Ehlinger has nice game, but Broncos’ QB2 race remains unsettled

The battle to back up Bo Nix is still up in the air after the Denver Broncos’ third preseason game, a 34-6 romp over the Minnesota Vikings on Friday night at Empower Field.

Most of the starters, including Nix, did not play. But the question of who gets the job behind Denver’s franchise quarterback — a role thrust into the spotlight during last season’s AFC Championship Game loss — was still front and center before a large crowd.

Jarrett Stidham got the start and delivered two clean series, going 6-of-9 for 78 yards and a 93.8 passer rating while staking Denver to a 10-0 lead. Sam Ehlinger took over and promptly threw an ugly interception on his first attempt. The younger, more mobile option responded by throwing three touchdown passes over his three quarters of action, finishing 15-of-20 for 233 yards and a 131.9 rating.

“It was good to end training camp this way,” Stidham said afterward. He was succinct in his assessment of his teammate’s bounceback when asked by 9News: “Sam was slinging it.”

Sean Payton wouldn’t go one way or another on the role after the game.

“We have a lot of decisions to make, both tomorrow and Sunday, and we’ll go from there,” Payton said.

Asked directly whether Ehlinger’s strong finish made it more likely the Broncos would carry three quarterbacks on the 53-man roster, Payton was noncommittal: “Yeah, we’ll see. We’ll see. No, I thought — listen, I thought those guys did a good job, and the roles kind of planned out like we wanted.”

Not only is the pecking order still being sorted, but because both players are well-liked by the coaching staff, the real question may be whether Payton keeps three quarterbacks when the roster must be trimmed to 53 Sunday afternoon. Ehlinger could not be stashed on the practice squad without clearing waivers — and after Friday, other teams will have noticed. They have before, when last season the Colts were ready to make him their starter after Daniel Jones got hurt. But Ehlinger stayed in Denver and it’s hard to say if he’ll do so again.

“I knew once the first pick happened, it was time to turn it around. Just had to get it out of the system,” Ehlinger said. “Outside of the first pass that I threw to the other team, I felt like it was in a good rhythm.”

His most memorable moment came on an 88-yard scoring strike to a wide open rookie, Justin Joly. Asked if anyone had ever been that open in his career, Ehlinger grinned: “No, absolutely not. I was like, there’s no way. Like, there’s got to be someone around him, and it just wasn’t.” Joly caught the ball and walked half the field to the end zone.

Payton, too, had a memorable angle on one of Ehlinger’s touchdowns — literally. He described nearly being struck by the ball as Ehlinger released it while falling backward near the sideline.

“I was like in the white, and I just — two more feet, and my concern was all of a sudden the ball hits my chest and I’m the reason he doesn’t throw it,” Payton said with a laugh. “But no, I was excited for him.”

Payton has long praised Ehlinger’s ability to extend plays in live action, something that is difficult to replicate in practice.

As for the broader roster picture, Payton invoked an unusual analogy. He told his players before kickoff to treat the final preseason game like an audition, referencing his wife’s favorite show.

“I don’t watch a lot of TV, but my wife likes watching ‘The Voice’ where the singers sing and then, you know — and so today it was like, hey, make us spin the chair. Make us spin it.”

Stidham, who has served as Denver’s primary backup for the past three seasons, entered the night as the favorite and did nothing to lose the job. But Ehlinger made a case — one he’s realistic about.

Asked whether he would rather be a No. 3 quarterback in Denver or a No. 2 somewhere else, Ehlinger offered a telling answer: “It depends on the situation for the number two. I know that this is probably the best number three job in the league. So we’ll see what opportunities there are.”

The decisions start now.

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