Report: Broncos Release QB Jeff Driskel
The Denver Broncos now have an opening in its quarterback room after the team on Monday cut veteran Jeff Driskel from the offseason roster, 9News' Mike Klis reported.
Driskel's departure was inevitable following an uninspiring one-and-done stint with the Broncos. The former Bengals and Lions signal-caller appeared in three games last season, throwing for 432 yards, three touchdowns, and two interceptions on 54.7% passing. He also absorbed a whopping 11 sacks across 115 offensive snaps, including one start — a 28-10 Week 3 loss to the eventual Super Bowl champion Buccaneers.
Driskel inked a two-year, $5 million contract with Denver in March 2020, receiving $2.5 million fully guaranteed with a $1.5 million signing bonus. His release saves the team $2.5 million against the salary cap, leaving behind $750,000 in dead money.
This, the second QB move the Broncos have made under new general manager George Paton. Last Wednesday, on the eve of the 2021 NFL Draft, Paton sent a sixth-round pick to the Carolina Panthers for Teddy Bridgewater. He then eschewed the position entirely during the Draft due to his comfortability with a designed Bridgewater-Drew Lock battle for the starting gig, and Brett Rypien as the backup.
“I like our room right now. I think I said that last night. With [QBs] Teddy [Bridgewater] and Drew [Lock], they’ll have a competition, and that’s what we’ve wanted all along," general manager George Paton told reporters Saturday. "We’ll let them compete. I like the room. Does it mean we won’t continue to look? No, but I say that about every position. I look forward to getting Teddy here, and he and Drew having a great competition.”
"Right now" could prove to be operative words, however. The Broncos, shortly before the Draft kicked off, reportedly engaged the Packers in trade talks for Aaron Rodgers, and while those talks never materialized into a deal, there's league-wide belief the future Hall-of-Famer may force his way out of Green Bay — sooner rather than later.
Circle June 2 on your calendars for Paton's next potential move, when the associated cap hit of trading Rodgers drops from an untenable $31.55 million (pre-June 1) to a palatable $14.352 million.
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