Osweiler’s audition
Preseason games may be Broncos’ last chance to evaluate their young QB.
Brock Osweiler’s first touchdown pass of his NFL career didn’t come until the final two minutes of his third season: a 1-yard pass to Virgil Green in a blowout victory over the Raiders in December. It was a first for both players but a telling moment in the career of Osweiler. Peyton Manning called that play. Peyton Manning, in the few instances he’s not on the field, still runs the Broncos.
For a backup quarterback, the situation is both a blessing and a curse. For Brock Osweiler, it’s reality.
“Obviously, everybody in this league wants to play,” he said. “Everybody in this league wants to be a starter. Everybody wants to be able to show what they can do. I came into a situation where if I had wanted to rush to the front of the line, you’d call me crazy.”
Since the 2012 draft, Osweiler has fielded the same question, almost weekly, about what it’s like to have to watch and wait as Manning runs the show. His answer never has changed. But this year, his situation does.
Osweiler’s contract expires at the end of the season, leaving him and the Broncos a limited window to evaluate his value and potential as their future quarterback. General manager John Elway pegged training camp and the preseason as Osweiler’s audition. And although rehearsals have gone smoothly, the curtains will be pulled back Friday in Seattle when the Broncos play the Seahawks in Game 1 of the preseason.
Coach Gary Kubiak has installed a zone-blocking offense that might better suit Osweiler’s mobility and athleticism. But it’s new and it’s different, and it will take repetitions to master.
Osweiler has seen more of those in camp, thanks to Kubiak’s mandated rest days for Manning and other veterans. But his time with top targets Demaryius Thomas and Owen Daniels is and will continue to be short.
In the 2013 and 2014 preseasons, Osweiler took 144 and 137 snaps, respectively. He has taken only 121 snaps in the past three regular seasons combined. So he’s tried to learn in other ways.
“I’ve watched Peyton in games,” he said. “I’ve watched Peyton in practice. I’ve studied his tape — Why did he make this decision? Why did he do this? — so when I’m out there on the field I’m able to take some of those things and don’t have to go through those experiences to necessarily learn them.”
Denver quarterbacks coach Greg Knapp has seen an improvement in Osweiler’s footwork, key especially in this offense, where he is asked to play under center and roll out more.
“The footwork tied in with the progressions, I’m seeing a very good improvement,” Knapp said.
He’s seen the rapport between Manning and Osweiler grow stronger with each season, the former not hesitating to give advice when warranted, and the latter eager and willing to take it in.
“Peyton has helped a lot with the mental things — what reads, what coverages you might see presnap, postsnap and to give him game examples of why he has read certain plays certain ways,” Knapp said.
And he’s seen Osweiler appear more comfortable in
By the numbers
A glimpse at the three-year career of Broncos backup QB Brock Osweiler: Career games: 13 Snaps: 121 Completions/attempts: 17/30 (56.7 percent) Yards passing: 159 Touchdown passes: 1 Interceptions: 0 Avg. score differential in games played: plus-22.5 leading the team — in huddles and in action.
Osweiler’s tryout to take the reins of the Broncos has been three years in the making. But the next month could go a long way toward sealing his fate. And the team’s.