Kyle Orton Joins The Broncos

As we bid farewell to Jay Cutler, we welcome Kyle Orton to Colorado. Orton was supposed to play for CU in 2000 before going back on his commitment to play for Purdue. Last season, Orton had 18 TDs, 12 INTs, and 2,972 yards in 15 games as a started. Overall, he has a 21-12 record as a starter (Cutler was 17-20 in all games played). Josh McDaniels said this about his new QB:

"“I think you might be underrating Kyle’s ability. I think Kyle has good ability. He’s 21-12 as a starter. To me that’s the most important statistic in football. It represents how he affects his team. This guy has been productive. He does a lot of things well. He’s smart, he’s accurate. He’s a very competitive player, he’s tough and he’s a great teammate, and we’re looking forward to adding him to our roster” (Denver Post)."

There are no guarantees that Orton will be starting for the Broncos. He will probably battle it out with Chris Simms and possibly another QB that they could acquire in the draft. Now, with two first round picks, I hope the Broncos stack their defense. I don’t want to see them pick up another QB in the first round. That doesn’t make much sense. Let’s see what McDaniels can do with a guy like Kyle Orton. We already saw what he did with Matt Cassel. Between Orton and Simms, I’m sure we’ll find a descent starter to connect with our talented receiving core.  

For a 26 year old QB, he’s got quite a bit of experience under his belt. He’s received a lot of playing time, and has even been to a Super Bowl. He will be able to relate to some of the younger guys on the team as well. If nothing else, he’ll be a great presence in the locker room. I know, I know. We didn’t trade Cutler to get a great presence in the locker room. But who knows what that locker room would’ve been like had Cutler stayed.

Chime in, Broncos fans. What do you think about the big trade?