A Look to the Past for Some Answers

 Anyone who's read anything I've said about the current QB situation knows I hate the fact that we're even looking at a QB. However, I was recently hit with an epiphany about this whole epidemic. Actually it wasn't really an epiphany since I'm still not a fan of drafting a QB this year. It was more in the form of reason. It wasn't brought on by reading an amazing article, watching highlights or studying game film. No, it was brought on by the thought of a man that Charger fans refer to as clipboard Jesus. Yes I am of course referring to Charlie Whitehurst.

I don't need to remind any of you who Philip Rivers is. He's one of the elite QB's in the NFL and will be the Chargers starting QB for a very long time. However this was not common thinking back in 2006.

In 2004 the Chargers drafted Eli Manning 1st overall and then traded him to the Giants in exchange for Rivers and a 1st round pick in 2005. Rivers was brought in to replace then starter Drew Brees who was in his 3rd season as a starter for the Chargers. However due to a lengthy contract dispute he was unable to start his first year. Drew Brees started and went on to win comeback player of the year in 2004 and went to the pro bowl 2005. In the end the Chargers released him anyways because they didn't like paying their backup QB a ton of money.

The plan was to have Philip Rivers start the following year but the Chargers didn't place all their chips in Rivers. In the 2006 draft, the Chargers drafted Charlie Whitehurst in the 3rd round as insurance but he wasn't needed. Nowadays, Rivers is considered one of the elite QB's of the NFL and the Chargers traded Whitehurst last year to the seahawks for a 3rd round pick as well as swapping 2nd's with them.

Lets look at the Broncos right now. We've got ourselves a vet who almost had a pro bowl year if it wasn't for a late season struggle as well as injuries. We've got ourselves a 1st round pick who no one is sure if he will succeed or not (we actually have two but lets ignore Quinn). We are also looking at a bunch of 2nd and 3rd round QB's in this years upcoming draft.

This isn't a new phenomenon. Teams will draft a QB even though they already have a highly touted prospect on their roster which they invested heavily in. You could easily compare the current the Broncos situation to that of the Chargers in 2006. If your still wondering where I'm going with this let's look at another example.

In 2005 the Packers drafted Aaron Rodgers to take over for Favre when he would retire (the first time). Well Favre didn't retire (the first time) until 2007 so Rodgers wasn't given the chance to start until 2008. However the Packers didn't invest everything into Rodgers. In 2008 the Packers drafted Brian Brohm in the 2nd round. Brian Brohm was highly touted by a ton of draft analysts. The sun tan man aka Todd McShay (yes I stole this nickname from WalterFootball) had him as rated as a fairly high 1st round pick. Brohm took a nose dive on draft day and the Packers picked him up as insurance for Rodgers. Rodgers went on to become a star and Brohm is currently 3rd string for the Buffalo Bills.

My point is, I think we're all (including myself) overreacting to this whole QB situation just a little too much. Put yourself in Elway's shoes. You just took over a team that went 3-13 and was led by a guy who made a ton of questionable decisions, one being the drafting of a QB in the 1st round. Would you put complete confidence in that guy. My guess is no. The Broncos are doing the right thing looking at every available option before coming to a decision on who will be the starter next year and who the future will be.

In a comment Jeremy made in one of the main page articles (it was one of Sayre's I believe) he said that according to his sources, the Broncos plan on drafting a QB who falls to them. They also want to try and regain a pick in the 4th. Now start putting 2 and 2 together. I do not the believe the Broncos will take Newton or Gabbert 2nd overall (at least I hope not). My guess is they will try and gain more picks by either trading back or trading current players on their roster to get them. It will be with one of these picks that the Broncos will select a QB they like that FALLS to them there. No reaching for a QB and no drafting to replace Tebow. If that QB is the best player on their board they will take him.

This isn't my favorite plan of action or one I'm particularly fond of but it's one I won't mind if that's the direction they plan on taking.

I'll end my post with a warning to Fox. If this is the path that is taken, do not play QB carousel. Choose one and stick with him unless he is playing absolutely god-awful. Do not continuously swap between the two every time one makes a bad play or has a bad game. All that will do is stunt the development of both QB's and neither will succeed. Choose one and stick with him through all the growing pains... AND DON'T FORGET TO FIX THE DEFENSE!

Go Broncos... Orange Crush FTW!