NFL Trade Rumors: Does Benching Mean End of Tenure in Denver for Kyle Orton?

Kyle Orton has been benched in favor of Tim Tebow. Orton was removed from the game after a terrible performance against the San Diego Chargers. He only completed 6 passes for 34 total yards. The offense was very ineffective with Orton under center.

Orton's struggles didn't begin this week, as he hasn't made a positive impact all season. He has nearly matched his interception total in only four games. 

This offseason was littered with Kyle Orton trade rumors. He was linked to everyone from the Miami Dolphins to the Seattle Seahawks. The most likely landing spot seemed like the Miami Dolphins, but the two teams were unable to agree on compensation. The Broncos wanted at least a 3rd round selection, which was to rich for the Dolphins.

It appears that the Dolphins might have made a good decision to not acquire Orton. It seems likely that Orton might be back on the trading block and at a much lower price.  His play has severely decreased his trade value. A team is not going to trade a 3rd round pick for a quarterback that has struggled as much as Orton.

Due to Orton's benching, potential trade partners now have the upper hand. They will not surrender a high draft pick for a teams backup quarterback. They especially won't trade for a free agent to be backup quarterback.

It is very likely that Orton demands a trade. He is nearing free agency and wants to have an opportunity to earn a new contract.  Orton will lose a lot of money if he is a backup for the rest of the season.

I feel the Dolphins might take another shot at adding Orton. They recently found out that Chad Henne will be out for the rest of the season with a shoulder injury. Miami has worked out several free agent quarterbacks, signing Sage Rosenfels.

The one wildcard is the Andrew Luck sweepstakes. Miami will not openly lose football games, but I doubt they will make a move to get a short term improvement.

Jon Dove is a featured columnist at Bleacher Report, covering the NFL and NFL draft. Check him out on Twitter @Jon_Dove42.