Denver Broncos

Things look pretty bleak for the Denver Broncos going into Sunday's game against the New Orleans Saints.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported all three quarterbacks on the Broncos roster (Drew Lock, Brett Rypien and Blake Bortles) are ineligible for the contest because they were "deemed high-risk, close contacts." Schefter noted that "none were wearing masks at the time of exposure."

That will clearly have an impact for fantasy players as well.

James Palmer of NFL Network reported running back Royce Freeman was on the radar as the emergency quarterback, which seemed to open up intriguing possibilities for players looking to steal points from the flex position.

Freeman is not usually a fantasy option behind Melvin Gordon and Phillip Lindsay, but the idea that he could work in Wildcat sets or even throw a few passes is an interesting one and could make him worthy of a waiver-wire addition.

Much like those who were fortunate enough to insert Saints quarterback Taysom Hill at tight end last week, Freeman could put up solid points as a quarterback for another position in someone's fantasy lineup.

However, don't rush to do that just yet.

Mike Klis of 9News reported Kendall Hinton, who is on the practice squad as a wide receiver but played quarterback at Wake Forest, was an option. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network then reported Hinton will play in Sunday's contest.

That means Freeman isn't the best idea for fantasy players.

Hinton would be a better option for those who are desperate for a quarterback, but even that is likely too risky of a move. He was on the practice squad as a wide receiver for a reason, and it is unrealistic to expect a big day under center.

It is also probably wise to keep Jerry Jeudy and other wide receivers on the bench for Sunday's game even if the Alabama product tweeted "Guess ima have to get my Lamar Jackson on."

While the rookie wide receiver is a promising playmaker, he's probably not going to put up many points given the quarterback situation. Look elsewhere for at least a week.

The two active quarterbacks on the Denver Broncos roster have been declared ineligible for Sunday's contest against the New Orleans Saints.

Statement from the Broncos: pic.twitter.com/HDgIV3l1y8

— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) November 29, 2020

ESPN's Adam Schefter first reported the news on Saturday.

Broncos will not be forfeiting, per source.

Short of luring GM John Elway out of retirement, it sets up as the most unexpected NFL scene of 2020. Broncos have no QBs for a game against the Saints. https://t.co/ig4knEI9vQ

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 28, 2020

Drew Lock and Brett Rypien have been deemed "high-risk, close contacts" and will be unable to play. ESPN's Jeff Legwold reported that Denver sent the two home from practice Saturday—along with practice squad QB Blake Bortles—out of caution.

Mike Klis of 9News reported third-string running back Royce Freeman is the team's emergency quarterback.

#Broncos WR Kendall Hinton will play plenty at QB tomorrow, source said. 2020! He did play QB for a few years at Wake Forest.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 28, 2020

The Broncos added quarterback Jeff Driskel to the team's reserve/COVID-19 list Thursday, ruling him out for the game as well.

A positive test within the organization prompted Denver to shut down its team facilities from Thursday to Saturday. The Broncos canceled practice Friday despite getting clearance from the league.

"It was our choice, my choice, to not practice [Friday]," head coach Vic Fangio said, per Legwold."I just felt having two consecutive days with a positive test each day, that I just felt like we needed to not practice."

Fangio was hopeful the league would clear the remaining active QBs, telling reporters he didn't have concerns because the players hadn't experience prolonged contact with each other. That's now moot.

Schefter noted the Saints are en route to Denver and are acting as though the game will be played Sunday. Kickoff is slated for 4:05 p.m. ET.

Garett Bolles will continue to anchor the Denver Broncos offensive line for years to come after agreeing to a contract extension on Saturday.  

The Broncos announced a four-year extension with the 28-year-old that ties him with the team through the 2024 season. 

Per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Bolles' deal is worth $68 million over four years. The total value of the deal makes him the sixth-highest paid left tackle in the NFL, while his $17 million average annual salary ranks fourth at the position, per Over The Cap. 

Bolles was Denver's first-round draft pick (No. 20 overall) in 2017. He was set to become a free agent at the end of this season after the team declined the fifth-year contract option on his rookie contract in May. 

One potential reason the Broncos decided not to guarantee his fifth year was because general manager John Elway publicly criticized Bolles for his propensity to draw holding penalties. 

"Well, it's got to stop. Period," Elway said during a September 2019 appearance on KOA NewsRadio (h/t ESPN.com's Jeff Legwold). "There are no more excuses for it. He's had 26 holding penalties in the last two years and two games, so it's got to stop. The bottom line is if he thinks he's getting singled out, he is."

