Tebow Mania and Orton Boosterism: Why the Broncos Don't Need Either Guy

Sports talk shows and websites have been drenched with rhetoric about Tim Tebow's merits of late. Talking heads like Merril Hoge have inflamed the masses by daring to suggest that Tebow hasn't proven himself and may never do so. Others have vigorously leaped to his defense by pointing to his collegiate success and his intangibles like heart, athleticism and leadership.   

At the same time, Kyle Orton has been either maligned as a do-nothing game manager who shrinks in tight spots, or has been celebrated as an efficient and accurate QB who can win if he has the right pieces around him.

The problem is that all of these characterizations have some measure of truth to them.

Orton can be successful if he has a good defense (his stellar win/loss record with the Chicago Bears proves this), but he has also shown that he isn't very effective in the red zone and sometimes has difficulty in late-game pressure situations.

Tebow does have the elan to be a good leader and has some raw skills that could serve him well in the NFL, but he also hasn't shown that he can make good reads and deliver the ball with accuracy.

So where does this leave the Denver Broncos? 

The easy answer is ripped from George Clooney's mouth in the movie O Brother, Where Art Thou:"We in a tight spot."

The rumors that Orton was being shopped during free agency indicate that John Fox, Brian Xanders and John Elway don't entirely believe in him as the long-term solution at quarterback. At the same time, Tim Tebow was drafted by the previous regime as a fun toy for Josh McDaniels, and may not fit the current vision for the team's direction.

I'd like to argue that Tim Tebow would be better off cutting his NFL teeth as a back-up behind a non-traditional quarterback like Michael Vick. The fact of the matter is that while Orton is on the team, it is unlikely that Tebow will get the chance to be the starter. His off-target passing and inability to find open receivers was painfully apparent in Dove Valley during a training camp scrimmage on Saturday. 

Some Tebow backers argue that he steps up in game-time situations. His statistics from the games he played last year show a work in progress at best. With a 50 percent completion rate, three interceptions, five TDs and an 82.1 passer rating, Tebow was marginal at QB in 2010. He needs to be in the right situation to begin to realize his potential in the NFL.

Kyle Orton is a slightly better-than-average QB. With a 58.8 completion percentage, over 3,600 yards, an 87.5 passing rating and nine interceptions, Orton was workmanlike through a dismal 2010. With six years in the league under his belt, we've seen what Orton can give a team.

He needs to be in the right situation to thrive. The successful Bears teams he quarterbacked early in his career had an amazing defense, and Orton just avoided mistakes. The Broncos should see what he can do in what has become a rebuilding year and then (after what is likely to be a mediocre season) cut bait when his contract is up.

At that point, Elway and Fox can either draft or trade for the guy that they want. The Broncos are better off with someone not named Tebow or Orton at QB. They just need to tread water in 2011 and wait to get out of the McDaniels-created tight spot so they can start down the road to rejuvenation in 2012.