Horse Tracks: Quarterback Brock Osweiler ready to contribute if called on

In the 2012 NFL Draft the Denver Broncos selected former Arizona State Quarterback Brock Osweiler in the second round. The Broncos did this after signing future Hall Of Fame Quarterback Peyton Manning to contract. Broncos General Manager John Elway anointed Osweiler as the "Quarterback Of The Future".

Lets fast forward two years. Peyton Manning has been nothing but impressive for the Broncos, and is coming off the best regular season a Quarterback has ever had. Because of this Osweiler has yet to start a game, and his only regular season action has come in mop up duty. Manning's success has given the Broncos have had the luxury of sitting Osweiler, and letting him learn behind one of the greatest Quarterbacks to ever play the game.

Entering the 2014 season Osweiler has the same role that he possessed the last two year. Osweiler is Quarterback Peyton Manning's primary backup. This means that Osweiler needs to be prepared to step up if Peyton Manning gets injured. So the big question is, is Brock ready? He thinks so.

"One hundred percent. One hundred percent," he said, repeating himself for emphasis. "I really could not be more comfortable with this offense. I could not be more comfortable with playing quarterback in the National Football League. Whenever my time comes, and my chance is given to be the guy in a regular-season game, I will be ready."

So far in Osweiler's career he has totaled 107 career pass yards, a career completition percentage of 65 percent, and has yet to record a touchdown or interception in his career. His most extended action came this past season where he played an entire half against the Oakland Raiders starters. He completed 9 of 13 passes, but only totaled 85 yards, and he was sacked twice.

"There's still certain plays that I can vividly remember, where if that same situation happened in another game, I won't make that same mistake, and we will have a completion, or we will have a first down, or whatever that situation may be,"

Osweiler has used this limited action to help improve himself this offseason. He sat down with Offensive Coordinator Adam Gase, and Quarterbacks Coach Greg Knapp and studied tape to help improve his pre-snap reads.

"Instead of seeing the entire defense, you're closing in your vision on just a couple of keys, which gets your progression and where you take the football moving faster. The biggest growth that I've had this spring would be mentally. Mentally deleting decisions pre-snap by understanding what the coverage is, what our play is designed to do, and I think that's something that kind of comes with just being in the offense for two full years now, going on three."

During the Broncos spring OTA and Minicamp practices this offseason Brock has had his ups and downs, but has flashed his potential on a few plays. Andrew Mason notes a practice on June 16th when Brock hit back to back deep passes where he placed the ball perfectly. On one pass he hit tight end Jacob Tamme in tight coverage, and in the other play he hit rookie wide receiver Cody Latimer in back corner of the end zone.

Practices like this has the Broncos coaches excited about the develop of their young Quarterback.

Horse Tracks:

• A revised settlement in concussion suit against the NFL has been reached.
• Former Kansas City Chief cornerback Brandon Flowers has revenge on his mind.
• Former Denver Broncos tight end Shannon Sharpe thinks tight end Jimmy Graham should be the first tight end to make $10 million dollars.
• Hall Of Fame Quarterback Joe Montana has a message for Quarterbacks Peyton Manning and Tom Brady.
• NFL Networks Chris Wesseling ranks the tight ends in the NFL right now. Where does the Broncos Julius Thomas rank?
• The Green Bay Packers appear the lessening the amount of carries running back Eddie Lacy gets in the 2014 season.