Per Pro Football Focus, Bolles has played the most pass-blocking snaps without allowing a sack through Week 11 (409).

Bolles has been a staple of Denver's offense since his rookie season. The Utah alum has started 58 straight games since Week 1 in 2017. He's a stabilizing presence on the left side of the offensive line no matter who is playing quarterback. 

The Denver Broncos shut down their team facility Friday after two staff members tested positive for COVID-19.

According to ESPN's Jeff Legwold, Friday's practice was canceled as a result, and the team will instead meet virtually.

Legwold also noted that the two positive tests are in addition to quarterback Jeff Driskel's move to the reserve/COVID-19 list Thursday, although it is unclear if Driskel tested positive or was in close contact with someone who did.

The Broncos are scheduled to host the New Orleans Saints on Sunday at 4:05 p.m. ET.

Per Legwold, Broncos head coach Vic Fangio said the following when asked if he was concerned about other players potentially landing on the reserve/COVID-19 list after Driskel did:

"No, the other quarterbacks were only on there minimal amounts [as contact traces with Driskel], like two minutes and some seconds, four minutes. That's over a three- or four-day period. They thoroughly checked those guys that were on the two minutes, three minutes, four minutes, and they came back and said nobody else needs to go on the list and they cleared us to have normal activities and normal practice [Thursday]."

Since both the Broncos and Saints have already had their bye weeks, the NFL can ill afford for that game to get pushed back outside of Week 12. Denver also already had a game get postponed earlier this season because of COVID-19 when its scheduled Week 5 game against the New England Patriots was moved to Week 6.

The NFL was already forced to do some schedule shuffling this week, as the game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens set for Thanksgiving night was moved to Sunday after multiple positive COVID-19 tests within the Ravens organization.

If it is determined that the Broncos and Saints can't play Sunday, it is possible their game could be moved to Monday or Tuesday, which is something that has happened on a couple of occasions this season.

Failing that, the league would perhaps be forced to add an 18th week to the season or to cancel the game, which would trigger the contingency plan of allowing eight playoff teams in each conference rather than seven because of an uneven amount of games played between all 32 teams.

Provided the game does happen Sunday, 8-2 New Orleans will enter as the favorite after Taysom Hill led the Saints to a 24-9 victory over the Atlanta Falcons last week in his first career NFL start at quarterback.

Meanwhile, the 4-6 Broncos are coming off a big upset win over the Miami Dolphins, and they are in the midst of a 4-3 run after starting the season 0-3.

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Fool me six times, and now you're entering John Elway territory. 

Since Elway took over as the Denver Broncos general manager and executive vice president of football operations in 2012, the Hall of Fame quarterback has drafted six prospects who played his old position, and all of them have failed to live up to expectations. 

Drew Lock looked like the perfect opportunity to break the cycle. However, the second-year signal-caller hasn't fulfilled the prophecy set before him prior to the start of the 2020 campaign. 

"This guy is a f--king rock star," the Broncos' eight-time Pro Bowler and former Super Bowl MVP Von Miller told Bleacher Report's Kalyn Kahler. "When he was at practice, he would roll out and he would throw the ball and I'm like, 'Bro, when he finally gets it...' He has this star-quarterback glow around him, on top of this rock-star, Post Malone musician-like glow about him."

A different song is being sung now with the Broncos possibly peeking toward yet another draft prospect next spring. 

"Could the Denver Broncos be looking for a new quarterback? Yes, according to one scouting source," B/R's Matt Miller reported earlier this week. "The team isn't set on Drew Lock and knows that if he doesn't show improvement this year, it has to be open to selecting a first-rounder at the position if it is able to add an elite prospect."

Currently, Denver would own the 11th overall selection if the 2021 NFL draft were held today, according to Tankathon. The organization is well within range to consider another quarterback prospect if one of the top four options—Clemson's Trevor Lawrence, Ohio State's Justin Fields, North Dakota State's Trey Lance and BYU's Zach Wilson—is available when the Broncos are on the clock. 

Let's think back a moment and realize Lock fell to the second round of the 2019 class for a reason. The Broncos stopped his slide after trading up for the 42nd overall pick. What everyone saw at the time was a quarterback who played exceptionally well as a junior at Missouri and possessed terrific natural throwing ability, but his production declined during his final season on campus. 

In 2017, Lock set a then-SEC record with 44 touchdown passes. The Tigers attempted to add more pro-style elements to the offensive scheme when then-head coach Barry Odom hired Derek Dooley, previously on the Dallas Cowboys staff, to take over as coordinator. In some ways, Lock became more efficient, yet the offense wasn't as potent. 

