Broncos minicamp just revealed the most unexpected quarterback development

With the Denver Broncos now wrapping up minicamp, another milestone of the 2026 offseason has come and gone. Training camp is going to take place in late July, so it'll be, roughly, another five-ish weeks before we see the team gather together for practices.

The Broncos have accomplished a lot this offseason, but a strong offseason is far from a guarantee to spill into the regular season. Sure, adding Jaylen Waddle was great, but that doesn't mean he'll produce how the team expects.

Anyway, there have been some solid developments emerging from minicamp. Waddle himself has definitely been a winner, but the last day of minicamp brought what could end up being a very unexpected development at the quarterback position.

Denver Broncos could have a legitimate competition for the QB2 role in 2026

From Luca Evans' perspective, the last point he makes indicates that there could be a 'real QB2 battle' between Stidham and Ehlinger:

And this most definitely is not just bluster, as Sean Payton himself previously complimented Ehlinger recently:

This is clearly something. Ehlinger is now in his second year with the team and spent the 2025 season as the team's emergency quarterback. Obviously, when Bo Nix went down with a broken ankle, Stidham got the start in the AFC Championship Game.

Stidham has been the team's backup quarterback ever since Payton arrived back in 2023. He's been regarded as one of the more reliable backups in the NFL and has surely provided a positive familiar face for Nix in the quarterback room.

But it's clear that the room, as it is currently structured, might not be how it looks in 2026. Where Ehlinger can 'win' over Stidham is with his mobility. Stidham isn't a statue, but Ehlinger is definitely a bit more wiley with his legs.

This also lines up with how Nix is as a passer - when the team went from Nix in the Divisional Round to Stidham in the AFC title game, the dropoff in mobility was obvious. Sure, this wouldn't be the only reason why the Broncos could end up rocking with Ehlinger as the QB2, but it's an advantage to note.

Stidham has one year left on his contract, and the Broncos could potentially seek to trade him of Ehlinger does emerge enough this offseason. In this scenario, the Broncos would save $6.5 million on their cap number for 2026, which is rather significant for a backup quarterback.

We still have a long way to go before this type of decision would have to be made, but it could be a major one. A backup like Stidham now approaching year four with the same team and in the same role is rather uncommon. Backup quarterbacks are definitely changing teams rather frequently, so Stidham's residency in Denver is clearly something the team has valued all these years.

But if Ehlinger does end up looking better than Stidham, especially when training camp rolls around, the Broncos would absolutely have a major move on their hands.

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