NFL Trade Speculation: Will John Elway Move Any Denver Broncos QBs?

By (Featured Columnist) on June 27, 2011

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NEW ORLEANS, LA - MARCH 21:  Denver vice president of football operations John Elway attends the NFL Annual Meetings at the Roosevelt HotelÊon March 21, 2011 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Despite a NFL owners imposed lockout in effect since March 12, the lea
Sean Gardner/Getty Images

Josh McDaniels may have punched himself a one-way ticket out of Denver when he traded three draft picks to Baltimore for the Ravens' first-round pick, then took Tebow at No. 25.

Even more shocking was that the Broncos stretched to take Tebow, with two more polished quarterbacks, Texas' Colt McCoy and Notre Dame's Jimmy Clausen, still available

Tebow was one of the lone bright spots for the Denver Broncos in 2010, but coach John Fox and owner John Elway have already stated that Kyle Orton will be the starter when, or if, the season begins in 2011.

It is pretty obvious that Tim Tebow was a Josh McDaniels guy, so does that mean that Elway could trade the player who was brought in to be the face of the legendary franchise?

What about Brady Quinn? Many GMs across the league thought the former Notre Dame star was a guarantee to be a standout NFL QB.

Surely another team in the NFL wouldn't mind adding a player like Tebow or Quinn.

The Denver Broncos have a jack-of-all trades, master of none problem at the quarterback position. Who will stay and who will go?

Here is the latest trade speculation regarding the Denver Broncos quarterback situation.

Why Orton Will Stay

GLENDALE, AZ - DECEMBER 12:  Quarterback Kyle Orton #8 of the Denver Broncos drops back to pass during the NFL game against the Arizona Cardinals at the University of Phoenix Stadium on December 12, 2010 in Glendale, Arizona.  The Cardinals defeated the B
Christian Petersen/Getty Images

Kyle Orton has far more experience than any other QB on the Denver Broncos' roster. Coach John Fox is known to be a conservative play-caller and Kyle Orton may be the poster boy for a quarterback that can manage the game.

Orton had a decent 2010 campaign when he completed 293 of 498 attempts (58.8 completion pct.) for 3,653 yards. He had a solid TD-INT ratio as well, after throwing 20 touchdowns and nine interceptions.

Orton may never be the guy to carry a team on his shoulders, but he certainly is one of the better quarterbacks in the game.

If Jake Delhomme can succeed under John Fox, imagine what Kyle Orton can do.

Why Orton Will Go

GLENDALE, AZ - DECEMBER 12:  Quarterback Kyle Orton #8 of the Denver Broncos runs out onto the field before the NFL game against the Arizona Cardinals at the University of Phoenix Stadium on December 12, 2010 in Glendale, Arizona.  The Cardinals defeated
Christian Petersen/Getty Images

Kyle Orton put together a pretty solid 2010 season, and he is entering the prime of his career at the ripe age of 28. Orton could be a very valuable commodity to some NFL teams if the Broncos are selling.

Orton's workouts in Arizona have the rumor mill churning with the possibility of the Cardinals making a play for the seven-year veteran. He has also been rumored in trades with the Washington Redskins, Miami Dolphins, Seattle Seahawks and Tennessee Titans.

Tim Tebow is a freakish athlete and has won at every level he has played, and Brady Quinn at the very least would be a serviceable backup.

When the lockout is lifted, don't be shocked if John Elway and Co. listen seriously to the conversations regarding Kyle Orton.

Why Tebow Will Stay

LAKE BUENA VISTA, FL - MARCH 05: In this handout photo provided by Disney Parks,  Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow attends 'ESPN The Weekend' on March 05, 2011 at Disney's Hollywood Studios Park at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida
Handout/Getty Images

Tim Tebow is a winner plain and simple. Tebow was given a chance to play in 2010 for a team that looked like it was ready for vacation, and he did a lot to prove that he should be the guy moving forward.

As opposed to Orton, Tebow is a threat running the ball. Out of the 11 touchdowns he racked up, six came rushing the ball.

He threw three interceptions and fumbled once (the fumble was not lost), and that gave him a touchdown/turnover ratio of 11-3 versus Orton’s 20-12.

In just three games, Tim Tebow earned the respect of his teammates and fans, and he deserves to be the starter for Denver in 2011.

Why Tebow Will Go

DENVER - DECEMBER 26:  Quarterback Tim Tebow #15 of the Denver Broncos rolls out and looks to deliver a pass against the Houston Texas at INVESCO Field at Mile High on December 26, 2010 in Denver, Colorado. The Broncos defeated the Texans 24-23.  (Photo b
Doug Pensinger/Getty Images

Some may argue that Tim Tebow caught the NFL off guard in 2010 and his trade value may never be higher than it is now. As previously mentioned, Tebow was spectacular in the three games he started in 2010, and you can bet a lot of teams are drooling at the chance to acquire the second-year player.

Tebow has a warrior mentality and the heart of a champion, but he was not brought in by the current management of the Denver Broncos. Don't discredit the fact that teams like to have players that they are comfortable with, and John Fox and John Elway may want a high draft pick instead of Tim Tebow.

Fox and Elway will be able to bring in another one of their guys that they have evaluated and determined to fit their mold.

Does Tim Tebow fit the mold of a quarterback for John Fox?

Why Quinn Will Stay

KANSAS CITY, MO - DECEMBER 20:  Quarterback Brady Quinn #10 of the Cleveland Browns reaches out to hand the ball off during their NFL game against the Kansas City Chiefs on December 20, 2009 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. The Browns defeat
Jamie Squire/Getty Images

If you want a reason why Brady Quinn will be staying in Denver, you need to look no further than this quote from ESPN Insider Chris Mortensen:

"I can tell you unequivocally that if you talk to John Elway and John Fox, they will tell you emphatically that Brady Quinn is absolutely in the mix in terms of the competition for the starting job. They are not handing it to Tim Tebow. They are not handing it to Kyle Orton. They may have a depth chart to start out, but I know in communicating and speaking to both men that Brady Quinn is not forgotten."

This makes a lot of sense. The Denver Broncos are under a new regime and maybe Brady Quinn is exactly the type of player that fits their new system.

He has a strong arm, quick release and has a lot to prove. John Fox has worked wonders with mediocre quarterbacks in the past, and he could be salivating at the opportunity to work with a player with Quinn's tools.

Why Quinn Will Go

CINCINNATI, OH - AUGUST 15: Brady Quinn #9 of the Denver Broncos looks to pass against the Cincinnati Bengals during a preseason game at Paul Brown Stadium on August 15, 2010 in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Bengals won 33-24. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
Joe Robbins/Getty Images

It may seem crazy to think about, but Brady Quinn may be the QB that is least likely to be traded in 2011. Tim Tebow and Kyle Orton both have relatively good trade value, but Brady Quinn's career has hit the bottom.

Brady Quinn was a first-round selection for a reason, and a change of scenery may be exactly what the QB needs to finally live up to his potential.

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