Are the Broncos in the market for a quarterback? Absolutely.
Maybe more than they wish they were, though.
It’s not often that a Super Bowl winning team goes into the offseason with a glaring question mark at the game’s most-important position, but that’s exactly the situation the Denver Broncos are in. With Peyton Manning on the verge of retirement and Brock Osweiler looking for a big payday, there’s a realistic scenario where Trevor Siemian is the only returning quarterback on the Broncos roster.
And while I like Siemian as much as the next guy, there’s no way I’d feel comfortable with a second-year, seventh-round quarterback leading this team on their quest for a fourth Lombardi Trophy.
So, yes, the Broncos are in the market for a quarterback.
And here are five every Broncos fan should be keeping an eye on:
5. Matt Schaub
If Matt Schaub so much as touched a Denver Broncos jersey, I’d be a very worried man. But that’s the type of situation we’re in.
The Broncos aren’t bringing in a big-name guy, not unless that guy’s name rhymes with Rock Bossweiler. And if they can’t afford to pay Brock, they most definitely aren’t going to be able to afford Kirk Cousins or Sam Bradford.
That leaves guys like Matt Schaub, and other table scraps like him, as viable, depressing options.
But let’s say that the Broncos do re-sign Brock or move up to draft a young quarterback in the first round and they need a reliable, veteran backup for emergencies; in that case, Schaub makes some sense.
He spent the seven best years of his career in Houston under coach Gary Kubiak, posting a record of 90-88, earning two Pro-Bowl appearances and leading the league in passing yards during the 2009 season. Even if he’s only a fraction of the player he once was, he knows Kubiak and his system; that could be enough to earn him the job of professional clipboard holder.
4. Brandon Weeden
Here is your “What the heck” stat of the day: Brandon Weeden, 32, is older than Aaron Rodgers, Alex Smith and Matt Ryan.
So, while he’s only been in the league five years, the upside-factor isn’t really an argument you can use with Brandon Weeden.
For me, though, if worse comes to worse, this is a guy who has at least some semblance of starting experience, and I think he’s one of the few quarterbacks in the league better than Matt Schaub — again, I never said this would be pretty.
I’ll use the same argument I did with Schaub and say that Weeden could be an expectable backup if Elway finds a way to bring Osweiler or a young quarterback into the fold. As a full-time starter, though, we might as well just give up now.
Weeden is capable of doing certain things, like throwing the ball down the field to wide-open receivers, but that’s about it; ask him to read a defense or throw a man open and you’re going to find yourself out of luck.
3. Chase Daniel
Alright, now we’re getting somewhere.
Chase Daniel is anything but a flashy name, but if there’s a diamond in the rough this free-agency season, it’s him.
Undrafted out of Missouri back in 2010, Daniel has only thrown 77 passes in his career, spending the rest of the time backing up Drew Brees in New Orleans and Alex Smith in Kansas City. When he has had a chance to prove himself, though, he has; in two Week 17 starts for the Chiefs in ’13 and ’14, the 6-foot quarterback flashed starter potential — potential being the key word.
Unfortunately, the fact that Eagles coach and former Chiefs coordinator Doug Pederson views Daniel as a backup quarterback doesn’t bode well for his break-out potential.
Still, when compared to the likes of Schaub and Weeden, even the slightest whiff of talent could be worth a lot this offseason.
2. Ryan Fitzpatrick
Is there a weirder quarterback in the NFL than Ryan Fitzpatrick? I doubt it, and I’m not even talking about the “Harvard guy with a beard” storyline; I’m talking about the actual absurdity of his playing career.
Since being drafted by the St. Louis Rams a decade ago, Fitzpatrick has gone on to play for six franchises, earn a big-time contract, gain and lose the love of several franchises, throw for six touchdowns in a game, be written off for dead on multiple occasions, have a renaissance season with the New York Jets at age 33 and then throw it all away with one miserable performance in Week 17 to ensure the Jets’ missed the playoffs.
So … who is he?
I will say this: I’m not sure he’s a great quarterback, but he definitely hasn’t been on a lot of great teams; that has to be taken into account.
If he were to find his way onto the Broncos, with this championship-ready roster backing him up, I’d bet on seeing the best version of Fitzpatrick, at least for the majority of the time.
The bigger issue is that I’d be surprised if New York let him get away.
1. Brock Osweiler
Obviously, if there’s one free agent quarterback the Broncos need to push the chips in on, it’s Brock Osweiler.
And really, I don’t care if he’s not a sure-fire Pro Bowler. All I care about is whether he can win with this team right now, and I know that to be true.
In fact, there’s not a quarterback available — through trade, free agency or draft — who gives the Denver Broncos a better chance at repeating than Osweiler. Not only has he already spent a year learning the Gary Kubiak system, but he’s proved it; he’s led the Broncos to double-digit comebacks against the Patriots and Bengals.
And the upside is still there. Osweiler may not be an elite quarterback, but until this season, he hadn’t played a meaningful snap in his career. And even when he did get his opportunity, it wasn’t exactly the easiest situation for first-time starter.
Betting on Osweiler’s upside may be a dangerous proposition, especially if it comes with a hefty price tag, but this defense gives the Broncos the ability to do just that.
They don’t need an MVP at quarterback; they need a Brock Osweiler.