The Broncos were 4-12 in 2010, fired their head coach mid season, named John Elway Vice President of Football Operations and drafted a player who could be the next Derrick Thomas at outside linebacker. But the biggest question this offseason seems to be who will be the team’s starting quarterback in 2011.
On one hand, there is Kyle Orton, who threw for more than 3,000 yards and 20 touchdowns in 13 starts, but led the team to a 3-10 record, and on the other there is Tim Tebow, a first-round pick with a winning pedigree and attitude who went 1-2 in his three starts. And no one seems to mentioning Brady Quinn who compiled no stats in 2010.
There was talk of trading Orton and going with Tebow in 2011 and beyond, but new head coach John Fox as well as Elway said that both players were in the team’s future plans. Fox readdressed the issue after the NFL Draft and said Orton was the starter, but there will be competition in training camp, provided there is one.
“I think it has been fairly well said that Kyle Orton is our starting quarterback,” Fox said. “Just like every other position on the team, though, there will be competition.”
However, in the past week the debate has heated up in the media once again as Denver Post columnist Woody Paige called out Orton for not holding full-team workouts like Drew Brees is doing with the New Orleans Saints.
“The Broncos need their ‘supposed’ starting quarterback to provide the same kind of leadership quarterbacks in other NFL cities are displaying. Orton should be working day and night establishing a camp and pleading with players to practice in Denver,” Paige wrote in his May 5 column.
Meanwhile Tebow was spotted on Twitter inviting draft picks Julius Thomas and Virgil Green to workout with him and did the same with Von Miller when the two met at a fundraiser last week.
Orton, who does not have Twitter account, has been fairly silent this offseason, but the Denver Post did report that Tebow was not the only quarterback working out with teammates.
“Incumbent starting quarterback Kyle Orton spent Thursday morning working out with a local personal trainer along with at least four Broncos teammates,” The Post’s Lindsay Jones reported on May 6.
Players cannot be traded during the NFL lockout, but that has not stopped the rumor mill from working and Orton has been at the forfront.
NFL insider and senior writer for Footballguys.com Cecil Lammey reported on his Twitter page that sources said the Minnesota Vikings would be interested in trading for Orton in exchange for defensive end Ray Edwards, who would need a new contract depending on the new collective bargaining agreement.
The Arizona Cardinals could also be interested in obtaining Orton and could offer up a second-round pick in the 2012 draft. This would be their backup plan as they hope to trade for Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Kevin Kolb.
“Bottom line, sources tell me the interest in Kyle Orton is high and several teams could contact the Broncos once trades are allowed,” Lammey tweeted.
So while Fox, Elway and the Broncos remain adamant that Orton is the starter until someone beats him out, it seems no one will believe them until he takes the field on opening day.
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