While you were sleeping, the Denver Broncos made a move to bring back third-string quarterback Sam Ehlinger.
The move was initially reported by Jordan Schultz and confirmed by multiple sources after the fact. The Broncos' decision to bring back Ehlinger on a one-year deal rewards a player who did the team quite a few favors last season, jumping up and down from the practice squad to the 53-man roster. It also rewards a player who stuck with the Broncos despite opportunities to leave and potentially play elsewhere in 2026.
Could Ehlinger's return be a precursor to a surprise Jarrett Stidham trade?
Broncos re-signing Sam Ehlinger puts Jarrett Stidham trade on the table
One more at the Sunday night buzzer: The #Broncos are re-signing QB Sam Ehlinger on a one-year, $2 million deal, source confirms (@Schultz_Report on it).
— Luca Evans (@bylucaevans) March 9, 2026
Denver gets a steady QB3 back and rewards Ehlinger for loyalty in ‘25.
The Broncos' decision to retain Ehlinger is not surprising in the slightest. The team really likes him and values what he brings to the room beyond just having another body at the quarterback position.
Ehlinger was signed by the Broncos last offseason to replace the departed Zach Wilson in free agency, and now you have to wonder if he could be getting brought back to be the new QB2 in Denver behind Bo Nix.
That would require the team to move on from current QB2 Jarrett Stidham, who is once again entering the last year of his contract with the team. Stidham started for the Broncos in the AFC Championship Game and made some nice throws before the weather became impossible to navigate, and he also made some great throws in the 2025 preseason.
Stidham has starting experience, he's 29 going on 30 in August, and would be a really inexpensive pickup for a team looking for a bridge starter, or even someone to come in and push their incumbent starter if they're not satisfied at the position.
Stidham's experience and value to a quarterback room will be recognized by a number of teams around the league, and at this point in his career, he deserves a chance to start somewhere. He views himself as a full-time starter, and while the Broncos could certainly hang onto him, if the right opportunity presents itself, they might take whatever draft capital is being offered and trade him to a situation where he could play.
If the Broncos would decide to trade Stidham, it would be interesting to see if they'd just roll with someone like Ehlinger as QB2, or if they might entertain the possibility to bringing back someone like Zach Wilson, who enjoyed his lone season in Denver as the third quarterback.
This is not a major concern for the team, but something to watch for this offseason.