Tag: backup quarterback

Jeff Driskel already helping Broncos QB Drew Lock

Broncos QB Jeff Driskel sent his shoulder and arm workout routine to Drew Lock to help the second-year QB stay in shape during isolation.

After backup quarterback Jeff Driskel agreed to sign with the Broncos, he quickly heard from Drew Lock, the team’s starting quarterback.

“He actually reached out to me right when I had signed which I thought was really classy and just a really cool kind of ice breaker to get to know each other just a little bit as much as you can over the phone of text or whatever,” Driskel said during a conference call with reporters on March 26. “I don’t know much about him except I’ve seen him play a few times. I know he’s a really good player with a lot of upside.”

Driskel is a competitive player but he understands his role with the team. His job is to help Lock prepare — and to be ready himself if called upon.

“I’m looking forward to working with him and helping him out in any way I can — not just helping him, but helping all my teammates and doing whatever I can to help our organization win games,” Driskel said.

Though they haven’t been able to work together at the team’s facility yet, Driskel has already found a way to help Lock prepare for the 2020 season.

“Jeff sent me some of his workouts, some of his shoulder [and] arm stuff that he uses to stay in shape,” Lock said in a recent interview with Phil Milani of the team’s official website. “I’m starting to do a little bit of that.”

Driskel certainly appears to be off to a good start with his new teammate.

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Jeff Driskel should be a good fit as a backup QB with Broncos

“I’ve heard so many good things about the organization,” Broncos new backup quarterback Jef Driskel said.

Broncos quarterback Drew Lock has the ability to run around and keep plays alive with his legs, something that is frustrating for defenses to defend against. With a mobile starting QB, Denver wanted to bring in an athletic veteran to serve as his backup.

Jeff Driskel was a good fit — and the feeling was mutual.

“Going into free agency, you never really know where you might end up,” Driskel said during a conference call with reporters on March 26. “It’s a matter of a fit with the team and a fit with yourself. I kind of identified Denver early on in the process as one of — if not my — target destination just because I’ve heard so many good things about the organization.

“The culture, then the quarterback room with Drew and coach [Pat] Shurmur — just kind of seeing how he worked with Daniel [Jones] last year and all of the improvement that he had. I just felt like it was a really good fit for myself and for the team. I’m just looking forward to getting out there.”

Driskel served as a backup with the Lions last year and he started three games as an injury fill-in. He rushed 22 times for 151 yards and a touchdown in those contests and threw for 685 yards and four touchdowns. Driskel signed with the Broncos last month.

Denver hope that Lock will be able to stay healthy for the entire season, but if he doesn’t, Driskel should be a serviceable replacement with a similar playing style.

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Touchdown Wire says Broncos should look into Jameis Winston

Should the Broncos consider Jameis Winston as a potential backup quarterback?

After landing Tom Brady, the Buccaneers are not expected to bring back Jameis Winston, who became an unrestricted free agent last week.

Touchdown Wire’s Michael Colangelo recently put together a list of five teams that should look into signing Winston and the Broncos are the first team he mentions.

“The Broncos just let go of Joe Flacco,” Colangelo wrote. “Their current veteran backup is Jeff Driskel. If the Broncos want to be competitive all year, they need to have insurance for Drew Lock. Yes, Lock is the future in Denver, but he has an extremely small sample size.”

As Colangelo noted, Denver already has a veteran backup in Driskel. It’s hard to imagine the team bringing in a high-profile backup like Winston when the team wants to build around Lock and have him lead the team in 2020 (and hopefully well beyond that).

With a high-profile backup like Winston, some fans might be quick to call for Lock to be benched if he has some struggles in Year 2. If the Broncos want Lock to start a full 16-game season, having a potential QB controversy wouldn’t help the chances of Lock getting through the year.

To view Touchdown Wire’s complete list of fits for Winston, click here.

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Panthers win race to XFL QB P.J. Walker

The Panthers are expected to sign former XFL quarterback P.J. Walker.

Former Houston Roughnecks quarterback P.J. Walker is expected to sign with the Carolina Panthers, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

Walker (6-0, 207 pounds) led the XFL in passing yards (1,338) and passing touchdowns (15) this spring. He led the Roughnecks to a 5-0 record before the league closed down due to coronavirus concerns.

