Denver Broncos: 4 options for a quarantine QB in 2020

Identifying a quarantine QB

How do you go about picking a quarantine QB for 2020?

Does it have to be a seasoned veteran? Do they have to be stashed on the active roster? Is young preferable to old?

Some of that is subjective, some of it isn’t.

The Denver Broncos, and every NFL team in 2020 for that matter, have specific roster exceptions for the 2020 season that they would not otherwise have.

Most notably, practice squads are being increased from the previous increase of 12 to 16 players. Not only that, but four of those practice squad players can be protected from signing with other teams each week and six of them can be vested NFL veterans, meaning a player like Josh McCown — who has been in the NFL since 2002 — could be signed to a practice squad in 2020.

So, the answer to the question do they have to be stashed on the active roster? is no, they do not.

They certainly can be, but then that player who is presumably not at the facility will count against your 53 instead of being 1/69 who is not consistently around the team and the facility.

The other option besides having a player who isn’t at the facility is just simply putting the practice squad or a group of players on a different field and in a different part of the locker room. NFL teams are smart enough to figure something out.

If I were John Elway, here are some things I would be looking for in a possible quarantine QB.

• Upside
• Younger
• Willing to be a practice squad player

The Drew Stantons and even Josh McCowns of the NFL free agent world aren’t overly thrilling options, and there’s no guarantee guys like that would even agree to come on as practice squad players in the first place.

McCown signed on out of retirement with the Philadelphia Eagles last year for $2 million. Practice squad players ain’t making $2 million.

Even if it’s not about the money, a player like McCown is far more valuable around the locker room than away from the facility.

I would be seeking a younger player (in the 30-ish range or less) with some significant Wild Card upside if the Broncos actually had to use them in a game. This means I’d be looking to identify standout traits like a big arm and big athleticism (see: Jeff Driskel) along with a player who would be willing to be stashed on the practice squad.

This year’s practice squad rules also allow for temporary call-ups to the active roster and teams can promote practice squad players twice without having to subject them to waivers before re-adding them to the practice squad.

These rule stipulations almost make having a fourth quarterback a no-brainer for most if not all teams.

The question is — can your team find that diamond in the rough? The Broncos certainly have to consider a player’s ability to learn and operate Pat Shurmur’s offense from a distance, but the current quarterbacks had to do that this offseason anyway.

Mike Klis named off a bunch of quarterbacks in his recent column about the potential of a 4th QB entering the fray for Denver, including some names that could actually be very intriguing and some that simply don’t move the needle for me.

In addition to some names that may appear on Klis’ list, I want to give you my top four options for the Broncos’ quarantine QB position for 2020.