Consistency, or lack thereof, became a huge part of his evaluation. 

"Inside of each game, Lock makes reads and throws that are worthy of an early pick. There will also be plays in the same game that highlight his random inaccuracy and issues defeating pocket pressure," NFL.com's Lance Zierlein wrote prior to the draft. "He has as much pure talent as any quarterback from the 2018 draft, but he won't reach that lofty potential unless he improves his accuracy and learns to play with better in-game presence."

Then, Lock's rookie campaign happened, and many seemingly forgot about the concerns with his game. The Broncos finished 4-1 with the first-year quarterback under center, and he posted a seven-to-three touchdown-to-interception ratio. 

From there, expectations escalated despite a small sample size, especially after the Broncos spent the majority of their offseason adding parts to the offense to better support the signal-caller. 

"If anything, all I learned is how do we get them in the best situation for young QBs to be successful," Elway told Kahler with regard to how this time could be different compared to the franchise's previous quarterback investments. "Because if you win, then things are going to be good. When you lose is when the world caves in. If we can get good people around him and play good defense, then he has a better chance to be successful."

To be fair, Lock's current standing has nothing to do with the Paxton Lynch and Brock Osweiler failures. They clearly didn't have the necessary skills to play at a high level. Obviously, middle- and late-round draft picks such as Chad Kelly, Trevor Siemian and Zac Dysert are lottery tickets at best. 

Even so, a disconnect exists in Elway's ability to evaluate the position he once played. It's not entirely unlike Michael Jordan or Wayne Gretzky serving as executives after leaving their respective sports. Those who reach the highest pinnacle tend to struggle when trying to relate to those who can't be held to the same standard. 

Others pointed to potential problems with Lock's skill set before this season even began despite the public perception of him being an ascending starter. 

"He does a lot of cool s--t with his arm," an NFC exec told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler in August. "Physically talented. But needs to slow it down and play the game more from the neck up."

An NFL defensive coach added, "My whole thing was I didn't think he was an instant starter. I'm still not sure and he's gotta prove it, but we're gonna see what he does with those weapons—big-time weapons."

Lock's decision-making remains in question through seven games played. According to Pro Football Focus, he ranks fourth with 14 turnover-worthy plays, despite missing two contests because of injury. He's now dealing with a rib injury, and the quarterback could miss Sunday's meeting with the Miami Dolphins, per the Denver Post's Kyle Newman. 

Injuries and the quarterback's toughness aside, Lock simply hasn't been efficient, and that's an understatement. Traditional metrics show Denver's second-year starter ranks dead last among qualifying quarterbacks with a 55.0 completion percentage and 36.3 QBR, second-to-last with a 66.5 quarterback rating and 30th at 6.3 yards per attempt. 

The Athletic's Ben Baldwin provided a visual of how poorly Lock has played this season:

Playing with splits is dangerous and often misleading BUT if we look at since week 3 when Justin Jefferson started playing > 70% of snaps, look at Kirk Cousins! pic.twitter.com/UIwnoZGXxZ

— Computer Cowboy (@benbbaldwin) November 17, 2020

Look at the graph again. Lock is, by far, the league's worst starting quarterback.

Some might say he can only go up from here, while others will see this as an opportunity for the Broncos to cut their losses and once again enter the quarterback market, especially with a high first-round draft pick in play. 

Lawrence and Fields would qualify as locks (pardon the pun) if either is still available when the Broncos are on the clock next April. Really, Lance and Wilson should be as well since they're both considered top first-round talents. 

Lance's standing is somewhat in question because he's only played one full season and won't turn 21 until after the draft. 

"Everything about him is positive: talented and physical runner," an unnamed AFC executive told Fowler. "The question is, how soon does this guy have to play? An ideal spot for him would be somewhere where he can learn for a year."

Allowing Lock another year while simultaneously pairing him with Lance is an interesting possibility. The Broncos must do everything in their power to get the quarterback position right or risk not taking advantage of the roster's other talent. 

Wilson's progression makes him this season's fastest riser on most draft boards. The BYU quarterback went from a potential mid- to late-round option to one of the top prospects in Joe Burrow-like fashion. 

"Most intriguing of them all," an NFC executive said, per Fowler. "Confident passer whose ball jumps off of his hand."

Whatever the case, the Broncos are currently trending away from the quarterback the organization thought ended Elway's string of bad decisions.