Earlier this offseason, the Broncos, Seahawks and Cardinals all reached out to Houston’s XFL team to inquire about the 25-year-old quarterback.

Carolina beat those three teams in the race to Walker. He will likely compete for the Panthers’ backup job behind starter Teddy Bridgewater.

Walker broke Temple’s records for passing yards (10,668) and passing touchdowns (74) during his time at the school and he helped the Owls reach back-to-back bowl games for the first time in the school’s history.

After an accomplished career at Temple, Walker signed with the Colts as a college free agent in 2017. He spent his first two seasons in the NFL on Indianapolis’ practice squad before being cut by the Colts last September.

After being let go by Indy, Walker entered the XFL draft in October and was added to the Roughnecks’ roster. He was the most exciting player in the XFL through five games, posting a 104.4 passer rating.

In Denver, the Broncos plan to start Drew Lock in 2020 with newly signed veteran Jeff Driskel serving as his backup.

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NFL teams can begin signing XFL players on Monday

NFL teams will be allowed to start signing XFL players on Monday.

After the XFL announced that the remainder of the 2020 season has officially been canceled, the NFL announced that teams may begin signing XFL players on Monday, March 23 at 7:00 a.m. MT, according to ESPN’s Kevin Seifert.

Houston Roughnecks quarterback P.J. Walker will likely be one of the most coveted prospects from the XFL. The Denver Broncos, Seattle Seahawks and Arizona Cardinals have already reached out to the Roughnecks to inquire about the 25-year-old quarterback.

Walker led the XFL in passing yards (1,338) and passing touchdowns (15) this spring. Houston started the year 5-0 before the league closed down due to coronavirus concerns. Walker spent two years on the Indianapolis Colts’ practice squad before joining the XFL draft last October.

Several former Broncos players who suited up for the XFL will be hoping to make it back to the NFL, including linebacker Steven Johnson. One of the most notable ex-Denver players who will become available is punter Marquette King, who showed off his powerful leg in the XFL.

To view the complete list of ex-Broncos who were in the XFL, click here.

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What are the odds of the Broncos landing Cam Newton?

The Broncos are the sixth-most likely NFL team to land Cam Newton, according to oddsmakers.

The Carolina Panthers would like to trade quarterback Cam Newton after agreeing to terms with quarterback Teddy Bridgewater.

If the Panthers are unable to find a trade partner for Newton, the team might be forced to release him. Regardless of whether it’s through a trade or by being cut and signed by a new team, Newton appears poised to change uniforms this offseason.

The Denver Broncos are considered the sixth-most likely NFL team to land Newton, according to odds from BetMGM. The Broncos have +2000 (20/1) odds to land Newton. Here are the eight teams considered the favorites:

1. Washington Redskins +125
2. New England Patriots +170
3. Miami Dolphins +300
4. Jacksonville Jaguars +900
5. Las Vegas Raiders +1000
6. Denver Broncos +2000
7. Pittsburgh Steelers +3300
8. Cincinnati Bengals +5000

A $100 bet on Denver landing Newton would result in a $2,000 payout if the Broncos do end up acquiring the former NFL MVP. Even with such a large potential payout, though, we wouldn’t recommend taking that bet.

Denver plans to start Drew Lock and the team has already agreed to terms with Jeff Driskel to serve as his backup. The Broncos waived Joe Flacco and the team doesn’t appear interested in bringing in another veteran. Lock and Driskel are the safest bets to be QBs Nos. 1-2 in 2020.

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Broncos reached out to Houston’s XFL team about QB P.J. Walker

The Denver Broncos reached out to the Houston Roughnecks to inquire about star XFL quarterback P.J. Walker.

The Denver Broncos reached out to the Houston Roughnecks to inquire about star XFL quarterback P.J. Walker, according to ESPN’s Stefano Fusaro. The Broncos are likely doing their due diligence on Walker as a potential backup quarterback candidate.

Walker (6-0, 207 pounds) led the XFL in passing yards (1,338) and passing touchdowns (15) this spring. He led the Roughnecks to a 5-0 record before the league closed down due to coronavirus concerns.

After breaking nearly all of Temple’s major passing records in college, Walker signed with the Colts as an undrafted free agent in 2017. He spent two seasons on Indianapolis’ practice squad before entering the XFL’s draft last October.

