Is Brock Osweiler ready to take the reins as the lead passer in Denver?
During the 2015 NFL season, we’ve seen a lot of position battles around the league, and one of the most intriguing came out of Denver at the quarterback position. Peyton Manning entered the year as the team’s starter but would ultimately be unseated by heir-apparent Brock Osweiler. Manning was benched in the third quarter of Denver’s Week 10 loss to Kansas City after throwing a whopping four interceptions.
Osweiler led the Broncos to a 5-2 record as a starter and played well in those games. However, in the season finale against San Diego, Osweiler committed his third turnover of the game and was replaced by Manning, who would close out the game by leading the Broncos to victory.
The Denver Broncos finished the regular season with a 12-4 record and clinched home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. Manning was named the team’s starter for their Divisional Round matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers and would advance to the AFC championship game the next week.
Again, the Broncos would be on the victorious end of the spectrum against Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. In those games, Manning threw for 398 yards, two touchdowns and zero interceptions. Denver advanced to the Super Bowl and will face the Carolina Panthers in the big game just days away.
Over the past 10 days, there have been numerous rumors about what will happen with the career of Manning post-Super Bowl 50, including the quarterback himself reportedly telling friends that Sunday will be his last and final performance on the gridiron no matter the outcome. Should that happen, Osweiler is in line to be the future of the Broncos’ organization. However, what if Manning decides not to retire?
The 39-year-old Manning is coming off one of his worst statistical seasons as a pro. In 10 games, Manning threw for 2,249 yards, nine touchdowns and 17 interceptions. Manning arguably played better after all the rest he had in the second half of 2015.
He battled multiple injuries with his latest ailment being his foot. In the postseason, he improved on turning the ball over and played well enough to get Denver back to the promised land.
Manning is under contract with the Broncos for the 2016 season. He counts for $21,500,000 million against Denver’s salary cap this year while Osweiler is an impending free agent. Denver has a huge dilemma at hand.
If they win Super Bowl 50, Manning is likely to ride off into the sunset and retire on top much like Broncos GM John Elway had in 1999. In that scenario, Osweiler would not hit the open market and be re-signed for the next handful of years.
The worse case is if Denver comes up on the losing end of the NFL’s greatest game. A player of Manning’s caliber has a certain fire burning inside, i.e. Brett Favre. Walking away on the losing end would not sit well with me, so for Manning, it would really sting.
Reports earlier in the week linked Manning to the newly relocated Los Angeles Rams, but if Manning played in 2016, it would likely have to be for a contender, whose missing piece is behind center. Denver finished the year with the 18th-ranked offense and with Osweiler as the full-time starter, that could change in 2016.
A full offseason working with the expected starters would go a long way for Osweiler. He ran head coach Gary Kubiak’s offense well in Manning’s absence.
Osweiler showed promise this season, although the timing with his receivers seemed to be off. The Broncos also have a well-coached and dominant defense, which is a huge asset to a young quarterback’s success.
Osweiler’s supporting cast will also be a factor if he goes into 2016 as Denver’s starter. If Emmanuel Sanders and Demaryius Thomas both return, Osweiler is going to be a top-10 fantasy quarterback. Together, the duo is arguably the best in the NFL and C.J. Anderson is a star in the making.
The Broncos have youth and depth behind their weapons at both the wide receiver and running back positions, too. Ronnie Hillman and Cody Latimer stepped up when needed, but the one hole on Denver’s offense falls in at tight end. Owen Daniels is under contract until 2018, but he will turn 34 next season, and Vernon Davis was invisible since being traded to Denver a few months back.
In next year’s fantasy football season, Denver has the chance to produce a handful of quality players at each position, and their value goes up with Osweiler leading the offense. He is a budding star and only showcased a glimpse of his ability in 2015.
Anthony Cervino is a correspondent at FantasyPros. To read more from Anthony check out his archive or follow him on Twitter @theRealNFLguru.
