New Broncos' QB Brandon Allen shares what he learned playing under Sean McVay in L.A.

During this last head-coach hiring cycle around the NFL, it seemed like anyone who had even a passing encounter with Sean McVay at some point in their career got a job.

That might be a little hyperbolic, but no doubt, NFL owners and GMs were looking to find the next McVay in the last two head-coaching cycles. Two such coaches got head jobs in this past cycle — Matt LaFleur in Green Bay and Zac Taylor in Cincinnati.

It would seem that that same McVay association applies to quarterbacks, too — at least in the eyes of GM John Elway. The Denver Broncos, sitting at No. 10 on the waiver wire this past weekend, put a claim in on former L.A. Rams quarterback Brandon Allen and were awarded the player.

Allen, a fourth-year QB from the University of Arkansas, spent the last two years with McVay in Los Angeles. The Broncos liked Allen for multiple reasons, not least of which was his exposure to McVay's coaching and also his experience in McVay's scheme, which shares the same philosophical foundation as the system currently employed by the Broncos.

On Monday, the Broncos made Allen available to the media. It was his first day at U.C. Health Training Center. One of the burning questions Denver media had for Allen was, what and how much did he pick up from being one of McVay's QB acolytes?

“I think really my knowledge of football in general probably progressed the most," Allen said. "Just being around him and his style of offense and obviously spreading through the league has been helpful for me.”

As a sixth-round pick of the Jacksonville Jaguars back in 2016, Allen is now on his third NFL stop. He's been exposed to a few different NFL offenses but with his first day as a Bronco now under his belt, he can see the similarities in the scheme fundamentals shared with McVay's Rams.

“A lot of the concepts are very similar," Allen said. "Terminology-wise, I just have to learn that, which will be fine. As far as reads and things, I think I’ll be able to pick that up pretty quickly because of the similarities.”

As I wrote on Sunday, getting the verbiage down will be an adjustment but as Allen ruminated, the reads and concepts are dang near identical, which makes it exponentially easier for him to get up to speed.

The Broncos' season-opener is next Monday night vs. the Oakland Raiders. As the only other QB on the roster besides starter Joe Flacco, will that be enough time for Allen to get his bearings and be ready to go?

“It’ll be pretty extreme this next week, but I think it’s not all about learning it all in the first week but it’s about being comfortable with some of the stuff that they might have me do in case that happens," Allen said. "It’ll be a crash course, but obviously taking in it in steps.”

Head coach Vic Fangio, ever the verbose wordsmith, talked about what he liked in Allen's game when he met with the media on Monday.

“We just think he’s a good athlete, throws a good ball," Fangio said. "I like the way he runs an offense, what little I’ve seen of him. We think he’s a good fit. We’ll see.”

Hearing Fangio speak about Allen, it sounds like the impetus of the QB addition was more of a John Elway thing than a Fangio decision. That makes sense, though, as Fangio is a defensive-minded guy and Elway is of course, the GM. I do wonder how much OC Rich Scangarello had a say in the Allen waiver claim.

One would think that after coaching against Allen in the Broncos' fourth preseason game, the QB's performance would have had some effect on Fangio's evaluation of the roster move.

“Not really. Not for me anyway," Fangio said. "I’m sure John [Elway] and his guys watched him closely and were keeping track of him, but not for me.”

Okay. Thanks, coach.

It'll be interesting to see how Brandon Allen acclimates to his new football environs. Although he's been in the league since 2016, he's never seen a regular-season snap, which of course means he brings zero starts to the table. But he's excited to begin a new NFL chapter with the Broncos.

“I’m excited. It’s a great opportunity," Allen said. "Obviously It’s kind of a whirlwind right now getting everything situated and getting in the offense. I’m just going to do my best and prep as best I can this week and get ready.”

If all goes according to plan, fans won't see Allen take the field of play in 2019, unless it's late in the game of a blowout and he gets a few token reps or kneels on the football. With Drew Lock on injured reserve, the Broncos are all-in on Joe Flacco this year.

Follow Chad on Twitter @ChadNJensen and @MileHighHuddle.