Projecting Broncos' New Quarterback Room for 2022

What's the new QB room look like with Russell Wilson at the top?

Author:
Erick Trickel
Publish date:
May 17, 2022 1:01 PM EDT

The Denver Broncos no longer have a need for a quarterback competition in training camp. The Broncos and their fans can focus elsewhere as they have their starting quarterback. If there is a competition at the quarterback position, it's for the backup job.

After projecting the offensive line, where there is plenty of competition, it's nice to take a step back and cover a few positions with little question of who starts. Not only do we get to quarterbacks here, but also the three special teams positions.

Starter: Russell Wilson

Is there anything else that needs to be said? George Paton, Nathaniel Hackett, and the whole organization made the big trade to get a franchise quarterback. It's a position that doesn't need to be worried about or fought over for the next few years.

The Broncos have a clear starting quarterback, and life is good.

Backup: Josh Johnson

For the backup quarterback job, there may be a competition. That is between Johnson and Brett Rypien. The loser here will likely find themselves as the third quarterback or even out of a roster spot.

The expectation is for the veteran Johnson to win the job, which would keep Rypien in the spot he has been in most of his career so far — a practice squad/fringe guy.

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Third String/Practice Squad

There could be a scenario where the coaching staff doesn't want to keep a third quarterback on the roster, which would land Rypien on the practice squad if he cleared waivers. When building the 53-man roster, it's a scenario the coaching staff will have to balance out.

There is also a chance the Broncos could look elsewhere for a practice squad quarterback if they keep Rypien on the roster. Eric Barriere was invited to the rookie mini-camp, but the Broncos haven't signed him at the time of writing this.

There could be multiple reasons, including figuring out which non-QB player to cut in order to fit a fourth quarterback on the 90-man roster. There are three quarterbacks on the roster as things stand now, and the odds are they all make the roster.

What about special teams?

Kicker: Brandon McManus

McManus gets a lot of vitriol from fans, but he is one of the better kickers in the NFL. Denver could do a lot worse and have a constant rotation at kicker as some teams are dealing with.

However, McManus has no competition right now, and he is likely to make the roster.

Punter: Sam Martin

The only position on special teams that has competition. Martin is expected to win the job, but Corliss Waitman does have a chance to take it. There can't be a significant drop in performance from Martin to Waitman for it to happen. Not enough of a drop to make the cost differential worth it.

Martin will count just over $2.7 million against the salary cap, but the Broncos can let him go and save $2.25 million against the cap. Meanwhile, Waitman's cost is only $825K. Both are under contract for 2022 and not beyond.

So if Waitman can show enough, the cost of Martin will be enough to make the change. With Wilson in town, the Broncos have to start looking at cost-cutting where they can, and punter may be one of them.