Denver Broncos: Kyle Orton's Top 5 Destinations for This Offseason

It looks like Broncos quarterback Kyle Orton could be headed to his third new team in four seasons.  Plagued by injuries in his young career, 2010 looked to be Orton’s year. 

In the first half of the 2010 season, Orton came out swinging. 

He threw 13 touchdowns to just five interceptions, and with 2,510 passing yards, he looked like a guy who was legitimately challenging Dan Marino’s record for most passing yards in a season (5,084 in 1984).  

However, in the next five games, Orton really cooled off, tossing seven scores to four interceptions, and only eclipsing 300 passing yards once. 

Whispers arose that Orton had been playing hurt, and eventually Orton was named the third QB on the depth chart for the Broncos' final three games of the season.

As of now, the writing is on the wall for Orton, as the Tim Tebow experience is in full effect for Denver. 

The Broncos first-round draft pick this year is still very raw as a passer, completing exactly 50 percent of his passes in his three starts (41-of-82). 

However, he had a respectable TD-to-interception ratio for a rookie (five to three), and amassed 199 rushing yards and three scores in the same span, bringing an element to the offense that Orton does not have. 

Orton said he was healthy enough to start the final two games on the schedule, and was understandably annoyed over getting benched. 

Furthermore, reports have come out of Denver that they would part ways with Orton for a second-round draft pick.

Therefore, it is worth evaluating where Orton could potentially be playing during the 2011 season.  

Carolina Panthers

This is really not as much of a long shot as it seems. If Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck does not declare for the draft in the spring, Carolina needs a legitimate QB ASAP. 

While Orton may not exactly be jumping for joy if this trade happens, if the Panthers draft some young receiver talent, he may be able to make some big plays happen on offense. 

With John Fox gone as the Panthers head coach, there have been whispers that the organization wants the passing game to be a larger aspect of the offensive game plan, with the game-manager mentality of recent quarterbacks eliminated. 

Another significant aspect of this trade is whether or not Steve Smith decides to stay. 

The 31-year-old, who has spent all 10 of his NFL seasons in Carolina, has stated that he is not sure if he wants to return next year.  He wants a Super Bowl ring before the end of his career, and in all likelihood, that is not happening with the Panthers. 

Additionally, Jonathan Stewart and relief back Mike Goodson are a potent running back combination, and if DeAngelo Williams ends up with a new contract, that is just one plus for the Panthers. 

Orton to Carolina is not the most probable thing, but it is certainly not impossible. 

Washington Redskins

This is probably a long shot, as Shanahan seems to truly believe that Rex Grossman is their quarterback of the future. 

However, let us pretend for a second that someone in the Redskins front offense is going to have an epiphany and realize that they aren’t going to win critical games with Grossman turning the ball over on every other drive. 

Orton would have his work cut out for him here, as Santana Moss and Anthony Armstrong are definitely a downgrade from Brandon Lloyd and Jabar Gaffney. 

However, Moss remains a pretty decent staple in this Washington offense, and Armstrong is a budding talent who has not yet reached his full potential. 

Additionally, tight end Chris Cooley provides Orton with a big target with good hands as a safety valve. This is something he did not have this season, since Tony Scheffler was traded to the Detroit Lions in the offseason. 

If Ryan Torain can actually stay healthy, this would again make the ‘Skins a team that can run the ball effectively. 

Don’t bet your house on it just yet, but don’t be completely shocked if Orton is wearing red and yellow in 2011. 

Arizona Cardinals

Who would have thought that notorious underachiever Matt Leinert would have been the best quarterback on the Cardinals roster heading into the 2010 season? 

It didn’t matter though, as head coach Ken Wisenhunt was done dealing with Leinert’s antics and cut him late in the preseason. 

Boy, what a mistake that was.  The trio of Derek Anderson, Max Hall and John Skelton (as well as a brief cameo appearance from Richard Bartells) was absolutely pathetic in 2010. 

Skelton showed some flashes, but he is nowhere near polished enough to be a full-time starter in the NFL.  The other quarterbacks on the roster were just torture to watch, especially when Anderson would overthrow Larry Fitzgerald by about 10 yards routinely.

To say the Cardinals need a reliable quarterback is like saying Tom Hanks needed some companionship and real food in Castaway.  It is blatantly obvious what needs to happen here. 

Orton and Fitzgerald could flat out embarrass defenses; keep in mind Fitzgerald amazingly had 90 catches and 1,137 yards in 2010, despite his team's abysmal quarterback play. 

Kyle Orton may not be the second coming of Kurt Warner, who of course brought the Cards to the Super Bowl in 2008, but he is probably the closest thing to Warner Arizona is going to get at this point.  

Minnesota Vikings

Has anyone heard that Brett Favre announced his retirement...again?  All jokes aside for this situation, the bottom line is that Minnesota would be wise to acquire a proven quarterback this offseason. 

While their young quarterback Joe Webb has shown some promise in his late-season action, looking like a fresh out of college Michael Vick, it is extremely unlikely that he is the guy who leads the Vikings to a playoff run in 2011. 

Orton would have reliable targets in receivers Sidney Rice and Percy Harvin, and we all saw that tight end Visanthe Shiancoe could be relied on when given opportunities in 2009. 

Furthermore, Orton would have the luxury of having one of the best o-line/running back combinations in football. 

Although Knowshon Moreno and Matt Forte had some good games while Orton was on the Broncos and Bears respectively, he has yet to get a run game he can count on week in and week out. 

Considering the Vikes don’t have a ton of needs to address in the draft, their front office would be well advised to give the Broncos a call about Orton.

Miami Dolphins

It is time for Miami to take a page out of Jaime Foxx’s book and “blame it on the Henne” as far as their offensive struggles go. 

Stud receiver Brandon Marshall recently ripped Henne for basically refusing to throw him the deep ball, and even the lesser known Brian Hartline chimed in. 

Hartline stated that Miami needs to learn how to make plays on the fly, instead of stringently sticking to a game plan that isn’t working. 

Point blank: Chad Henne is just not a good NFL quarterback.  He has more interceptions than touchdowns as an NFL quarterback and has not posted a QB rating above 74.2.

His soul-crushing interceptions against the Cleveland Browns and Detroit Lions are prime examples of how Henne just does not get “it” at the NFL level.

Marshall and Henne may have little or no rapport, but guess who Marshall does have great rapport with. Why, none other than Kyle Orton of course.

Marshall had a noticeably better year in 2009 compared to 2010: 101 catches versus 86, 1,120 yards versus 1,014 and seven touchdowns versus three. 

While Miami likes to run the football, Ricky Williams recent declaration that he would like to move forward with a new team is just one more reason that Miami should focus on getting a more effective player under center. 

Reuniting Orton and Marshall would be the best personnel move Miami could make within reason, which is why the Dolphins are by far the best fit for Kyle Orton in 2011.