Orton Out? In With Quinn?

I usually do a link dump on Tuesdays, but there’s obviously more important business to talk about. I thought Sunday was a rest day, but not for the Broncos. They traded fan favorite, Peyton Hillis, and a couple of future draft picks for Brady Quinn.

Is it out with Orton and in with Quinn? That’s certainly the hope for Josh McDaniels. The starting job is up for grabs in 2010, but I’m sure Orton won’t be finishing the season as the starter. McD is now working with QBs who are at opposite ends of the spectrum. Orton, the game manager, isn’t afraid to take a sack for a big loss in lieu of throwing an off balance errant pass. Nor is he afraid to throw a 5 yard dump off pass on 3rd and 15. Quinn on the other hand let’s it rip. He’s got a stronger arm than Orton and he’ll heave passes 50 yards into double coverage. McD has an angel on one should and the devil on the other, and I’m not so sure that either one is the right call.

I’ve let the trade settle into my brain over the past couple of days, but I’m still not happy with it. Some fans are more upset that the Broncos let Hillis go. I don’t care about that. I care about who was brought on board to help at the QB position. Hillis was a good back. He impressed me in ’08 with his 5 yards per carry, and I was bummed McD didn’t utilize him last year. However, he’s not the second coming. I believe Knowshon Moreno will be much improved from last year, and we can find another good fullback who is a better blocker than Hillis. 

Brady Quinn has never impressed me. He had a great run in college at Notre Dame, but as we all know, a successful college QB doesn’t translate into a winner at the pro level. Keep your eyes out for Tim Tebow now that he’s off of Gator turf. I think he’s a great QB for the college game, but that’s all. He will be in the same boat as Quinn was. He’ll be drafted by a losing/rebuilding team and be expected to perform before developing into a QB fit for the professional level. 

Josh McDaniels sees Brady Quinn as a winner. However, coming from the Browns, Quinn never even won the starting job with the team. The Browns were a bad team too. Quinn got the call to duty after Derek Anderson injured himself in 2008. As a Brown, Quinn led his team to a 4-10 record. I guess it’s really time for McD to work his magic on this kid. The good part about the trade is that we still have two veteran QBs on the roster for a very low cost. We could still trade up and select a QB in the first round of the draft in addition to someone who will help our defense. I’m in favor of that idea as long as it doesn’t mean getting rid of Brandon Marshall.

Another thing to think about is the tie between McDaniels, Quinn, Matt Cassel, and Charlie Weis. Mc D really wanted Cassel last year. Charlie Weis is the new offensive coordinator for the Chiefs, and Weis loves Brady Quinn. A high profile AFC West trade might be possible in the years to come.

Chime in fans. What’s your verdict in last weekend’s trade? Leave a comment below.