Maybe everyone should have paid attention to something else Miller told Kahler about Lock: "He is definitely the franchise QB. If I am not right on this one, then I don't know. I just don't know what franchise quarterbacks look like."

Miller said it, but Elway owns it. 

    

Brent Sobleski covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter, @brentsobleski.

With 11 years of experience in the NFL, Kareem Jackson has established himself as a defensive mainstay in the league.

After nine years with the Houston Texans, who drafted him 20th overall out of Alabama in 2010, Jackson joined the Denver Broncos in 2019. This season, the 32-year-old has played 100 percent of the defensive snaps for the 3-6 Broncos with 53 combined tackles (37 solo).

Coming off a 37-12 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 10, Jackson sat down for a B/R AMA and shared his thoughts on the league's top trash talkers, Broncos quarterback Drew Lock, the transition to Denver and more.

          

@tarantino1: Biggest trash talker in the league?

It's hard to say. Mostly the trash-talkers are on defense. Phil Rivers does a lot of talking, but it's all comedy though. We got the best of him last year so he kept it at minimum. If he's getting the best of your defense, he doesn't stop.

          

@just_in_time: What was your reaction seeing Drew Lock rap Young Jeezy and did the locker room give him slack for that?

I'm actually lockermates with Drew so I don't think there is a song they put on in the locker room that he don't know so I wasn't surprised to see that. He's pretty in-tune with a lot of different rappers so I wasn't surprised to see that and neither was anyone in the locker room.

         

@Coco9: What's the best part about playing in Denver?

The fans here. Last year, before COVID, playing in the atmosphere, in our stadium. Great fan base here, a lot of energy.

          

@RickySpanish58: How much do you miss Von Miller?

We miss Von being out there. He's such a supreme talent. Having him on our defense changes a lot for us so it's hard.

          

@Brody189: How hard is it to breathe when you're playing football in Denver?

I don't have a problem with breathing when it comes to the altitude. I'm not sure if I'm used to it now. It's one of those things where you have to get out there a bit and get used to it.

           

@reymaldonado: Would you come back to Houston after your time in Denver is up?

If the opportunity presents itself, if it's a good deal for me at whatever point that is in my career, yeah definitely.

         

@Howler2: Who has been the hardest player to tackle?

Josh Jacobs is a tough tackle. Clyde [Edwards-Helaire] in KC is a tough tackle. Just guys that are so low to the ground. Maurice Jones-Drew was a tough tackle. Saquon Barkley. All those guys low to the ground, you can't get under or go high either, those are tough tackles.

          

@crazyjoker15: Who is the most fun to hit?

There's no one that stands out. I'm looking at all those guys to me. Anybody we're facing, but more so WRs because they want to catch the ball and get down. So you don't get a lot of opportunities but when you did, you have to let them know that you're there.

         

@isaac5252: Best player you've ever played wIth?

Andre Johnson. He will probably get into the Hall of Fame. We all know what he was when he was in this league. His size and speed and his ability. The things he would do in games was incredible.

          

@BayLegend: Who do you think is the greatest safety of all time?

That's a good question. Probably Ed Reed. I had a chance to watch him growing up in his Miami days and with the Ravens.

          

@xcskiman: If you could play any position on offense what would it be?

Slot WR so I could be in space and catch the ball and not take as many hits.

         

@johncarwin12: Why did you start flexing after making plays?

I think I started to do it 3 years ago. My man [Tyrann] Mathieu started calling me 'Jack Boy' so from there on when I made a good hit I got up and flexed. It was fitting with the name so I just kinda ran with it.

         

@CHOP_TIDE: What was your experience at Alabama like?

The tradition there. That was a huge part of wanting to go there. Just in the locker room talking with the guys, the tradition is like no other. Tuscaloosa is a college town with the fan base and atmosphere, so all of those things were great. I had an amazing time.

          

@NotDariusGarland: How did it feel like playing under Nick Saban?

It was a lot of fun. He's one of the great defensive gurus. He's huge when it comes to technique so learning from him at the college level just prepared me for the next level. He has these huge jars in his locker just full of Debbie snacks. If you try to take one, he's watching you like a hawk so you can't steal one.

           

@DekeGeek: What's your advice for young defenders?

Work at it everyday. Whether it's technique or willing to get better with your skillset. As a kid, pretty much all I did was workout and find ways to get better.

           

@hbrazda: What are your future plans for KJack TV?

Right now, I just want to continue to put content out. It's been tough because we have so many protocols. I just want to help fans get [to know] players a bit better.

          

@SportFanBeast: What do you enjoy doing with your free time?

