Report: Broncos plan moving forward at QB could be uninspiring

Both NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and 9 News‘ Mike Klis are reporting on Monday that the Denver Broncos already have a favorite for their newly open quarterback gig.

The two each reported current backup quarterback-turned-end-of-season starter Jarrett Stidham is the leader in the clubhouse to replace Russell Wilson in orange and blue. The veteran quarterback was cut on Monday afternoon after being replaced by Stidham on the field late in the 2023 season. Sean Payton said at the time the change was made to spark the offseason, though details have come out about contract language with Wilson that gives many belief there were off-the-field reasons. Stidham didn’t see himself as auditioning for the full-time gig when he started Denver’s last two games but he may have just scored it anyhow.

“They are going to evaluate all the top quarterbacks in this draft,” Rapoport said on NFL Total Access. “Sean Payton was at the combine and dialed in on quarterbacks. Would I be surprised if they traded up? No, Payton did it in the past getting Marcus Davenport. If they do not move up, Jarrett Stidham now is set to be their starter for the 2024 season. Saw a little of him last year they really liked him and it was a priority to sign him last offseason. I know there are some people who would be intrigued by what Stidham has to offer. I wouldn’t be surprised if they signed another quarterback to compete with him somebody like Jacobey Brisett or Sam Darnold, somebody who has a chance to be a starter but would have to earn it. But none of them could cost a lot of money because the Broncos aren’t in a position to pay right now.

From @NFLTotalAccess: The #Broncos now have a major QB question, and it appears Jarrett Stidham will get the first shot at answering it. pic.twitter.com/niBOrnZg7Z

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 5, 2024

The Broncos went 1-1 with Stidham leading the offense as he threw for 40-of-66 passes for 496 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for another score against one interception over his three appearances and two starts in 2023. The former fourth-round pick of the New England Patriots spent the 2022 season in Vegas, where he impressed in his first two career starts, both losses.

Now it seems Stidham, 27, is the most likely to start Week 1 for the Broncos in year two of Payton, particularly if the team strikes out on trading up to land a quarterback like Michagan’s J.J. McCarthy or whoever their guy may be.

Rapoport also brought up Jacobey Brissett and Sam Darnold while Klis repeated those names and added Ryan Tannehill to the bunch. The latter two are former top-ten picks six years apart, with the first, Darnold, spending last season as a backup in San Francisco after two poor seasons in Carolina of attempted rehabilitation from the Jets. Meanwhile, Tannehill had a career resurgence in Tennessee, winning the starting job there after some unremarkable years in Miami. The 35-year-old won 12 games in 2021 but has been bitten by injuries and has lost out on starts to other younger options in Nashville. And then there’s Brissett who has bounced around the league and spent last year in D.C. He’s never had an over .500 year as a starter but over 79 career games the 31-year-old has proved to be a steady backup.

The teams likely in the race for this trio of damaged gunslingers will likely give a very cheap Wilson a look too.

So it’s looking like Stidi and Sean is the 2024 ticket in Broncos Country, if the parties were Kansas City and Las Vegas, the ticket would have bipartisan support.

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