The NFL has not yet given teams permission to sign XFL players because those players are still under contract with the upstart league. Once the NFL grants permission, Walker will likely be one a coveted target.

Denver waived Joe Flacco on Thursday and the team plans to start Drew Lock this season with Jeff Driskel serving as his backup. Walker might be a candidate to either serve as the No. 3 QB or compete with Driskel for backup duties.

Last year, Broncos general manager John Elway signed two standouts from the Alliance of American Football: cornerback De’Vante Bausby and nose tackle Mike Purcell. Denver plans to bring back both players in 2020.

Bausby was given a one-year contract and Purcell received a second-round tender. Other teams will be allowed to negotiate with Purcell but the Broncos will have the option to match any offer he receives. If a team makes him an offer that Denver doesn’t match, that team would have to give up a second-round pick for Purcell.

The Broncos’ willingness to give opportunities to a pair of AAF players might be a sign that the team would be willing to do the same with an XFL player. Walker is an intriguing QB for fans to keep an eye on.

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POLL: Was signing Jeff Driskel a good move for Broncos?

Did the Broncos make a good decision to sign Jeff Driskel as their new backup quarterback?

The Denver Broncos made a change to their quarterback room this week, bringing in Jeff Driskel to serve as the new backup quarterback. With Driskel now backing up Drew Lock, Denver is expected to trade or release veteran Joe Flacco later this week.

Driskel is a 26-year-old quarterback with four years of experience in the NFL. Terms of his contract with the Broncos are not yet known but he will undoubtedly be much cheaper than Flacco’s $23.65 million cap hit in 2020.

Driskel started five games for the Cincinnati Bengals in 2018 and three games for the Detroit Lions in 2019. He has a 1-7 win-loss record in the NFL. With the Bengals, Driskel completed 59.7 percent of his passes 1,003 for six touchdown passes against two interceptions.

With the Lions, Driskel completed 59 percent of his passes for 685 yards with four touchdowns against four interceptions. He has also rushed 47 times for 281 yards and three touchdowns in the NFL.

Was he a good signing for Denver? We want to know your take! Share your opinion by voting in the poll below: 

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Check out these college highlights of new Broncos backup QB Jeff Driskel

Check out these college highlights of new Broncos backup quarterback Jeff Driskel!

The Denver Broncos have agreed to terms on a two-year deal with Jeff Driskel, paving the way for him to become their new backup quarterback. That means that Joe Flacco will likely be gone by the end of the week.

Here are some highlights from Driskel’s senior season at Louisiana Tech:

After transferring from Flordia, Driskel had a breakout season at La. Tech, completing 62.3 percent of his passes for 4,026 yards with 27 touchdowns against eight interceptions. He also rushed 92 times for 323 yards and five scores on the ground.

Driskel has spent time with three different teams in the NFL and has earned eight starts as an injury fill-in. Making appearances for the Cinncinati Bengals and Detroit Lions over the last two years, Driskel has completed 59.4 percent of his passes for 1,688 yards as a pro.

Driskel has thrown 10 touchdown passes and six interceptions in the NFL. He has also rushed 27 times for 168 yards and three more scores.

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Report: Broncos had interest in AJ McCarron before he signed with Texans

Before agreeing to terms with Jeff Driskel, the Broncos were interested in Texans backup AJ McCarron.

Before the Denver Broncos agreed to terms with quarterback Jeff Driskel on a two-year deal, the team had interest in Houston Texans backup AJ McCarron, according to a report from KUSA-TV’s Mike Klis.

McCarron ultimately decided to re-sign with Houston with a one-year, $4 million contract and Denver turned its attention toward Driskel.

McCarron (6-3, 215 pounds) entered the league as a fifth-round pick out of Alabama with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2014. After spending the first four years of his career in Cincinnati, McCarron went on to spend time with the Buffalo Bills and Oakland (now Las Vegas) Raiders before joining the Texans last year. He has started in four games in his career.

The Broncos were rumored to be interested in McCarron back in 2017 but general manager John Elway denied that interest at the time. There’s no denying that Denver had genuine interest this time around but the two sides weren’t able to get a deal done.

After landing Driskel, the Broncos are expected to trade or release quarterback Joe Flacco later this week.

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