I'm a homebody. I enjoy sitting on my couch flipping through the channels, watching movies and spending time with my daughters. I have two daughters so I spend my time with them.

          

Rapid-Fire Questions

Favorite play ever?

The first pick-6 of my career. I think it was against the Titans when I was in Houston.

         

Favorite food?

My mom's spaghetti.

         

Favorite movie ever?

Paid in Full

         

Favorite TV show ever?

Martin

         

Favorite sneaker ever?

Lebron Zoom Generation 1. I'm a huge fan of LeBron. I'd travel to see him in the offseason before the pandemic. He's my favorite basketball player of all time.

Denver Broncos quarterback Drew Lock suffered a rib injury during his team's loss to the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, and his status for the Week 11 game against the Miami Dolphins is "uncertain," according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.   

Lock was hit on two consecutive possessions in the second quarter of Sunday's loss and had X-rays of his ribs on Monday, according to Kyle Newman of the Denver Post. 

"Like with many injuries, the next day is worse than the [day of] competition," Fangio said Monday (h/t Newman). "He's pretty sore today with the ribs and we'll see where he's at on Wednesday." 

It's the second notable injury for Lock in 2020 after he hurt his right shoulder during a Week 2 loss against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Lock exited the 26-21 defeat after throwing just five passes for 20 yards, and Jeff Driskel replaced him in the huddle. 

Driskel performed admirably with 256 passing yards, two touchdowns, one interception and a 84.9 passer rating, but the Broncos were playing from behind all afternoon and couldn't complete a comeback. He started again in Week 3, where he posted 176 passing yards, one touchdown and one interception in a loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The sixth-round pick of the San Francisco 49ers in 2016 has seen action for both the Cincinnati Bengals and Detroit Lions over his career with a 1-8 record in nine starts. 

The Broncos turned to Brett Rypien in the fourth quarter of that Tampa loss and again in Week 4, when he led the team to a win over the Jets on 19-of-31 passing for 242 yards and two touchdowns, though he was intercepted three times.

Per Newman, Rypien is the team's second-string QB.

Lock, meanwhile, entered the 2020 season as the Broncos quarterback of the future who the team hoped would keep them from avoiding a full-scale rebuild. With the Missouri alum injured again, that task only gets tougher for a Denver team playing in one of the most difficult divisions in football. 

Denver Broncos general manager John Elway has been cleared to return to the facility after recovering from COVID-19, according to Mike Klis of 9News. 

Elway and team CEO Joe Ellis tested positive for COVID-19 on Nov. 3 and both went home to self-isolate.

"Other than mild symptoms, both Joe and John are doing well," the team said in a statement. "They will continue to work from home in self-isolation and participate in virtual meetings while their health is monitored."

Per Klis, Ellis is still experiencing symptoms and remains away from the team.

Denver also placed Graham Glasgow on the reserve/COVID-19 list in late October and added Shelby Harris to the list on Nov. 4, but Glasgow was activated on Wednesday.

Elway is best known for his Hall of Fame playing career but has been in the Broncos' front office since 2011. He helped build the squad that brought home a Super Bowl title after the 2015 season but the team has missed the playoffs in four straight years and is just 3-5 to start 2020.

The Denver Broncos announced team CEO Joe Ellis and general manager John Elway tested positive for COVID-19:

"Other than mild symptoms, both Joe and John are doing well. They will continue to work from home in self-isolation and participate in virtual meetings while their health is monitored.

"Based on a review of contact tracing data with the league, we are confident these cases originated independently outside of team facilities. There were minimal close contacts identified with each (no players or coaches), and those individuals have been notified."

Statement from the Broncos: pic.twitter.com/PPYuJQedZN

— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) November 3, 2020

The NFL trade deadline is 4 p.m. ET, so Elway will have to conclude any related business from home. Granted, the Broncos' team facilities were already closed, along with the rest of the league, so employees can vote in the 2020 elections.

The health of Elway, 60, and Ellis, 61, is the overriding concern. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 27,034 of the 212,328 COVID-related deaths through Oct. 28 fell within the 55-64 age bracket.

Broncos offensive guard Graham Glasgow tested positive for COVID-19 last week and missed the team's 31-30 win over the Los Angeles Chargers. Defensive coordinator Ed Donatell was out as well for the same reason. Offensive line coach Mike Munchak left the team to adhere to the NFL's health and safety protocols, though it's unclear whether he was flagged for a positive test.

The Broncos are scheduled to play the Atlanta Falcons at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday.