble feet right into those same cleats just a season ago. Hey, what’s three draft spots among friends?

Is it me, or does this entire situation – one that will become our daily obsession in less than a week – smack of Orton and Tebow?

Or is it Orton and Orton and Tebow? Or Orton and Tebow and Tebow? Fill in the names however you’d like, this is going to get wild.

Three is better than two in basketball, men on base, hockey goals and extra points compared to field goals.

But when it comes to quarterbacks?

Three is not better than two. And two is not better than one. In fact, this whole conversation makes me fear the worst: The Broncos have none.

I sure hope I’m wrong, but the Denver Broncos might enter the season amidst a house divided; I mean, really divided – as in split in thirds. Bill Polian, who wisely selected Manning over Ryan Leaf, thinks it’s within the realm of possibility.

Stranger things have happened in sports. This week taught us that.

Ask O.J.