Broncos Country needs to avoid getting enamored with Brett Rypien
Oct 5, 2020, 5:57 AM
Here we go again. Broncos Country is falling in love with a mediocre quarterback.
This is nothing new. The fan base has a history of becoming enamored with gutty, overachieving, defy-the-odds signal callers.
They did it with Trevor Siemian. They did it with Chad Kelly. And they did it with Kyle Sloter.
This continues a trend that dates back to the 1970s. Broncos fans loved Norris Weese, many wanted Gary Kubiak to play ahead of John Elway and plenty had a soft spot for Bubby Brister.
Heck, Tim Tebow might be the captain of this group. But that’s another argument for another day.
Right now, it’s all about the latest low-ceiling quarterback to become a sensation in the Mile High City. It’s Brett Rypien time!
Fresh off of his first career start, where he led the Broncos to a 37-28 victory over the Jets in New York, the second-year quarterback is all the rage. In the win, Rypien completed 19 of 32 passes for 242 yards and two touchdowns. He also threw three interceptions, one of which turned into a pick-six, but that part of the story is getting brushed under the rug.
As a result of this performance, many in Broncos Country are ready to anoint Rypien the team’s full-time starter. They’re ready to turn the page on Drew Lock, the “QB of the future” at the beginning of the season, and “Let it Ryp!”
This type of overreaction is understandable in some markets. Browns fans are forgiven for thinking every quarterback with a pulse is going to be their savior; they don’t know what a real one looks like.
But in Denver, where Broncos Country has enjoyed two decades of John Elway and Peyton Manning at the helm, fans should know better. In the Mile High City, people should know what a legit quarterback looks like.
And with all due respect, it’s not Rypien. Just like it wasn’t Siemian, Kelly or Sloter.
During the game broadcast on Thursday night, Troy Aikman kept talking about Rypien’s skill set. He’d praise the quarterback’s work ethic and football mind, while repeatedly reminding everyone of the QB’s limited physical tools.
“He doesn’t have a big arm or great athleticism, but he’s a smart player,” the broadcaster said, to paraphrase.
That should sound off alarm bells, raise red flags and cause lights to start blinking. It’s a huge warning sign, cautioning everyone to not get enamored.
Why? Because there is a limit to how high that kind of quarterback can fly. He can only reach a certain level. He can only carry his team so far.
How many Super Bowl winning quarterbacks would be described that way? How many guys in Canton would be introduced with those attributes during their induction ceremony?
The answer is very few, if any.
It definitely takes intelligence to play the quarterback position. There’s no doubt about that fact. It also takes a ton of natural ability. That’s undeniable.
The greats have a good combination of both skills. The mediocre have one. The flameouts have neither.
That’s why it’s safe to say that Rypien has a place in the NFL. He’ll be a very solid backup quarterback for years to come.
He’ll know the game plan. He’ll always be ready. And he’ll be able to step in and perform admirably in small doses.
But he’s not a guy who should play week after week. He’s not someone that can win on a consistent basis. His limited skills will catch up to him.
Broncos Country saw this with Siemian. Like Rypien, he was a very smart quarterback. But once defenses caught on to what he could do well, he had no counterpunch. He didn’t have enough arrows in the proverbial quiver to keep firing back.
The same will happen with Rypien. It’s inevitable.
Some will say that he gives the Broncos the “best chance to win” right now. That’s debatable. But the big question is, the best chance to win what?
The goal isn’t to go 8-8. The goal is to win Super Bowls.
That’s never going to happen with Brett Rypien as a starter. One hundred years of NFL football are proof of that fact. He would be a giant exception to the rule if he defied the odds and hoisted a Lombardi Trophy.
That’s why the love affair needs to be halted in its tracks. Rypien isn’t the long-term answer in Denver. As a result, he should be the short-term solution, either.
Once Lock is healthy, he should be back on the field. He has the potential to be a Super Bowl-winning quarterback. The Broncos need to find out if he is or isn’t that player.
If he isn’t, it’s time to turn the page to someone else. And that isn’t Brett Rypien.
